General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: ISIS, and the theroy that all they need are jobs. [View all]cilla4progress
(24,717 posts)Highly recommend it.
Some thoughts:
ISIS is relying on a literal, "old Testament" version of the Koran. Much like Orthodox Judaism (is it accurate that there has been a refusal to sit next to a woman on an airplane?; Bibi's exhortation to European Jews to immigrate to Israel), or Roman Catholicism (anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-birth control), or Christianity (see Catholicism above), ISIS adherents retain elements of a medieval version - or earlier - of their religion. So we should not find this such an unfamiliar landscape. Though Judeo-Christianity has, as a religion, dispensed with the violent elements of the Old Testament, stonings and the Crusades, for example, I would argue elements of these still exist in the societies founded on the Old Testament, and, for other reasons as well (i.e., oil), violence perpetrated against non-believers continues.
My family hosted a young Muslim woman exchange student from Afghanistan, who defected to Canada. What I learned from her is that in many ways social structures and technology at home were relics of an age we would not recognize. Though fully integrated and adapted, and completely non-violent as well as tolerant and accepting of cultural differences, her faith experience and practices retain what many here might consider extreme, or at least, Old Testament: of course, praying 5 times a day; no depictions of animals in her room; headscarf (which over time became moderated); full coverage of her body - even in a hot tub with other of her Muslim exchange students! These are social mores. Her devotion to Allah and Muhammed was full-on.
I was surprised to learn from our student that Jesus is actually also a prophet in Islam, as are many others - Islam being an Abrahamic faith. The Atlantic article refers to this.
Brother against brother. Tale as old as time.