Religious extremism

Remember how your mom always said that when you made conversation, the two things to avoid were religion and politics? And yet if you read the news it seems like we talk about little else!

Mom didn't want you to discuss these things because people feel so strongly about them. I can understand the strong feelings associated with religion since that is an intensely personal aspect of our lives; I'm still trying to figure out why people feel so strongly about politics (and that includes me, of course). I suppose the reasons are similar.

In any case, I've titled this post "religious extremism" because that's what's in the news right now - and it is September 11, a prime example of the results of religious extremism. Right now, some clown in Florida is planning on burning the Qu'ran and that has led to all kinds of interesting things worth reflecting on.

Let's start with the "news" aspect: here's a guy who is a pastor for a tiny sect of Christians in Florida who has brokered his way into a big PR event because the "news" somehow thought the actions of a nutjob in Florida was, well, "news". Why? What makes this event more important than, say, the break-up of a large ice island off the coast of Greenland (which may or may not be related to climate change)? Why is it worth more discussion than the deaths of 25 Mexican citizens in a single Mexican state in a single day due to the drug wars down there (drug wars, by the way, supported by users here in the States who seem to see no connection between their actions and these deaths: sure, take a hit, drug use is a "victimless" crime)? Methinks journalists need to critically examine what they're doing and why.

Next, let's look at the extremism aspect. Of course, there's extremism all around us now (which makes one wonder what is "extreme" these days) but in this case we have a "pastor" who thinks it's ok to burn the holy book of a religion different from his religion, but who I'll bet would have conniptions if some Imam decided to burn the Bible. Well, he's got the right to do it because of that 1st amendment deal, and it's certainly brought him and his "flock" attention - but it doesn't seem very "pastoral" to me. And then there's the reaction to it, from lots of "sides". Protests in certain Muslim states shout "Death to America" (we've heard that one before); the defense secretary cautions that this action could endanger U.S. troops (and it could); the FBI visits the pastor to inform him of credible death threats against him; people saying he shouldn't/should be "allowed" to burn the Qu'ran - whew! Does anyone have a "chill pill" for the world?

I think we can agree that religious extremism is a bad thing - what we can't seem to agree on is what is "extreme". There are folks out there who would like to turn the U.S. into a Christian theocracy - that seems extreme to me. There are folks out there who, because of certain passages in their holy book, believe it's not only ok, but required to stone "adulterous" people.

Seems to me, maybe mom was right....