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How different are Christian and Islamic fundamentalists?
Yesterday, I wrote a post, blatantly swiping Sarah Posner's work in The American Prospect, about John Hagee, an influential televangelist who's used his TV show, his books and an extensive network of conservative evangelicals to lobby for a war with Iran as the first step towards bringing about the Rapture.
It brought a visitor, a self-described "Christian fundamentalist," who took umbrage at the fact that some commenters dared suggest that Christian fundamentalists are just as … sane as their Muslim counterparts. It's a great comment, and raises an interesting question.
I know its superstition to you learned ones but…
Like it or not the bible does make very specific references to a war involving Persia (Iran) with its allies Gog (Russia) invading from the North with the resulting war leaving "blood up to the horses bridles". But be that as it may …Well, like it or not, fundamentalists of all stripes believe -- to varying degrees -- in a literal interpretation of their respective holy texts. That's fine when it comes to Thou Shalt Not Steal, but is quite dangerous when it allows people to do harm to "nonbelievers" and think it's a righteous act. There are certainly examples of that kind of fundamentalism -- violent fundies -- in each of the "big three" religions.
Being a "fundamentalist" myself (a much maligned group if there ever was one) …Time for an aside. This comment is a perfect example of (right-wing) populism. First, s/he says "you learned ones," which captures the out-of-touch intellectual elitism that liberalism is supposed to represent. The implication is that our commenter, by contrast, is a more "genuine" American -- s/he may not have fancy book learnin', but, presumably, that's made up by an excess of common "horse sense." Implied also, is that those out-of-touch elite types are repressing noble commonfolk like our visitor -- our guest also wrote: "I know that you people love to villify "fundamentalists"- villfy hell., it is really DISCRIMNATE AGAINST us and thats OK."
… we do not believe, like the Iranian president who is invoking the "hidden Imam" that we are to "push" a war with Iran. We do believe in it's certainty but that these events will happen on Gods timing and not ours. Nothing we can do will make it happen sooner or later. But we do believe that it will happen and it will be a deadful thing.Remember that this is a response to a post about a fundamentalist Christian who, unlike Ahmadinejad, is actively promoting a war to bring about the end Times.
… while rule by clerics might suggest joy over a leader who believes he is divinely guided, Shiite religious texts ban all claims of such revelations and warn against "false prophets." The punishment for "fooling" people is so great, notes one, that "hell's fire and its occupants are crying."Our visitor continues:
Uh folks (idiots) half of the national tennis team in Iraq was murdered in drive by shootings a couple of months ago becasue they insisted on wearing SHORTS that is prohibited somewhere in the Qu'ran!Idiots? I thought we were "learned ones"?
… Leaflets were spread prior warning them to "put their clothes back on in the sight of Allah" and if they didnt they would die. Well they died.Here, our fundamentalist friend demands a double standard. A large majority of Christian, Muslim and Hindu fundamentalists -- and Orthodox Jews -- are nonviolent. That makes sense -- all of the texts they follow preach nonviolence, accept under some specific circumstances.
… take a deep breath and you will see that the differences in Christian Fundamentailism is night and day from those who feel they will get non stop virgins (pleasure) in "heaven". Do Muslim women get non stop virgins too?The deep breath did nothing.
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