Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 10:32:29 -0800 (PST)
Subject: HAB: Why has Islam failed to modernize?


Be careful about projecting one's own rationalizing mind into the
motives of Islamic activists (be they of the Al-Qaeda or Hamas
variety). Keep in mind that they are, in a global perspective, extreme
*right-wing* groups in terms of their religious funda-mental-ist
worldview.

The psychological trauma that modernization effects upon religious
systems of meaning is difficult to understand for Western people who
are already hundreds of years into this transition.

Marshall McLuhan said that most human violence is an effect of identity
crisis.

One can imagine how an identity crisis is driving Islamic 'Jihad'
against what it perceives as an alien, modern world of 'infidels' which
stand only as a symbol of threat to Islamic, premodern *systems of
meaning*.

I ask this question with a sense of compassion.. Why has Islam failed
to modernize? 

Genuine concern for all people involved in this dangerous global
situation cannot fail to address this question.

Regards,

Tom





====Tom McDonald  CONTACT INFO:
WEBSITE:  http://www.ThomasMcDonald.com
EMAIL:  mcdonald928-AT-yahoo.com
INSTANT MESSENGER:  "omhats" on AOL & MSN, "mcdonald928" on Yahoo

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