On fundamentalism

[Guest guest]

(Some of my fundamentalist friends asked that this text I sent them be sent

to a wider forum. So here it is, plain for all to see, what a true bigot I

am.)

 

When Ayatollah Khomeini called America "the great Satan," Americans were

incredulous, incensed and hurt. "America is the upholder of freedom, the

tough but kind big brother of the small countries. America helps developing

nations by promoting business and industry."

 

Khomeini saw through the propaganda and was despised and ridiculed for it --

in the West. But the Muslim world adored him for having the guts to stand up

to the mercantile octopus that forces its influence throughout the world,

spinning a vast economic web that none can avoid and compelling smaller

countries to become economic and cultural vassals. They saw Islam as

standing for principled living, stable family life and a structured, stable,

God fearing society. America stood for money above all, in which religion,

morality and the rest were acceptable only so much as they facilitated and

fostered or at least did not obstruct the acquisition of wealth.

 

Iranians were appalled to see the values that their society had upheld for

generations eroded before their eyes. Their daughters were learning to be

unchaste, and their sons to neglect prayer. It seem as if there was nothing

they could do, for political leaders were selling their nation's soul in

multinational contracts. Khomeini came to power by a public uprising that

overcame the Iranian army, one of the best-equipped in the world. It was not

out of poverty that Iranians rebelled, but out of disgust at the moral

destitution that had come with the oil riches.

 

Persons of Khomeini's ilk are labeled "fundamentalists" and "extremists,"

but it is a fact that Western civilization is extremely degraded and

extremely insistent on forcing itself onto the rest of the world. Under the

circumstances, it is not surprising if some people become extremely upset

and, finding no other means, take to extreme measures.

 

I am not anti-American, nor an advocate of violent revolution. Certainly

America has its good points--such as giving the freedom to distribute texts

with comments like this. But Americans should also take note that if a

nation of 40 million people rises up against them, it may be that they are

not all brainwashed or fanatics, but could have some real and deeply felt

grievances.