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: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday May 01 2015, @01:14AM
LOL @ condescension. I'm not the one who cited a faulty translation of the 6th commandment. The rest of your post is not bad advice at all. See, I grew up hearing "thou shalt not kill". Virtually all Christians do grow up with that commandment. And, as with anything, that near "consensus" doesn't make it right - it only means that most people have it wrong.
(Score: 2) by wantkitteh on Friday May 01 2015, @08:15AM
Haha, you're the one who wanted to split hairs about a single word when it was the optional addendum that was in contention, but hey ;)
And yeah, the intellectual state of the Christian church in the west is hideously depressing. Almost no-one in the popular establishment can even treat their own religious text with the respect it deserves. That's why I don't go anymore - I'm not showing my support for an organisation that broken. At least in the UK we don't get the political vitriol from the pulpit that's virtually expected in middle-class church services in the US.