FEATURES NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Battling Religious Extremism
Ideological War More Effective

By Ritu Raj Subedi

WHEN the great scientist Charles Darwin, in his famous book "Origin of Species," declared for the first time that man was the descendant of the monkey, he was the target of the whole religious order of the world. His discovery shocked the Christians who believed man to be a creation of the majestic God, not that of the ugly primate.

Before him, the famous scientist Archimede was killed by some puritans for his innovative inventions and thoughts. Over two thousand years ago, Socrates had to sip Hemlock as punishment for his pursuit of knowledge and reason. There are numerous instances where creative men have undergone untold miseries and faced life threat and even death for their revolutionary ideas and scientific discoveries.

Throughout human history, religion has not only worked as a binding force for the welfare and prosperity of mankind, but fanaticism in the name of religion has also caused great harm to human civilisation.

Seeing the blind-faith, fanaticism, intolerance and obstinacy in the guise of religion, Karl Marx became frustrated and even went to say: "Religion is an opium." The statement sent shock waves to the world of religion and faith holders. It also received vehement reactions from the moderate civilized world.

Obsession and addiction either in the name of politics or religion or in any cult is harmful to the society. It often invites disaster sparing no one. Such fanaticism has threatened the world once again with the terrorist attack in the United States on Sept.11. It has not only challenged the Super Power but also destroyed the symbols of America’s economic and military might by turning the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre and a part of the Pentagon into rubbles.

The attack in the US has a number of implications. As mentioned above, human beings have not yet been able to defeat the extremist ideas, which frequently surface in the minds of some people and disturb and threaten the normal pattern of civilization.

No matter how powerful one may be, a minor conspirator’s ploy could sway it. Now it seems that the mighty US has been pushed to the defensive position.

As Francis Fukuyama, a leading American thinker said, the attack marked the end of American exceptionalism and ‘supremacy’ in the world. "Now and for the foreseeable future, isolationism is off the table."

The US risks emerging from these attacks a different country, more unified, less self-absorbed and much more dependent on the help of its friends to carry out what will become a new national project of eradicating terrorism, said Fukuyama to the Financial Times recently.

Perhaps the attack may also put the question mark on the modern liberal ideology, which claims that it could encompass all kinds of aspirations and passions of the people and provide an appropriate system for exercising such feelings for better living.

After the collapse of the former Soviet Union and its communist allies, the US as the champion of democracy has been enjoying a status of the only Super Power in the world. The Cold War ended in the US’s favour, which helped it develop the perceptions that it is unchallenged and unrivaled. But the mounting terrorism would not allow it to remain calm and enjoy such a position. The present enemy, for the US, seems more dangerous than that of the threat of the communists because the enemy is unseen and difficult to target.

That is why, the situation has compelled the US to be more engaged in international affairs. And for the fight against terrorism, it needs the political co-operation of moderate Arab states for intelligence sharing as well as military help from its European allies.

Some have even hinted that the US should change its policy on the Middle East to get more co-operation form the Muslim countries to quell terrorism.

As American President George W. Bush has said, his fighting is not against Islam but against terrorism and the battle may be on different fronts.

Since war only begets wars, it would be better to launch an ideological battle than to use the most sophisticated weapons against extremism in the world. Under this, the US should put in efforts to check the misinterpretation of Islam religion and emphasize that it is only through non-violence and tolerance, a civilised society can be set up.

The US should also focus its attention on building a society that shows tolerance and respect. With the ideological weapon, the extremism could be hit and exposed of its follies and threat to the society.

Even if the US captured Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect of the Sept. 11 attack, killed him and destroyed his network Al Quada (the base), would terrorism be completely wiped out from the world forever? It is difficult to answer.

As bin Laden himself said, "If the US kills me, many bin Ladens will be born."

Here lies the main question: Why persons like bin Laden are born in the world? And in answer to this question the US may find a solution to the problem of the terrorism.

With the Koran in one hand and weapons in the other the extremist Muslim groups across the globe have declared Jihad, holy war against the US. But this war is not only against the US; it is also against those who stand for moderate values and democratic thinking.

Like Adolf Hitler, who claimed the supremacy of the Aryans in the 2nd World War, the extreme Muslim groups are also crying for a losing battle for the Muslim theocracy around the world that looks unimaginable and cruel for the normal human beings.

If Mohammed, propounder of Islam religion, had been alive, he would not have interpreted Islam the way the extremists of today think it is. Like the other religions of the world, the aim of Islam is also to bring happiness and prosperity to humanity. There are also many moderate Muslim countries that shun fanaticism and extremism in the name of Islam.

Other Stories