Reading Lawrence's response, it occurs to me that I'm not making as much sense as I hope to here. There is a fundamental difference between fundamentalism and generic "radicalism." A "fundamentalist" is someone who takes all truths to be historical, material truths based on a literal reading of some particular scriptural sources. Muslim terrorists don't seem to me to be particularly "fundamentalist" in this sense, at least based on cursory reading of the Qu'ran. Neither do Christian survivalists. Both seem to be warped reactions to a felt lack of power couched in religious terms rather than a genuine religious movement.
I was thinking about Islamic "fundamentalists" as those Muslims who would like to make the Qu'ran the foundation of law, not those Muslims who were trying to blow up innocent civilians. I could understand that a Muslim fundamentalist might think it reasonable (even if I see it as misguided) to try to institute Sharia as the foundation of law; I can't understand how a suicide bomber can justify their actions under any rational conception of Islam, and I see those who try to do so as rejected by Muslim "fundamentalists." Both fundamentalists and terrorists may be dangers to society, but they are different dangers.
Lawrence Helm wrote:
A small number of CF whackos kill abortionists without the blessings of the Church. As to McVeigh, I don't recall that he was a CF. He was politically paranoid. In the case of the MF the religions commands its followers to: kill the infidel if you really want to go to paradise. You've got to differentiate between actions the CF condemns and actions the MF approves.*From:* lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] *On Behalf Of *Veronica Caley*Sent:* Saturday, November 27, 2010 5:17 PM *To:* lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx *Subject:* [lit-ideas] Re: More on Bigoted Muslim Cab Drivers Regarding CF and Lawrence's preference for them over Muslim extremists:Or, they will set off bombs at the Olympics in Atlanta. Or, kill gynecologists who perform abortions, legally, and sometimes on ten year olds. Or blow up the abortion clinics and kill and maim employees. Or they will blow up the federal building in Oklahoma City. Or, verbally attack and incite against a moderate Protestant fundamentalist who urges caring for the unfortunate among us. On TV, of course, for maximum impact. Or the Catholic Conference of Bishops inserting themselves into government policy re reproductive rights of non-Catholic women. I am not sure weighing degrees of evil is a good way to think about these things. Which of course is best judged by the victims.Veronica Caley
