Quote:
Originally Posted by Textcritic
It's not entirely that simple. As was noted in the other thread which includes a very good article about the apocalyptic roots of this crisis, there is a theological point of manipulation here that transcends crazy. Perfectly sane people will feel obligation to duty if they perceive a well founded theological warrant for it. When al-Baghdadi proclaimed a Caliphate in Mosul, this created precisely the sort of theological imperative that would be impossible for a great number of Salafi Muslims to simply ignore.
|
Well too bad for all of us then if they can be convinced by ancient books to cut someone's head off. I read that article and they certainly do seem to have some old reasons to do this. Doesn't mean those old reasons aren't downright crazy in the modern world. Killing someone because they don't follow a religion is crazy no matter how much 'justification' the killer can read in the source material.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Textcritic
It's pretty arrogant to assume that you—unlike probably every member of the human race—are immune to "manipulation by criminals."
|
I don't think I said I'm immune – though I'm getting pretty long in the tooth and it ain't happened yet. I'm very confident a criminal gang hasn't got me pegged as their next recruit, and I can guarantee I won't ever be roped into an apocalyptic cult of murdering lunatics.
I don't know how that's arrogance. 99% of the people in the world are the same way, luckily.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Textcritic
Individuals in these situations are not on their own dangerous. They are dangerous only as part of the movement. If you remove them from the movement, or if you remove the threat of the movement, then I am convinced that the vast majority of these people go back to their mundane existence.
|
What leads you to that conclusion? Seems that someone who can be convinced to leave Canada to get on board with this "movement" is a pretty good candidate to be convinced to do almost anything. Clearly, the critical thinking skills are non-existent, and they are remarkably credulous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Textcritic
I'm not sure one can fully comprehend this unless he has been part of a fundamentalist religious movement.
|
No probably not. I don't know if it's necessary to fully comprehend what it's like though, really. I can watch a video, if I so choose, of this particular bunch burning a man alive in a cage. That brings about some understanding, even if I've never been a fanatic don't know the backstory from the book they use to justify it, or the psychological or sociological reasons it happens.