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WORLD CITIZEN LETTER: 543
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WCL 543 December 2006
Islamophobia?
The ghastly spectacle of muslims killing muslims in Iraq appears to be worsening. It is grossly at odds with the message of a religion that enjoins peace and good order in society and family life. It is also, crucially, totally opposed to the needs of muslims and other world citizens everywhere. What are the suicide bombers thinking of, if anything coherent at all? Whatever it is, there can be little or no connection with any religion of benefit to human beings.
This fratricide is a reminder that the only war declared according to the obsolescent rules of international law was fought between two muslim states. The attack by Saddam Hussein's Iraq upon Iran was one where a largely conscript Shia army was used to attack the most important Shia state. But they are all muslims, and the frenetic crew of Qaeda and Talibans seem to have failed to notice that self-chosen death is not martyrdom, nor is the killing of fellow-muslims a way to paradise.
But more paradoxically, in the eyes of the sceptical and secular British people, of whom only about a fifth believe that religion is good for society , the bombers and their supporters are dealing further blows to those people of faith. For if fanatics can cloak themselves in religion - whether in support of George W. Bush, or worse, of Osama bin Laden - this is further proof for the doubting that religion is a danger to human beings.
World citizens are, by nature, inclined to tolerance as well as often to scepticism. But no one likes to be threatened with bombs going on in their travels across Baghdad or London or any other city. The people in the twin towers were the usual mixture of New Yorkers - the pink-skinned of European descent, blacks, muslims from all parts of the Middle East and a sprinkling of every other colour. Why should they be made the victims of some heretic muslims who have been diverted from religion into fanatical political self-destruction?
Those world citizens who have not had a muslim upbringing or background cannot hope to dispel the religious nonsense preached by the terrorist fanatics. That needs to be done by men and women of that faith who do not belong to the lunatic fringe. All religions have their more preposterous adherents and when a state with a surplus of fanatics disputes with another such the results will be tragic.
So we must try to understand the nature of the religious conflict which are being fed and fostered by the western law-breaking and aggression in the Middle East; but we must not take it upon ourselves to solve the internal problems of Islam. World citizens can only offer a better way, not compel others to follow it. If we say 'a plague on both your houses', it does not mean that we can say that both are equally blameworthy: they may be, but only the participants in the quarrels can decide that difficult question.
John Roberts
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