subject: Extremism, Radicalism and Fundamentalism do not exist: Either You practice your religion or you don't [print this page] Extremism, Radicalism and Fundamentalism do not exist: Either You practice your religion or you don't
Extremism, Radicalism and Fundamentalism do not exist: Either You practice your religion or you don't.
Lots of box fixing of different attitudes of religious people. Lots of pin-pointing of who belongs to what different category or does not' have been done. Lots of distinctive classifications according to religious behavior are conjectured.
But what is real is that all these attempts are in vain ending up in sterility.
Where would you put the limit line of identification? What criterion would use to distinguish between the right practice and the wrong one, the weak and the strong, the fundamentalist, the moderate or the apathetic? If you go to church on Sunday, does this mean you are a good practitioner, or a fundamentalist? If you do not travel and use candles for supper are you a fanatic Jew or moderate? If you pray five times a day and not four, then are you a fundamentalist or moderate Muslim?
Religion is religion. It prescribes what thoughts, beliefs and actions you ought to perform. All religions have moral codes and a detailed program with an objective to attain. All religions have lists or criteria and you either adhere to it or not. All religions invite you to believe, worship and myriads of permissible laws and forbiddens. All religions give you the free choice, to believe or disbelieve.
All religions give you the choice between obedience and disobedience, with the consequences laid out. It depend on you if you do follow its precepts or not, to obey its rules or not. You either believe or you don't. You either obey or you don't. You either practice or you don't. All depends on you. In this lies your freedom and value as a human being.
Those who commit crimes in the name of religion are criminals. Those who commit lies are liars. Those who sin are sinners. You are either.. or' in every religion. Fanaticism, fundamentalism, extremism and radicalism are what you would like to label people according to your own criterion and not to what religion defines and identifies as its criterion.
Good and bad Jew, Good or bad Christian, Good or bad Muslim, are your own criteria of judging people. Extremists and moderates, strong and weak are also your criterion of judgment.
Religion offers what it prescribes and humans conform or do not conform.
Do not apply your own criterion of judgment to religious practice!
