Is the problem "radical Islam" or something else? as in "values"?
Reader comment on item: Pipes calls war a success

Submitted by J.S. (Canada), Apr 3, 2006 at 18:16

An informative article was published today in the National Post. The title: "Afghan Christian convert furor illustrates cultural divide." The author of the article, Matthew Fisher, suggests that what we in the West would call "religious zealotry" is supported by large numbers of Afghanis and other Muslims around the world. Matthew Fisher writes: "Three subjects that seem to most highlight the profound disconnect between Islamic and Western ideas are honour, violence and the status of women." Fisher goes on to describe the state of the Islamic/Muslim world (he gives a number of telling examples -- including the widespread practice of "honour" killings.) Much of this is not, however, about Islam, per se, but about Islamic/Muslim cultural practices (including the use of violence as a form of punishment -- whippings, floggings, beheadings, etc). I recall reading about a flogging in Somalia -- a witness reported how children (taken to view the flogging) were laughing at the victim -- as if they were "watching a circus clown."

There is a widespread de-sensitivization to violence, and an approval towards violence (which I believe most westerners would find appalling). The dis-value placed on human life is another recurrent theme -- Matthew Fisher noted how "murder" is justified by "Palestinians" (ie., they don't consider blowing themselves up and killing others as "murder" -- it's a glorious, heroic act). So I am a pessimist -- there will have to be a radical change in the entire culture found in Islamic / Muslim states worldwide (you'd have to include huge parts of the globe -- Thailand, Phillipines, Asia, Africa, etc., etc, wherever Islam is found). What sort of education is necessary here to reform half or more of the globe?? Can the world afford this? or is it better to simply keep the undesirables out?

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