The Mind of the Religious Extremist, Explained to the Humanist

There have been recent attempts by the practitioners of the Humanist Religion (National Public Radio, The various Humanism organizations), to promote the idea that Religion of all or any kind are good, comforting and useful as long as they are constructive toward the ends of the Human development cause; that it is, they make humans and or human society better. Last night there was a television program on Public Television that described the Mormon faith from an anthropological point of view, answering the question "How does the Mormon faith make people better citizens of the world?"

This is not a criticism. It is a clear belief system, no less logical, in human terms, than the extrapolation of Islam, Christian, or Buddhist principles into a system of beliefs which helps us live better as humans. It is an attempt to give God or the Higher power, if there is one that matters, its due as we live out our existence and prepare for inevitable death. In this way of thinking, true faith evolves in our attempt to make an impact beyond ourselves with the life-time we have available.

If this is your belief system, you will have a couple of challenges understanding the mind of those who believe otherwise.

First, you have to know your assumptions, and acknowledge that they may not be universal. You cannot assume that someone who holds to a system other that the Humanist view does it through ignorance. Many Humanists, by default, evangelize through education. Someone who has chosen a different belief system deliberately will not respond, no matter how humanely logical and fair minded your ideas might be. It is not their ignorance or unenlightenment that is the problem. Any education attempt without acknowledging these facts will be understood as hegemony . The very best hope for the Humanist is that their ideas will be tolerated but unsuccessful.

Second, you have to actually read their texts. The Koran, The Bible, The Talmud. Learn what they teach. The Humanist reads and extrapolates principles that work in accordance with a universal but as yet unarticualted Human Standard. The fundamentalist believers of Other faiths believe and try to daily put in practice all the teaching of their texts. They believe that Human life has no real meaning outside their faiths.
Here are some questions to research:

1. Does the Koran teach that all of life is under submission to God, that there is everything not in submission to him that will eventually be brought into Submission? YES
2. Does the fundamental Koran teach that the Spreading of Islam through war is acceptable?YES
3. Does the Koran itself teach that Jihad against non Muslims is an obligation?YES
4. Does the Koran teach that it is acceptable to use alms given by Muslims to support Jihad? YES
5. Can men, under the direction of God, force this on unbeliever?YES

If the Koran teaches these things, then The fundamental Muslim sees the Humanist as in need of redemption, of being brought into Submission to God.

How will the Humanist reason with him?

Next

1. Does the Bible teach that all of life is under submission to God, that everything not in submission to him that will not be brought into Submission? YES
2. Does the fundamental Bible teach that the Spreading of Christianity through war is acceptable? NO
3. Does the Bible teach that sharing Christ is an obligation? YES
4. Does the Bible teach that it is acceptable to use alms given by Muslims to support War? NO
5. Can men, under the direction of God, force this on unbeliever? NO
   

Check me out, verify my Facts. Then decide:

What Should a Humanist Do about Jihad?