The special case of islam?

[David Boots]

Bizarre video. Demonstrates some seriously flawed (and scary) logic.

[Simon Paynton]

@davidboots – you don’t understand the British sense of humour.

[Simon Paynton]

Here is an article about the apparently forward-thinking anti-Islamist movements in Portsmouth, UK.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/11665456/How-Portsmouth-became-a-hotbed-of-radicalised-Muslims-and-far-right-thugs.html

[Simon Paynton]

I have just seen this “new” paper, but haven’t read it yet.

“From Jihad to Salam in Pursuit of Political Change – A Perspective based on Qur’ānic Sources”

(Dr. Muqtedar Khan: Professor, University of Delaware;  Dr. Tahir Shad: Associate Professor, Washington College)

– let me know if the download link doesn’t work.

 

[David Boots]

I like it. It is not surprising to see academics leading the way.

It is not clear to me whether islamic intellectuals have any influence over the theocratic institution.

[Simon Paynton]

I’m glad you like it.  I think that people like him are the only way out, but of course, the rest of the world has to do its bit too.  And, there’s just always going to be conflict and carnage going on somewhere.  But we would hope for less of it.

If it’s going to be theocratic, at least it can be a good kind of theocratic, i.e. less theocratic, for a start.

[Simon Paynton]

To us in the West, a theocracy looks like “1984”.  To others, maybe it looks like God’s proper law and institutions.  It’s strange how it seems like they always have to be so repressive.  What is that all about, exactly?  Who is benefitting?  Presumably, the people in power, and those loveable old men who like everything exactly their way, or else.

[Simon Paynton]

“From Jihad to Salam in Pursuit of Political Change – A Perspective based on Qur’ānic Sources”

– I’ve just started reading this essay, and basically, I think it is 100% A1 brilliant, in the style of its thinking and writing.  I’m not an expert on the subject at all.  But it is completely unlike anything else I have seen, in, what appears to be, its commonsense relevance and positivity.  Spelckech though?

“The colonial domination precipitated a gradual but systematic erosion of the institutions of Muslim civil society.”

– from what I know, I might take issue with this, since I was under the impression that Islam had already been in some kind of decline for a long time before this.  However, obviously, down is not out, and as a successful religion (albeit, experiencing some all-round problems), the potential is there for things to get right back on their feet.

[Simon Paynton]

“This second wave of anti-colonial upsurge has come primarily through the resurgence of Islam, which in many ways is an effort to resuscitate and revive the authentic moral fabric of Muslim societies.”

– you wonder how much of a good idea this might be, since “authentic” can mean some very funny and, frankly, ridiculous things.  There has to be some kind of authentic core which is actually portable to the present day and conditions – otherwise it wouldn’t be much good.  And, I’m sure there is one.

[Simon Paynton]

“What is the intrinsic, inherent, and moral value of peace and nonviolence? Are they to be valued in themselves to such an extent that the fear of violence and instability (fitna), division and discord, in the process of change compel us to indefinitely defer change?”

– this is definitely a big question, or rather, has a lot of different answers.  I’d say the main moral value of peace – as an approach to general problem-solving – is to do with reciprocity: i.e. not provoking a backlash – big ripples of reaction.  Those big ripples take a while to calm down, and cause more ripples.  Peace as a mode of existence – the absence of conflict – allows people to get on with their lives and flourish better.

Of course, these two kinds of peace – short term and long term – work together to produce good conditions for flourishing.

“violence and instability (fitna), division and discord”

– making omelettes requires the breaking of eggs.

[PopeBeanie]

I think one reason Islam is a special case is because of circumstances wrt its origin, namely a Middle-Eastern, suddenly-oil-empowered behemoth… where medieval-legacy authoritarians  were able to control their masses as a result of their sudden wealth.  (There’s an economic philosophy wrt how “extractive resource” economies enable plutocratic or emperial powers to gain control over the masses, as opposed to a grass roots form of economic vitality from grass roots labor, skills, industry. I think.)

Anyway, it seems the history of humanity is about how people with newfound power use that power, and of course modernization is all about how to harness power from the environment, and organize people, and how to respond or not to people who aren’t born into that power. This is why I have empathy for the Muslim underdogs who are controlled from the moment they’re born, and never have a chance at freedom, while it’s just taken for granted here as if it’s a natural result of being “better, more righteous people” than those in the rest of the world.

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