I feel qualified to discuss economics, investing, and financial planning. However, I feel unqualified to discuss religion . . . which I will now discuss.
For convenience, let's assume everybody on Earth is either a Christian, a Jew, a Hindu, a Buddhist, or a Muslim. That's five major religions. Yet, a disproportionate share of world disorder involves Islam. While all religions have zealots or "true believers," my observation has been that all major religions are able to marginalize their extremists except Islam.
Do you remember the crazy preacher of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas who thought it was a good idea for his congregation to travel around the country, demonstrating at the funerals for our fallen heroes, who died in Iraq & Afghanistan, simply because they died fighting for a country that tolerates gay people? He was a Christian extremist, whose 15-minutes of fame have thankfully passed. More importantly, his Biblical poison didn't spread. He was marginalized, but why?
Increasingly, religion is our country is capitalistic or atomized into independent units. Preachers rise or fall based on their ability to sell "The Word." Just as there is a market for tofu, there is a market for extreme religion, but it is a really small market in the U.S. Except for hot-button social issues like abortion and homosexuality, our government stays relatively un-involved in our religion. Our extremists are able to vent their spleen without government approval or disapproval. We have a pressure-release valve for extremism. Is this the same case in Islam?
A friend tells me that my thinking is flawed, as there are not five major religions but six. His point is that there are two Islams, i.e., Sunni Islam and Shia Islam, which are wholly different. The troubles of the world revolve around that divide. We are just caught up in their civil war. I understand his point, but still believe that the many respective governments of both Islams are so supportive of religion that they actually encourage extremism.
The first amendment of the Constitution says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
That's a good rule! Maybe Islamic governments should try it . . .
For convenience, let's assume everybody on Earth is either a Christian, a Jew, a Hindu, a Buddhist, or a Muslim. That's five major religions. Yet, a disproportionate share of world disorder involves Islam. While all religions have zealots or "true believers," my observation has been that all major religions are able to marginalize their extremists except Islam.
Do you remember the crazy preacher of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas who thought it was a good idea for his congregation to travel around the country, demonstrating at the funerals for our fallen heroes, who died in Iraq & Afghanistan, simply because they died fighting for a country that tolerates gay people? He was a Christian extremist, whose 15-minutes of fame have thankfully passed. More importantly, his Biblical poison didn't spread. He was marginalized, but why?
Increasingly, religion is our country is capitalistic or atomized into independent units. Preachers rise or fall based on their ability to sell "The Word." Just as there is a market for tofu, there is a market for extreme religion, but it is a really small market in the U.S. Except for hot-button social issues like abortion and homosexuality, our government stays relatively un-involved in our religion. Our extremists are able to vent their spleen without government approval or disapproval. We have a pressure-release valve for extremism. Is this the same case in Islam?
A friend tells me that my thinking is flawed, as there are not five major religions but six. His point is that there are two Islams, i.e., Sunni Islam and Shia Islam, which are wholly different. The troubles of the world revolve around that divide. We are just caught up in their civil war. I understand his point, but still believe that the many respective governments of both Islams are so supportive of religion that they actually encourage extremism.
The first amendment of the Constitution says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
That's a good rule! Maybe Islamic governments should try it . . .
