Change from within to end terrorism?

[Malice]

In reading a lot of threads on this forum about how to fight terrorism in the long term, it seems a lot of people are of the opinion that change from within the structure of Islam is the answer.

At my college we have a student group where we watch shows like the Daily show in order to coerce people into having some sort of interest in current events. Pretty backhanded way of doing things isnt it? We then take some of the issues in the show and read some real news stories and discuss the issues.

Anyway, John Stewart had an author on and he was talking about how Osama bin Laden is sort of the de facto leader in a revolution of the religion that most westerners arent aware of. Apparently, in the past, only clerics and "real" muslim church officials had the right to interpret the Koran, issue religious edicts like Jihad and so forth.

bin Laden apparently is encouraging a different perspective, a more individualistic veiw of Islam that has much more room for individual opinion on what the Koran means and more room for non-cleric like himself and other terrorists to issue edicts of religious war and "negotiate" on behalf of the Muslim war (like offering a truce in Iraq).

This seems to me a LOT like the Christian Reformation that rejected the idea that only Priests could read the bible, interpret it, preach it, speak on behalf of the Christian world, and so forth.

Is this the kind of change from within some THRs speak of?

Discuss?

 

[Sindawe]

Is this the kind of change from within some THRs speak of?

Perhaps, but discussing religion is Verboten here on THR. I suggest you open the topic on Armed Polite Society.

 

[longeyes]

Leveling the WTC was an expression of religious freedom in defiance of Islamic orthodoxy? Hmmm. Interesting way to conduct a reformist movement.

 

[JJpdxpinkpistols]

Is this the kind of change from within some THRs speak of?

Discuss?

Not really...

I think what folks are waiting for here is for the overwhelming majority of Muslims, who are actually quite peaceful, to stand up and put the smackdown on their agitatin' fellows.

In other words, they are waiting for bin Laden to be ignored and ridiculed by his own religion.

I am unsure how sound a strategy this is. There are over a BILLION adherents to Islam. 1.3 billion or 21 percent of the world’s population. That’s a whole lotta folks, really.

http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html

Say that al Qaida boasts 20,000 terrorists. (which looks to be WAAAAY higher that actual-- http://www.terrorismfiles.org/organisations/al_qaida.html says they have a few thousand folks at most) That’s about 1% of your religion.

When confronted with those numbers, the logical person then asks: uhh…what about the OTHER 99%????????

That’s what folks are waiting to happen from “within”.

 

[Thefabulousfink]

This seems to me a LOT like the Christian Reformation that rejected the idea that only Priests could read the bible, interpret it, preach it, speak on behalf of the Christian world, and so forth.

Could be, there are some paralles, and some disturbing outcomes if true. Remember that the Reformation led to the Thirty Years War, one of the most economic and socially devistating conflicts of European history (more than even WW1 or WW2). Wars over religion, especially splits within a religion see some of the most brutal violence enacted on both soldiers and civilians. If you think this war on terror is bad, I shudder to think what an Islamic holy war would bring.