"Disillusioned" youth? You fell into the trap!
Reader comment on item: Jihad through History

Submitted by J Schamroth (Israel), Jun 2, 2005 at 04:16

Comments such as "In Palestine we have a disillusioned youth, which sees no hope. Many fall prey to religious extremists." (comments by Werner) is typical of those who fail to fully identify and appreciate the problem we are facing.

No, disillusionment and despair is NOT the cause of extremism: suicide bombers in Israel have come from all walks of life... from the poor to the wealthy; from the uneducated to the university graduate.

And no, the problem is NOT the youth: suicide bombings in Israel have, according to most surveys, been approved by anywhere between 70% and 90% of the general population.

Attempting to look at the "cause" of religious extremism is an exercise in futility. It is not youth, poverty, a lack of education, or a jealousy of the West. The problem lies within the religion itself. It began in Mohammed's time, and has continued unabated until the present. A religion that preaches the killing of infidels; that lauds suicides in the name of God; a religion that has no single titular head; or a religion in which any imam can summarily issue a fatwa calling for the death of someone; such a religion - yes, the religion itself - must surely be the problem.

As Mr. Pipes has pointed out several times, one cannot deal with the problem unless one first identifies it.

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