In 2015, Paris' Charile Hebdo magazine was attacked by extremists. This, in a line of blatant attacks on those exercising a freedom of speech. Surprising revelations can be learned from this spiraling situation. Is there a social disaster on the horizon?
Yes, there are certain edicts of Islam that can be taken out of context. I will concede to that. Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) I am well aware of bigotry and the misinterpretation that many may have about a faith that they do not share. In every faith you will find devout followers, jack followers, blind followers due to family or environmental traditions and then you have your extremists.
This may enrage certain segments of society but I really don't care at this point. I'll get to the point of what's stronger? It is obvious that the declarations of extreme self-proclaimed Islamists are skewed toward intolerance, hate, threats and of course - death. There are basic human frailties that are met with death after frivolous trials including converting from Islam to another faith and the unfortunate happenstance of adultery. There are tactics of fear included in the extremist doctrine such as no graphic portrayal of the prophet Muhammad or accompanied adverse literature. There are rewards of self gratification such as many women in the afterlife through their proof of faith. These are but a few of the extreme strongholds that I will concede may not be shared with many mainstream Islamists or even the Muslims. Not being intimately familiar this that area of faith it would be unfair for me to pass judgement on any particular point of their doctrine regardless of the media attention and "so-called" experts.
However, it is evident to me that the above mentioned doctrines of extremism require no personal faith at all. They are all geared to either satisfy the cravings of mortal man or bent on the intimidation of those within or outside that system of belief. It requires no personal effort to better oneself or uplift those around them. It requires no personal hope that sincere goodwill is pleasing in the sight of God. In fact, it requires no personal relationship with God. It is my experience that things so earthbound and finite are strong in their season but in the end are destined to fail. That which doesn't require the stronger part of your spirit, that being charity, compassion, perseverance and faith, will eventually be conquered by the collective effort of those who do exercise the stronger part. Were it not so, God would be manifesting Himself in visual person regularly among the children of men for the assurance of belief in Him.
I don't claim to give a pass of any kind to Christianity. Millions have been killed in the name of Christianity over the centuries. Perpetrators exercised the same intolerance and lust for conquer as our modern day Islamic extremists do. It also required no pure faith in that which is not seen, but instead relied on intimidation and ultimatums. Let us as Christians not be so blind to that one simple fact.
Regardless of your professed faith, if it doesn't include the tolerant understanding that not everyone shares your faith or must share your faith, then that system of belief will lead to death and the plundering of personal choice and accountability.
So that is my amazing new insight. If you are an extremist, watch it!! If you are intolerant or without understanding, watch it!! I believe we are on the precipice of great and wonderful expansions of human understandings in science, medicine and basic human purpose. I don't think it is a coincidence that we are individually living in this time preparing for it. We are specially called out to live in this time because we are able to learn the triumphs and failures of mankind's past. In essence, we have the ability to learn to love one another with much more depth and meaning than most of our predecessors had the ability to in life. Not because they were less but rather because they had to learn what their time offered them to learn. Our limited time is to learn the culmination of history and apply them for the good of the whole.
Yes, there are certain edicts of Islam that can be taken out of context. I will concede to that. Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) I am well aware of bigotry and the misinterpretation that many may have about a faith that they do not share. In every faith you will find devout followers, jack followers, blind followers due to family or environmental traditions and then you have your extremists.
This may enrage certain segments of society but I really don't care at this point. I'll get to the point of what's stronger? It is obvious that the declarations of extreme self-proclaimed Islamists are skewed toward intolerance, hate, threats and of course - death. There are basic human frailties that are met with death after frivolous trials including converting from Islam to another faith and the unfortunate happenstance of adultery. There are tactics of fear included in the extremist doctrine such as no graphic portrayal of the prophet Muhammad or accompanied adverse literature. There are rewards of self gratification such as many women in the afterlife through their proof of faith. These are but a few of the extreme strongholds that I will concede may not be shared with many mainstream Islamists or even the Muslims. Not being intimately familiar this that area of faith it would be unfair for me to pass judgement on any particular point of their doctrine regardless of the media attention and "so-called" experts.
However, it is evident to me that the above mentioned doctrines of extremism require no personal faith at all. They are all geared to either satisfy the cravings of mortal man or bent on the intimidation of those within or outside that system of belief. It requires no personal effort to better oneself or uplift those around them. It requires no personal hope that sincere goodwill is pleasing in the sight of God. In fact, it requires no personal relationship with God. It is my experience that things so earthbound and finite are strong in their season but in the end are destined to fail. That which doesn't require the stronger part of your spirit, that being charity, compassion, perseverance and faith, will eventually be conquered by the collective effort of those who do exercise the stronger part. Were it not so, God would be manifesting Himself in visual person regularly among the children of men for the assurance of belief in Him.
I don't claim to give a pass of any kind to Christianity. Millions have been killed in the name of Christianity over the centuries. Perpetrators exercised the same intolerance and lust for conquer as our modern day Islamic extremists do. It also required no pure faith in that which is not seen, but instead relied on intimidation and ultimatums. Let us as Christians not be so blind to that one simple fact.
Regardless of your professed faith, if it doesn't include the tolerant understanding that not everyone shares your faith or must share your faith, then that system of belief will lead to death and the plundering of personal choice and accountability.
So that is my amazing new insight. If you are an extremist, watch it!! If you are intolerant or without understanding, watch it!! I believe we are on the precipice of great and wonderful expansions of human understandings in science, medicine and basic human purpose. I don't think it is a coincidence that we are individually living in this time preparing for it. We are specially called out to live in this time because we are able to learn the triumphs and failures of mankind's past. In essence, we have the ability to learn to love one another with much more depth and meaning than most of our predecessors had the ability to in life. Not because they were less but rather because they had to learn what their time offered them to learn. Our limited time is to learn the culmination of history and apply them for the good of the whole.
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