Muslim Fundamentalism

[mark46]

As we have headlines in the Middle East (Gaza and Afghanistan), I thought that I would reflect on Muslim fundamentalism.
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Some Characteristics Of Muslim Fundamentalists
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1) view politics as a means to move government and laws to reflect their values and positions
2) generally have women in a subsidiary role to men in life and in politics
3) be anti-gay and strongly oppose rights for homosexuals
4) believe that the majority persecutes or wants to persecute them
5) opposes compromise, especially with those of their faith
6) believes in a strong military and strong national police force to enforce the will of the leading politicians
7) believes in autocratic government (certainly trusting that the masses and democracy can't be the right path)
8) prefer to focus on punishing sinners rather than focusing on the support of the poor and weak (a strong element of Islam)
==
A) I think almost all of this is true of Muslim fundamentalist parties and governments ruled or supported by them,

B) I believe that this is also true of Hindu fundamentalists.

C) I think this is also true of Christain fundamentalists, as it has been since the beginning of their influence.

 

[zippy2006]

1) view politics as a means to move government and laws to reflect their values and positions
2) generally have women in a subsidiary role to men in life and in politics
3) be anti-gay and strongly oppose rights for homosexuals
4) believe that the majority persecutes or wants to persecute them
5) opposes compromise, especially with those of their faith
6) believes and strong military and strong national police force to enforce the will of the leading politicians
7) believe in autocratic government (certainly trusting the masses and democracy can't be the right path)
8) prefer to focus on punishing sinners rather than focusing on the support of the poor and weak (a strong element of Islam)

1, 2, 3, and 7 are part of Islam and not just "fundamentalism," and this is arguably true for many of the other points as well.

 

[mark46]

1, 2, 3, and 7 are part of Islam and not just "fundamentalism," and this is arguably true for many of the other points as well.

There are many devout Muslims throughout the world who do not fight for sharia to be the law of the land. There are many (see the UK) who do not fight for denying rights for those of other faiths or sexual orientation. There are many female politicians and leaders throughout the world. And, certainly, in the US, there are many, many voters who support moderate politicians who are not fundamentalist Muslims.

 

[zippy2006]

There are many devout Muslims throughout the world who do not fight for sharia to be the law of the land.

And there are many "devout" "Christians" throughout the world who believe that Jesus never even existed. So what?

 

[Fantine]

As we have headlines in the Middle East (Gaza and Afghanistan), I thought that I would reflect on Muslim fundamentalism.
==============================
Some Characteristics Of Muslim Fundamentalists
===============================
1) view politics as a means to move government and laws to reflect their values and positions
2) generally have women in a subsidiary role to men in life and in politics
3) be anti-gay and strongly oppose rights for homosexuals
4) believe that the majority persecutes or wants to persecute them
5) opposes compromise, especially with those of their faith
6) believes in a strong military and strong national police force to enforce the will of the leading politicians
7) believes in autocratic government (certainly trusting that the masses and democracy can't be the right path)
8) prefer to focus on punishing sinners rather than focusing on the support of the poor and weak (a strong element of Islam)
==
A) I think almost all of this is true of Muslim fundamentalist parties and governments ruled or supported by them,

B) I believe that this is also true of Hindu fundamentalists.

C) I think this is also true of Christain fundamentalists, as it has been since the beginning of their influence.

Yes for "C" and they present a far greater problem in our own country.

 

[mark46]

Yes for "C" and they present a far greater problem in our own country.

I agree. Fundamentalism has come a long way from being the group that fought Darwin. There is nothing wrong with the 5 fundamentals. Most of us, certainly most here on this board agree with the fundamentals.
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Fundamentalism was at first an affirmation of orthodoxy within Christianity, an anti-Darwin movement in the 19th and early 20th century. Evangelicalism and conservativism are very, very different movements. Of course, almost all Christian consider themselves evangelical. Conservatism in the US has a long and proud political history.

In the last 50 years, the far right has co-opted the movement, the label "evangelical' and the label "conservative" and morphed the three into a very, very powerful political organization.
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SOME BACKGROUND (from wiki AI)

In the U.S., fundamentalism is a historically specific movement within American Protestantism that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in reaction to theological modernism. It is characterized by its emphasis on the inerrancy of the Bible and a set of core beliefs, often referred to as the "five fundamentals".

The Five Fundamentals
The movement's name is derived from a series of pamphlets published between 1910 and 1915, titled The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth. The core tenets include:

• Biblical inerrancy: The Bible is literally true, without error or contradiction, as it is divinely inspired.
• The virgin birth of Jesus: Jesus was born of the virgin Mary and conceived by the Holy Spirit.
• Substitutionary atonement: Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity.
• The bodily resurrection of Jesus: Jesus was physically resurrected from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion.
• The authenticity of Jesus' miracles and his physical second coming: Jesus performed actual miracles as recorded in scripture and will literally return to Earth.

Historical context and development

• Origins: The movement was spurred by anxiety over modern developments in biblical criticism, labor unrest, and Catholic immigration in the late 19th century.
• Early 20th century: Fundamentalism gained momentum in the 1920s, fueled by opposition to teaching evolution, which was seen as a challenge to biblical literalism. This culminated in the 1925 Scopes "Monkey Trial".
• Mid-20th century: Many fundamentalists separated from mainline denominations to form new churches, Bible institutes, and colleges.
• Late 20th century to present:
  • Some fundamentalists, often referred to as conservative evangelicals, re-entered mainstream political life after the 1960s. They have become a powerful force in conservative politics, utilizing media like television and mobilizing around issues like "family values".
  • Examples of organizations that have promoted fundamentalist and conservative views include the Christian Coalition and the Family Research Council.
  • The term "fundamentalist" is still embraced by some groups that maintain a separatist theology, emphasizing the literal exposition of the Bible and militantly opposing doctrinal deviation.

Distinctions

• Evangelicalism: While all fundamentalists are evangelicals (sharing a commitment to evangelism and a conversion experience), not all evangelicals are fundamentalists. Following the 1920s, a new generation of more moderate evangelicals distanced themselves from the militancy of fundamentalism, though they still hold conservative theological beliefs.
• Theological modernism: This was the movement that fundamentalism explicitly opposed. Theological modernists sought to revise traditional Christian beliefs to accommodate modern scientific and social developments, such as the theory of evolution.
• Christian Nationalism: This is a distinct, though sometimes overlapping, movement that claims the U.S. is a Christian nation established by divine will. This ideology is political and often based on a worldview of American superiority, leading to the belief that only Christians can be "true Americans".

Wider meaning of the term
Beyond its specific historical context in American Christianity, the term "fundamentalism" is also used more broadly by scholars to describe morally absolutist religious and political movements that militantly oppose aspects of the modern world. This analytical framework has been applied to movements in Islam, Judaism, and other religions.

 

[Matt5]

There are many devout Muslims throughout the world who do not fight for sharia to be the law of the land. There are many (see the UK) who do not fight for denying rights for those of other faiths or sexual orientation. There are many female politicians and leaders throughout the world. And, certainly, in the US, there are many, many voters who support moderate politicians who are not fundamentalist Muslims.

They are the bad Muslims. The good Muslims imitate Muhammad as commanded by the Quran. There are 91 Quran verses commanding Muslims to imitate Muhammad in everything he did, making his actions the core of Islamic practice.

1. Muhammad personally committed acts identical to those of ISIS, so if he did it, it's Islamic.
2. Muhammad was a jihadist who performed 100 separate acts of violent jihad in his last nine years in Medina.
3. Islam lacks a Golden Rule; Muhammad's attacks on all neighbors (pagans, Christians, Jews) proves this, as he was a poor neighbor who attacked those who disagreed with him.

The hard way to understand Islam is through the Quran. The easy way is through the life of Muhammad.

 

[mark46]

hmm

This reasoning is very common.

For me, it is the interpretation of scripture that is the issue. For fundamentalists, there is only one correct interpretation, theirs.
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Bad Muslins are those who do not agree with the fundamentalist making the statement about a particular action or issue.

ditto for Hindus and Christians and Jews

 

[JosephZ]

They are the bad Muslims. The good Muslims imitate Muhammad as commanded by the Quran. There are 91 Quran verses commanding Muslims to imitate Muhammad in everything he did, making his actions the core of Islamic practice.

1. Muhammad personally committed acts identical to those of ISIS, so if he did it, it's Islamic.
2. Muhammad was a jihadist who performed 100 separate acts of violent jihad in his last nine years in Medina.

I'm not so sure about the numbers you provided, but according to Islamic teachings, Muslims are to emulate Muhammad's character traits like honesty, compassion, and humility and his ethical principles. Muslims also understand the historical context in which the Qur'an was written and see his actions as a warrior to have been appropriate for situations Muslims faced in the 7th century and not as mandates for Muslims to follow in 2025. So the "good Muslims" are the vast majority of the world's Muslims who put these principles into practice. The "bad Muslims" are the few who do not.

Islam lacks a Golden Rule; Muhammad's attacks on all neighbors (pagans, Christians, Jews) proves this, as he was a poor neighbor who attacked those who disagreed with him.

The Qur’an and hadiths have several references to the Golden Rule. Below are a few examples:

"None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." (Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 2, Hadith 12)

"Whoever would like to be delivered from the Fire and enter Paradise—[let him act as though] his last day is tomorrow, and [remember] that he will be held accountable for everything, even [a small thing like] a strand of thread; and whoever would like to be saved from the Fire should treat people as he would like to be treated." (Sahih Muslim Book 45, Hadith 10)

"Fear Allah wherever you may be, and follow up a bad deed with a good deed and it will wipe it out, and behave well towards people." (Sunan al-Tirmidhi Book 27, Hadith 1987)

"There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm." (Sunan Ibn Majah Book 13, Hadith 2340)

"...if anyone slays a human being-unless it be [in punishment] for murder or for spreading corruption on earth-it shall be as though he had slain all mankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind..." (Qur'an 5:32)

"...do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the needy, the neighbor who is near, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, and the traveler..." (Qur'an 4:36)