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Mount St. Helens exploded in natural violence this morning, sending plumes of ash into the air as millions watched on television. That doesn't seem to have much to do with terrorism, but in a way, it highlights one of the key aspects of todays war against Islamic fundamentalists attempting to force their world-view on the rest of civilizations.
The Indonesian island of Krakatoa exploded in 1883 in one of the most cataclismic volcanic eruptions of the modern era. So much ash was dumped into the atmosphere that summers were noticably cooler for three years, and sunsets were tained by volcanic dust throughout the entire world. The details of that explosion, however, took anywere from weeks to months to become known to those who were interested. The news regarding the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens was broadcast on television within a half-hour of the eruption. The current eruption was expected, and television crews were standing by, just waiting for the initial blast. They're still there, recording the event, and broadcasting aspects of it live around the world. Scientific knowledge has increased so much that we could - and did - forecast a major eruption of one of the worlds semi-quiescent but active volcanos - so accurately that national television stations expended the money to keep people on the scene to record the event.
The people that are fighting against Western Civilization wish to stop scientific knowledge. Scientific knowledge - advances such as space exploration, medicine, biology and chemistry, all create conflicts with their religious beliefs, which were strictly codified by the end of the late 12th century, and which are unable to change by the very nature of their religion. Even the discussion of the possibility of change is considered heresy, and can result in a demand for the heretic's death in gruesome and barbaric (by western standards) means.
The only ways that their religion can be successful is by returning to its "golden days" - the Tenth through Thirteenth Century. The only way they can convince people to give up modern civilization and return to that very limited existence is by the use of force. As a weaker force than those arrayed against it, fundamentalists have used the most successful weapon they can devise - a war against the innocent - civilians, children, and those engaged in helping their fellow man, regardless of religious affiliation. Unfortunately, the religion the fundamentalists are tied to so tightly does not encourage freedom of thought, and advances in any field (which require such freedom) have been few and painful. It's much easier to steal those ideas from the Infidel. Once the battle's won (in their minds), all those "dangerous ideas" can be suppressed, and the faithful return to the "purity" of a previous era.
The religion of the terrorists (I won't even give them the minor victory of associating them with Islam, only the most hated evil possible - overbearing hubris of the superiority of their religious arguments over anyone else's) is fatally flawed, and in many different ways. The most compelling flaw is that God cannot speak to them of their current sins - Muhammed was the "last prophet" - ther can never be another. God, however, is not limited - not by the arrogance of the Islamists, nor the indifference of "post-modernist" Christian fundamentalism, or by the ignorance of the "masses". God has a record of speaking to people whenever and wherever they are. The Old Testament is full of prophets - hundreds of them. To say that God can no longer find people to do His will, or that God has "created perfection" in imperfect humanity, is an affront to His majesty, and an extreme act of hubris. God speaks - eloquently - through many today, pointing out our sins and shortfalls. When you're always on your knees, not allowed to listen to any but the self-chosen "leaders" of a static sect, it's almost impossible to hear what He has to say. The world - and those imprisoned under the tyranny of religious persecution - is poorer for it.
The Indonesian island of Krakatoa exploded in 1883 in one of the most cataclismic volcanic eruptions of the modern era. So much ash was dumped into the atmosphere that summers were noticably cooler for three years, and sunsets were tained by volcanic dust throughout the entire world. The details of that explosion, however, took anywere from weeks to months to become known to those who were interested. The news regarding the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens was broadcast on television within a half-hour of the eruption. The current eruption was expected, and television crews were standing by, just waiting for the initial blast. They're still there, recording the event, and broadcasting aspects of it live around the world. Scientific knowledge has increased so much that we could - and did - forecast a major eruption of one of the worlds semi-quiescent but active volcanos - so accurately that national television stations expended the money to keep people on the scene to record the event.
The people that are fighting against Western Civilization wish to stop scientific knowledge. Scientific knowledge - advances such as space exploration, medicine, biology and chemistry, all create conflicts with their religious beliefs, which were strictly codified by the end of the late 12th century, and which are unable to change by the very nature of their religion. Even the discussion of the possibility of change is considered heresy, and can result in a demand for the heretic's death in gruesome and barbaric (by western standards) means.
The only ways that their religion can be successful is by returning to its "golden days" - the Tenth through Thirteenth Century. The only way they can convince people to give up modern civilization and return to that very limited existence is by the use of force. As a weaker force than those arrayed against it, fundamentalists have used the most successful weapon they can devise - a war against the innocent - civilians, children, and those engaged in helping their fellow man, regardless of religious affiliation. Unfortunately, the religion the fundamentalists are tied to so tightly does not encourage freedom of thought, and advances in any field (which require such freedom) have been few and painful. It's much easier to steal those ideas from the Infidel. Once the battle's won (in their minds), all those "dangerous ideas" can be suppressed, and the faithful return to the "purity" of a previous era.
The religion of the terrorists (I won't even give them the minor victory of associating them with Islam, only the most hated evil possible - overbearing hubris of the superiority of their religious arguments over anyone else's) is fatally flawed, and in many different ways. The most compelling flaw is that God cannot speak to them of their current sins - Muhammed was the "last prophet" - ther can never be another. God, however, is not limited - not by the arrogance of the Islamists, nor the indifference of "post-modernist" Christian fundamentalism, or by the ignorance of the "masses". God has a record of speaking to people whenever and wherever they are. The Old Testament is full of prophets - hundreds of them. To say that God can no longer find people to do His will, or that God has "created perfection" in imperfect humanity, is an affront to His majesty, and an extreme act of hubris. God speaks - eloquently - through many today, pointing out our sins and shortfalls. When you're always on your knees, not allowed to listen to any but the self-chosen "leaders" of a static sect, it's almost impossible to hear what He has to say. The world - and those imprisoned under the tyranny of religious persecution - is poorer for it.
posted by Old Patriot | 2:00 PM
1 Comments:
Ptah (http://www.crusaderwarcollege.org) here, OP, and an amen to the last paragraph. For some people, the biggest barrier to hearing from God is believing that God DOES speak to them.
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