by M. Stewart
The most significant lesson of what we call “postmodernism” is that there is no objective truth, only subjective perspectives. We see it operating every day in the fields of politics and religion, and there is no better example than world reaction to the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Look at the reaction of radical Muslims. Al Qaida is swearing “revenge” for the killing, which in itself was revenge for a hate-inspired terrorist attack on the United States. Somehow these people have decided that taking down a mass murderer is a crime worthy of retaliation. Pakistanis, upset because the U.S. conducted a surgical strike inside their border, are demonstrating on the streets. Pay no mind to the simple fact that the Pakistani government clearly was part of a conspiracy to hide bin Laden while accepting $billions in aid from the U.S.
To say that there are many “truths” in the world doesn’t mean that there is no right and wrong, and in this case, the U.S. is on the side of right.
History clearly shows that mixing religion and politics is dangerous and often lethal, and one of the fundamental tenets of Islam is that there is no difference between religion and politics. As a result, it’s not rational to assume that there is such a thing as an apolitical Muslim.
That’s precisely why non-Muslim Americans don’t trust American Muslims. So if you’re going to walk around wearing your Islamic faith as a “uniform,” then you are going to have to suffer the consequences. Whether this is fair or unfair isn’t the issue; it’s about the human survival instinct. If suicide bombing is one of the ways Muslims demonstrate their faith—and it clearly is—don’t expect anyone to assume you are innocent until proven guilty. Thanks to Muslim terrorists, pluralism is no longer possible in free societies.
But let’s not stop with Muslims; most evangelical Christians in the U.S. also make no distinction between religion and politics. They are constantly telling us that our government was “founded on Christian principles.” They make this claim contrary to rational evidence, but religious people are never rational. If they were, they wouldn’t be religious.
While it does exist, Christian terrorism is not so popular these days, and suicide bombing—that is, killing yourself so that you can kill other innocent people to impress an imaginary god—is not rampant in the Christian world. As such, Christians tend to pose little immediate threat in the crowded marketplace. Yes, there still are Timothy McVeighs running around in the world, and it’s always possible that an individual Christian or sect could start killing innocent people for their god, but the odds do not favor it.
Because most religious people consider it a fundamental directive to spread their particular beliefs around the world, we must assume that different religions are in a competition for “religious consumers.” Religion mixed with capitalism—especially in a world saturated in mass media—is just as bad as mixing it with politics, but as long as people are willing to hand over money to religious leaders, there’s no way to divorce the two.
The wild card in these unholy alliances is religion. That’s not to say that secular governments can’t do evil or that capitalism is always good, but religion is the volatile catalyst that, when mixed with the desire for power and money, can create an unstoppable force.
So in the end it’s not the battle between various religions that defines 21st-century life; it’s the battle between rational secularism and irrational superstition. Barack Obama did not direct the killing of Osama bin Laden in the name of Jesus. He did it because bin Laden had committed crimes against the United States and its people. Casting it as a religious drama is merely one perspective, but perspective is all that counts.
Obviously the human species does not evolve all at once. There are always going to be those who are so tied to the old ways that they will never loosen their grip on the past. There will always be pockets of resistance, and these people will kill to keep the faiths of their fathers alive. Superstition remains a strong force in the world.
The agents of political theism are all around us. The only weapon progressives have is an appeal to rationalism and clear thinking. Given that religion and superstition flourish amongst the uneducated, the only antidote to religious madness is to stay focused on the primary goal of education: to teach people how to think.
In that light, have you ever asked yourself why Tea Party Republicans spend so much time trying to demonize educators? Does it make sense to you that these folks constantly want to cut funding for public education and limit access to secular education? Make no mistake about it, what drives the Tea Party is the same thing that drives radical Islam--a belief that religion and politics belong together. Our right wing is smart enough to provide a smokescreen of "fiscal responsibility," and they have yet to resort to terrorism, but the message is similar.
Last week I listened while a local right winger casually remarked that she prays every day that someone will assassinate President Obama. The only difference between this person and a Muslim suicide bomber is that she doesn't have the balls to do it.
Think about it, if you are able.
In another news item characterized as a free-speech issue, New York resident Younus Mohamman has been arrested in Morocco and is awaiting extradition for allegedly issuing threats over a year-old South Park cartoon in which the prophet Mohammed is depicted inside a bear suit. According to Mohamman, "The case is a perfect example of the reality that touted principles like 'freedom of speech and freedom of expression' do not apply to people that seek to expose the reality of the U.S. Empire."
Speaking of comedy, America's favorite media whore Sarah Palin was at it again over the holiday weekend. This time she showed up in Washington D.C. at a Memorial Day motorcycle fashion show. Muslims need to take a tip from American Christians. These people know how to laugh at themselves!
