Your Experiences With Extremism

[Windwalker]

Fundamentalism in good things is a good thing. It is stupid that people use words like Christian fundamentalism (by a Christian) or fundamentalist muslim (by a Muslim). It means whoever says it, doesn't really care about their religion.

It means that the mainstream of the religion recognizes that they are a new phenomenon, not truly embracing the richness of their religious tradition. Many in religion oppose fundamentalism, because they very much care about their religion. They see fundamentalism as destructive, divisive, and extreme, not representative of those who do not think of things in extremest ways. On a bell curve, they represent the edges, not the middle.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Looking through some of the very interesting discussions that went on while I slept, I noticed mention here and there of extremism(or fundamentalism, radicalism, etc), and perceived threats from these worldviews from others. It perplexed me a bit, because all in all, I can say I have very few experiences in my own personal life with this kind of religious(or anti-religious) reaction. In all honesty, I can count on one hand the number of times I've felt 'threatened', and those were more in a mental, rather than physical sense.

So, now I am curious. We are all from different places, different cultures, etc, and I am wondering what is your experience with extremist people?

I am only asking for personal experiences here, not things you've heard on the news, or things people have posted on social media, or some other platform. Just real, face to face interactions. Are you being, or have you been threatened?

I don't feel particularly threatened, no. However, among the victims of the terrorist attacks in Belgium (airport in Zaventem and subway in Maalbeek) were people I personally knew.

Back in the old days I also had encounters with Salah Abdeslam, one of the attackers and sole survivor of the attacks in Paris. It was friend of a friend of a friend kind of situation and we ended up in the same place a few times through intersecting social circles. I'm pretty sure I've smoked weed that was ultimately bought from him, through a "guy that knows a guy" type thing.


However, I don't think it's much of a situation where individuals are targeted. That's not really their goal either. Their goal is to disrupt entire societies.

The soldiers are pretty dumb by themselves and they just carry out orders without seeing the bigger picture.
The bigger picture though, is rather clever and quite dangerous. The actual goal, is to trigger full-scale war in the long run. Step one is to make a lot of noise and to strike fear and disgust in the hearts of voters. This gives rise to political uprise of the extreme right, neo-nazi's and populistic people.

This triggers them into flooding the society with extreme-right propaganda and entice hate, racism and intolerance towards muslims in particular and "foreigners" in general.

The hope of the radicals is that this way, we destroy our own societies from within. To destabilize democracies which eventually leads to armed conflict.

That's what they want: chaos.

Nothing good can come of it.

They aren't that stupid you know... Let's not kid ourselves. Not even ISIS leadership actually believed they could actually win a war against the likes of the US, Russia, China, India, Europe, etc etc etc.

They know they can't "win" that way. The only way they could even only have a shred of hope, is if they succeed in having us destroy ourselves from within.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

Fundamentalism in good things is a good thing

Can you give an example?

It is stupid that people use words like Christian fundamentalism (by a Christian) or fundamentalist muslim (by a Muslim).

Not at all.

It means whoever says it, doesn't really care about their religion.

Whose religion?

 

[SomeRandom]

I remember in very early high school, my SOSE teacher suddenly had us compare and contrast religions because as they put it
“Too many people were being ignorant and cruel to Muslims for 9/11.”
Which I mean fair enough. Knowledge defeats ignorance and all.
I remember we went to this big fancy history museum interstate for history class. On a bus, that was fun. But there was this guy there who seemed dismayed at the holocaust exhibit. At first my friends and I assumed his family was affected. Turns out he was a denier. Why he was at the museum I’m not entirely sure. He was err very outspoken to us though.
When I (innocently, for the record) asked my teacher why the Holocaust was considered a “kike conspiracy” she was appalled. Thought she’d suspend me there and then lol
She laughed about it later at the cabins. I think I just caught her off guard.

I recall working the checkouts and this guy came to get some smokes. He seemed unimpressed with the “hiring quotas for minorities.” Since I am a minority but “white passing” I decided to keep my mouth shut.

 

[Revoltingest]

My brother in law has similar symptoms, schizophrenia. Luckily your helper/friend seems to be able to cope with his daily tribulations.

He might be called a "high functioning paranoid".

 

[Piculet]

Everyone understands those terms.

No, I didn't. Everything about your post is upside down to me.

 

[Windwalker]

No, I didn't. Everything about your post is upside down to me.

What is the penalty to you if you decide you want to find God outside of Islam? Are you saying there are no threats for that and everyone feels free to come or go if they choose?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Looking through some of the very interesting discussions that went on while I slept, I noticed mention here and there of extremism(or fundamentalism, radicalism, etc), and perceived threats from these worldviews from others. It perplexed me a bit, because all in all, I can say I have very few experiences in my own personal life with this kind of religious(or anti-religious) reaction. In all honesty, I can count on one hand the number of times I've felt 'threatened', and those were more in a mental, rather than physical sense.

So, now I am curious. We are all from different places, different cultures, etc, and I am wondering what is your experience with extremist people?

I am only asking for personal experiences here, not things you've heard on the news, or things people have posted on social media, or some other platform. Just real, face to face interactions. Are you being, or have you been threatened?

Yea. Governer Andrew Coumo. He's threatening everything with his draconian covid restrictions.

 

[Piculet]

What is the penalty to you if you decide you want to find God outside of Islam? Are you saying there are no threats for that and everyone feels free to come or go if they choose?

Still upside down. If I left Islam, I would go to hell, I believe. I love Islam. It is the most important thing to me in this world. There is no excuse that could ever make sense when someone is leaving Islam.

There is a punishment for apostasy, but its execution is rather complicated and most people don't get that. If someone wants to leave Islam, Islamic law is the least of their problems.

 

[Piculet]

He might be called a "high functioning paranoid".

Did you think maybe he's schizoaffective?

 

[Revoltingest]

Did you think maybe he's schizoaffective?

I don't know what that is.

 

[Father Heathen]

While in southern USA i felt threatened wherever i went. I wasn't speaking the right language, church speak. I am told this was my own guilt because i was atheist. What? I have to convert to Christianity to visit a free country.

What do you mean by "church speak"? I've been to/through the southern states a bunch of times. Perhaps a few odd looks due to "yankee" accent but mostly friendly. Of course I'm sure it would've been a different story had religion or politics been brought up in discussion.

 

[Father Heathen]

One was that
Obama would refuse to leave office, & would become the
country's dictator, like Stalin. It's oddly similar to the fears
of Trump refusing to leave when losing to Biden.

To digress, there is a difference. Obama never said or done anything (outside of being an evil commie liberal, of course) that suggested a desire to pull such a stunt. Trump on the otherhand, has openly and repeatedly expressed disdain for anything that restrained or restricted his power, and he also also expressed praise for dictators and their methods. Trump, without any sense of discretion, has brasenly attempted to undermine the democratic process in his favor. Thus through these experiences and observations, the idea that Trump would be in denial over and refuse to concede defeat isn't far fetched. That said, If he tried to pull such a stunt it's far, far more likely he'd be dragged out kicking and screaming rather than pull off any successful usurping.

 

[Revoltingest]

To digress, there is a difference.

There always is to true believers.

 

[Father Heathen]

Yea. Governer Andrew Coumo. He's threatening everything with his draconian covid restrictions.

Who needs science, hygiene, sanitation, etc. when you have prayer?

 

[Father Heathen]

There always is to true believers.

True believers in logic?

 

[Revoltingest]

True believers in logic?

It's not logic for the believers of either Obama's or Trump's
refusing to leave the White House, & become dictator.
It's fearful belief fueled by bias confirmation.
They'll likely fear Biden's staging a coup toup.
(Trying out a new spelling of "too".)

 

[Father Heathen]

It's not logic for the believers of either Obama's or Trump's
refusing to leave the White House, & become dictator.
It's fearful belief fueled by bias confirmation.
They'll likely fear Biden's staging a coup toup.
(Trying out a new spelling of "too".)

I'm not saying that Trump could realistically defy the election, retain office, and then become dictator. I'm saying it wouldn't be surprising to hear him insist that the election was rigged and that he was robbed, etc. and then demand a recount, etc. if/when things don't unfold in his favor. It's not "fear" to expect Trump to behave like Trump. There's obviously a massive leap between what he desires and what he is actually capable of achieving, what him with being woefully inept and useless after all.

 

[Revoltingest]

I'm not saying that Trump could realistically defy the election, retain office, and then become dictator. I'm saying it wouldn't be surprising to hear him insist that the election was rigged and that he was robbed, etc. and then demand a recount, etc. if/when things don't unfold in his favor. It's not "fear" to expect Trump to behave like Trump. There's obviously a massive leap between what he desires and what he is actually capable of achieving, what him with being woefully inept and useless after all.

We can agree that he'll make outrageous claims.

 

[Father Heathen]

We can agree that he'll make outrageous claims.

Can we agree that many will take his words as holy gospel?