Subject: Re: HAB: Why has Islam failed to modernize?
Date: Fri, 08 Mar 2002 06:06:27
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<P>Thomas</P>
<P>Marx once asked similar question and had no answer. He was perplexed by the basence of any indeginous capitlaist movement in Islam. Others are perplexed by the lack of any sucessful reformation movement in Islam and so on. This include your question about modernisation in Islam as well.</P>
<P>Setting aside ambiguties of the concept modernisation (which can at least mean two different things on the face of it), I will just answer your question by asking a further question. Why should Islam necessarily modernise?? Your question presupposes the superior of Western history, especially its history of last four hundered years. But I think there are no rational grounds for presupposing such a superiority.</P>
<P>The Capitalist West (and non West) are so perplexed and threatened by Islam not only because Islam is different (Buddhism is different too but poses not such threat), but because of the immense reservoir of resistence and struggle and its infinite possibilites (potnetiol) for rejunivation, in unseemed and unthought of ways. Islam is problem not because it did not modernise, it is problem because it provides the frame work for resistence. [If Islam was just non modern and nothing else, it would have provided good amunation for Western archives, and museums].</P>
<P>Your comments about identity crisis make me laugh. Belive me there is no such crisis ( there might be other cirses but not identity crisis). Do not try to project your own crisis on others [although there can be such a crisis for second gernation of immigrants in Europe and America]. These comments only show how ignorant you are about your supposed other. The other day I was reading an article in Washington Post and the writer was claiming that most of the Taliban force was constituted by merceneris. There was another article few years back suggesting that they might have gay tendencies! Evidence? She saw them showing affection to each other!! So much so for Western journalism. </P>
<P>Listen, you have all right to oppose ideas, and groups you do not like, even you have right to hate whoever you want, but do not try to deny facts, it will hurt yourself in the end. A friendly advice!</P>
<P>As far as the terms, right wing, fundamentalism etc are concerned they do not mean anything to me, because they are just your cheep tools to demonise the other.</P>
<P>Best regards</P>
<P>ali</P>
<P> </P>
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<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>----Original Message Follows----
<DIV></DIV>From: Thomas McDonald <MCDONALD928-AT-YAHOO.COM>
<DIV></DIV>Reply-To: habermas-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
<DIV></DIV>To: habermas-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
<DIV></DIV>Subject: HAB: Why has Islam failed to modernize?
<DIV></DIV>Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 10:32:29 -0800 (PST)
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Be careful about projecting one's own rationalizing mind into the
<DIV></DIV>motives of Islamic activists (be they of the Al-Qaeda or Hamas
<DIV></DIV>variety). Keep in mind that they are, in a global perspective, extreme
<DIV></DIV>*right-wing* groups in terms of their religious funda-mental-ist
<DIV></DIV>worldview.
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>The psychological trauma that modernization effects upon religious
<DIV></DIV>systems of meaning is difficult to understand for Western people who
<DIV></DIV>are already hundreds of years into this transition.
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Marshall McLuhan said that most human violence is an effect of identity
<DIV></DIV>crisis.
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>One can imagine how an identity crisis is driving Islamic 'Jihad'
<DIV></DIV>against what it perceives as an alien, modern world of 'infidels' which
<DIV></DIV>stand only as a symbol of threat to Islamic, premodern *systems of
<DIV></DIV>meaning*.
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>I ask this question with a sense of compassion.. Why has Islam failed
<DIV></DIV>to modernize?
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Genuine concern for all people involved in this dangerous global
<DIV></DIV>situation cannot fail to address this question.
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Regards,
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Tom
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>=====
<DIV></DIV>Tom McDonald CONTACT INFO:
<DIV></DIV>WEBSITE: http://www.ThomasMcDonald.com
<DIV></DIV>EMAIL: mcdonald928-AT-yahoo.com
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