Dangerous fundamentalists - in Christianity and in Islam.

Preliminary notes:

1.    The word “Allah” simply means God. Christians in predominately Muslim lands naturally and easily refer to God as Allah, as did Jews who, for instance, grew up in lands such as Syria.

2.   There are many expressions of Islam. Some of them are mutually incompatible e.g. the deep seated arguments and fights between Shia and Sunni Islam.

3.   There are many expressions of Christianity. Some of them are mutually incompatible, e.g. the deep seated differences between Evangelical and Roman Catholic Christians. Evangelicals have been known to say that Catholics are not Christians, and Catholic dogma says that Evangelicals are not part of the “true Church”.

However I have come to the conclusion that despite their theological and historical differences, there is little to choose in practise between Fundamentalist Islam and Fundamentalist Christianity.

1.   Both insist that their sacred books (the Quran and the Bible) are not merely the word of God, but are in fact the words of God. (any discussion between fundamentalist Muslims and fundamentalist Christians about which of the sacred texts is the “true word of God” will have no more productive value than a pissing match).

2.   Both insist that their sacred books can only be truly understood in a particular language: The Quran in Arabic for Muslims, the King James (Authorised) version of the bible for Christians).

3.   Both believe that their faith can only be truly understood as it is interpreted by authoritative teachers (Imams or Pastors).

4.   Both believe that salvation is attainable by utter and absolute submission to Allah/God. No questions permitted!

5.   Both believe that: (a) men are superior to women; (b) the role for women is to submit to male leadership.

6.   Both believe that the ideal State is one which is governed not by secular law, but by Sharia law (for fundamentalist Muslims), or by “Biblical law” (for theocratic/fundamentalist Christians).



(One of these days I will also critique mainstream and liberal Christianity.)

But lest you should think that I am being extreme, please also read the following. 


http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/06/19/spanking-for-jesus-inside-the-unholy-world-of-christian-domestic-discipline.html

In all honesty I know hat some forms of Islam also assert that “women are for beating”.

So, it's not that I am pro-Islam or con-Christianity.    It's that I believe that the same "canons of criticism"  should be used with regard to the fundamentalisms in both faiths.

In short I assert that the beliefs of fundamentalist Christians and of fundamentalist Muslims are “peas in a pod” and that they are equally dangerous to human and democratic freedoms.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shoe insults

Last year I consulted with a local podiatrist: Dr. Robert F Herbold Jr. D.P.M. 4717 Swift Rd., Sarasota , FL – 34231  because I was being bothered with a couple of bunions  (yes I am at that age). I was very impressed with this Doctor.  He agreed that I had bunions, but he ventured that it was much too soon for surgery. (Now there’s a first). Instead he recommended some “arch supports” to relieve the tension for my feet, a tension which was exacerbating the bunions. What’s more -  he told me that he sells these arch supports at the miserly sum of $2.50 each (about 1/5 of the price in the local pharmacies). He is an honest man, and I recommend him to anyone with foot problems. So, a couple of weeks ago, having purchased some new walking shoes, I knew that I needed to buy a couple of new arch supports I took myself to his office. Once there, my mind went blank. I wanted to ask his front desk Clerk if I could buy some “shoe inserts” , as I could not rem...
Read more

The background, the couple, my friends, the wedding ceremony, the Shaykh, the Priest,

Image
The background   I have known the Keller/Bonsey family since 2000 when I became the Rector at St. James's, Cambridge, MA. They (Elisabeth Keller and the Revd. Steven Bonsey with their four children Noah, Sam, Josiah and Annie) had come back to Cambridge from Hawaii where Steve had been the Rector of an Episcopal parish. Steve had just been appointed as a Chaplain at Tufts University (no Sunday morning duties) so the entire family was able to enrich our common life at St. James's - which they did with great love and joy. I count them as friends and have stayed in touch with them since my retirement.  Noah, the oldest son is eloquent in Arabic (he spent a year in Damascus when Syria was a safe place).  He has developed a super career as an analyst of social media in the near East.    Noah worked in Tampa for a while a few years ago, so he and I were a...
Read more

It began in Bristol U.K. "A man dies" and "Jesus Christ Superstar"

Image
I well remember the swirling controversy in Bristol, U.K. when a (Presbyterian) Minister the Revd, Earnest Marviin created a ":Rock Opera", called "A Man Dies"  in and for his congregation in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, U.K. Earnest Mrvin I was a sixteen years old member of the Plymouth Brethren Church back in those days, so I most likely disapproved of "A Man Dies" .  We, (the Plymouth Brethren),  disapproved of everything! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I had forgotten all about "A Man Dies" until earlier today when saw these pictures on the "Bristol, Then and Now"  Facebook page.   St. James Presbyterian Church, Lockleaze, Bristol  The Bristol Then and Now page includes the following commentary: Lockleaze, Bristol  -  'Jesus Christ Superstar' began at St.James (Presbyterian) Chur...
Read more