Our local NPR affiliate, KERA, produces a topic-driven interview program called "Think!"
On Thurday, Krys Boyd, the host, interviewed Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, author of the book "My Year Inside Radical Islam."
Ross talked of his quest for spiritual fulfillment, and how it led him to Islam in college. He described how his journey led him to the writings of more and more radical Shaykhs. In his quest for fundamental certainty, he subsribed to the teachings that governments should adopt Shari'a for the rule of the people, and that it was justifiable to undertake violent jihad in order to make that a reality.
Ross described his own internal struggles. He said that he intuitively questioned the Shaykhs' writings at first, but after a time learned to subdue his intellectual criticism in favor of moral purity. However, eventually Ross could not deny his repulsion at the violence advocated by the radical Shaykhs, and left Islam.
Ross now works as a counter-terrorism consultant. He warns that our liberal approach to multiculturalism shields from investigation and criticism radical ideaologies which advocate violence.
Your thoughts?
-- Edited by Roper at 20:40, 2007-02-10
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
Children within radical muslim homes are taught to hate us from the very beginning.
You cannot "talk" with that kind of mentality. There will never be compromise. The only thing that works for them is voilence.
How very unfortunate.
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no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing... the truth of God will go forth till it has penetrated every website, sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done
Palestinian children are taught that martyrdom is desirable. They're told that jews aren't really people. Isn't it easy to understand why they grow up to be suicide bombers?
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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom, go from us in peace. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! - Samuel Adams
Kind of reminds me of how the Book of Mormon stated that there were really only two effective ways to deal with gadiantans and bloodthirsty enemies...
1. Destroy them by bloodshed and 2. Teach and preach the gospel to them in love
Both were effective, but the latter was found to usually have better lasting results. I wonder how we will ever get to the point the latter can be utilized. What kind of miracle would need to occur to open that possibility up?
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
IMHO, the former is paving the way for the latter. I fully anticipate one of my children to receive a call to the Baghdad South Mission.
Think it will never happen? Twenty-five years ago, most members believed that they wouldn't see missions inside the USSR in their lifetime. Arbi, how many missions do we have in Russia and the former republics now?
-- Edited by Roper at 18:38, 2007-02-12
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
They need a Renaissance (sp?).......And it must come from themselves, not us. Then they can have a Reformation of Islam: Womens rights, rational thought and education, and yes, human rights....It took us in the West about 200 years to go through with this process. With technology and electronic media, maybe 50 for the middle east. I'm not holding my breath though....
fregmanis, did you see the interview Glen Beck did the other day with the one islamic lady who is trying to create something like that, by working with other islamic "reformers" to show that it is okay to have other interpretations of the Koran than those espoused by the nutjobs? It was really interesting. She indicated that back in the 12th century, there were hundreds of different interpretations, and that it was okay, and this was the golden age because they allowed such freedom of thought and learning and the like. She indicated that the people in that period of history could only be considered enlightened and educated as an muslim if they were too comfortable with any single interpretation and to question everything. That came to an end when the caliph decided he needed to reign control over his empire.
Yeah roper, miracles do happen no doubt there. I wonder what the miracle would be that would cause the stone to start rolling for those people. I hope it is not continued bloodshed. Repressive leadership of nations that do not allow their people to be truly educated or freely think and act is one thing that has to change.
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It seems to me the only thing you've learned is that Caesar is a "salad dressing dude."
