Related to the earlier discussion about where ISIS gets its weapons, I wanted to share this great in-depth article from The Atlantic about the motivations of ISIS. Then In order to provide a more nuanced view of ISIS, here is criticism of that Atlantic article from thinkprogress.org.
From the Atlantic:
The Islamic State is no mere collection of psychopaths. It is a religious group with carefully considered beliefs, among them that it is a key agent of the coming apocalypse.
We can gather that their state rejects peace as a matter of principle; that it hungers for genocide; that its religious views make it constitutionally incapable of certain types of change, even if that change might ensure its survival; and that it considers itself a harbinger of—and headline player in—the imminent end of the world.
The thinkprogress.org criticism by one of the primary sources cited in the Atlantic article:
One of the oft-mentioned criticisms of The Atlantic piece is that it echoed the inaccurate belief that since ISIS’s theology draws upon Islamic texts to justify its horrendous practices, it is an inevitable product of Islam. Haykel didn’t say whether or not he thought Wood’s article says as much, but when ThinkProgress asked him directly whether Islamic texts and theology necessitate the creation of groups like ISIS, he was unequivocal.
“No,” he said. “I think that ISIS is a product of very contingent, contextual, historical factors. There is nothing predetermined in Islam that would lead to ISIS.”
He was similarly unambiguous when responding to the related critique that Muslims who disavow ISIS are somehow deluded or not “real” Muslims.
“I consider people … who have criticized ISIS to be fully within the Islamic tradition, and in no way ‘less Muslim’ than ISIS,” he said. “I mean, that’s absurd.”
(Score: 5, Touché) by aristarchus on Thursday April 30 2015, @07:30AM
Babble? Did you perhaps mean "tower of Babel"? It is in the neighborhood. And yes, my post did have meaning. I will indulge you and try to explain, since apparently it eluded your grasp.
The claim is made in the Atlantic article that the views of ISIS are actually in line with Muslim theology. I think that apocalyptic fantasies are much more a Christian thing, and often are the result of totally wacked interpretations of scripture or bird entrials. My prime example is the "rapture", an idea that at the end of the world, the faithful would rise up into the air and meet, you know, the Jesus dude. But this has no basis in actually Christianity, and is in fact the creation of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millerites [wikipedia.org] William Miller who predicted the end of the world would occur in 1843. He was wrong. Of course, some wacked out preacher repeats the same scam every few years or so. When I hear of apocalypism in Islam, I am suspicious. Not a dominant theme in the Muslim faith. So what are the people who are claiming it is trying to do? Weapons of mass deception all over again?
I hope this helps explain my point to you. I am sorry that I presumed so much and accidentally wrote above you grade reading level. By the way, for future reference, what would that be, so I can try to be more clear to you in the future?
At Your Service,
Aristarchus, philosopher
(Score: 2) by maxwell demon on Friday May 01 2015, @12:53PM
No, it's much older. Michael Stifel [wikipedia.org] already predicted Judgement Day for 1533.
And of course the book of revelation, and thus the idea as such, is very much older; I however have no idea when people started to take it literally.
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.