Response to Discussion Post 1
Changing from one religion to another seems like a normal thing for any individual who wills to take that path. However, joining a radical Islamic movement seems preposterous considering the risks involved, especially when the movement proposes violence as a means to convert kafir . Yet, bias and prejudice could lead to radicalization. Religious radicalization is a process that begins with small steps and grows to become violent persecution of people who do not hold similar religious beliefs (Scheuer, (2002). Judging a person by religion or nationality may steer them into violence or anger. Advancement of technology and social media forums has become easier for radical groups to reach such vulnerable individuals and guide them on how to be part of radical Islamists.
Although radicalization may be a result of misjudgment of the Islamic religion and nationality, discontent and grievances arising from economic and social dissatisfaction may lead individuals to use mass action to curb their psychological distress (Wiktorowicz, 2004). Individuals who choose to be radical Islamists often choose this path because they feel that their co-religionists are handled with discrimination in some parts of the world ( Khan, Pressman, Castillo, Kurlantzick, Cumings, Boot, & Lindsay, (2003). Other individuals may also be depressed due to poverty and unstable employment. They can become prey to unscrupulous religious leaders who take advantage of crises to motivate vulnerable individuals towards radical behavior. While researchers have argued that the factors discussed above are of relative importance, (Wiktorowicz, 2004) states that lone radicals engage in these groups in response to crises. An individual's sociopolitical and economic context should, therefore, be an essential consideration when understanding how radicalization happens.
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Response to Discussion Post 2
About 1.3 Billion people in the U.S practice the Islamic religion with radical Islam taking a small percentage of it, statistically implying there is one out of four Muslims that practice radical Islam. Having in mind that Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions, the movie 'Third Jihad' explains the presence of war on religion in the U.S. and attributes it to western civilization. Regardless, most of the U.S. citizens do not recognize the influence of western civilization on the war on the Islamic religion. Jihadists are categorized into two groups, the cultural and violent Jihadists. Violent Jihadists committed the September 11 attacks and took part in 31 more attacks on the government. According to the FBI, radicals with Islamic backgrounds were to blame for the bombing of the world trade center (Gerges, (2003). I agree that as soon as Americans realize they are in a war on religion and find alternatives apart from oil since it consumes 400 gallons per day, it is shocking to conclude that the oil we consume could be funding terrorism. In 2006, Saudi Arabia made over $150 billion from oil, while the most terrorism funding comes from it.
Muslims have refused to assimilate into the western community, including those born in the west, thereby leading them to form umma (Islamic ‘community’). To avoid feeling disoriented, Western-born Muslims have allied themselves to the umma . Vertigans (2008) defines the umma as a 'community of emotion.' For this reason, he argues that umma gives a feeling of allegiance and certainty. Mainly, compromising Muslim religion to blend into the western culture and practices seems difficult for many Muslims. Islams are generally peaceful and radicals are the only group that alters those teachings (Spencer, (2008). Muslims are collectively or individually experiencing western neo-imperialism, thereby having a defense mechanism on the Islamic nation.
Islam does not promote religious tolerance as the Koran quotes. Through religious domination, it promotes violence instead. On the contrary, the bible teaches us to serve one another in love and refrain from misusing freedom as an excuse for the flesh. The government needs to set up de-radicalization programs to reduce the number of radical Muslims by psychologically aiding radical individuals to avert them from committing violent acts because of perceived injustices by the western world.
References
Gerges, F. A. (2003). Islam and Muslims in the mind of America. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science , 588 (1), 73-89.
Khan, M. M., Pressman, J., Castillo, J. J., Kurlantzick, J., Cumings, B., Boot, M., & Lindsay, I.
H. D. J. M. (2003). Radical Islam, Liberal Islam. CURRENT HISTORY-NEW YORK THEN PHILADELPHIA- , 102 , 417-421.
Spencer, R. (2008). Stealth jihad: How radical Islam is subverting America without guns or bombs . Regnery Publishing.
Scheuer, M. (2002). Through our enemies' eyes: Osama bin Laden, radical Islam, and the future of America . Potomac Books, Inc..
Vertigans, S. (2008). Militant Islam: A sociology of characteristics, causes, and consequences .Routledge.
Wiktorowicz, Q. (2004). Joining the cause: Al-Muhajiroun and radical Islam. The Roots of Radical Islam .
