Here is a little essay I composed just now for another forum where I post…

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In our modern world there is a fringe (but effective) collection of radical adherents to a form of radical Christianity and another group of adherents to a form of radical Islam.

One of these groups, radical Christians, place a hatred for practices like abortion and a hatred for what they see as “immoral” government at the forefront of a theocratic philosophy that moves them to want to violently, if need be, effect changes in the government of the United States.

Those with a narrow understanding of history, sees this as some recent and newly frightening concept, where as the actuality is that this radical form of Christian thinking has been in existence for almost 200 years in this country (see British-Israelism, early Mormon thought, KKK, Covenant groups, Identity groups, Jawhist groups etc.) and has influenced small pockets of Christians for decades. Much of the anti-government rhetoric of modern day radical Christians stem from the concepts presented by these aforementioned sects. These groups are localized and basically unorganized, loners so to speak, and their “outreach” deal primarily with the continental United States.

Another one of these groups, radical Islam, place a hatred for most non-Islamic cultures at the forefront of a theocratic philosophy that moves them to want to violently, if need be, effect changes in the governments of the world.

Those with a narrow understanding of history, sees this as some recent and isolated concept, where as the actuality is that this radical form of Islamic thinking has been in existence for almost 1400 years, worldwide (see the Quran, the Hadith’s etc. for the origins of these concepts.). Much of the anti-western society rhetoric of modern day radical Islamist stem from the “rules” and laws presented in these aforementioned texts. These groups are worldwide and very active, supported by both individual religious leaders (Mullahs and Imams’ ) and antion states and their “outreach” deal specifically with much of the non-Islamic world.

Both of these world views, radical Christians and radical Islamist must be dealt with, and has nothing to do with who has the “biggest stick.” And if it is necessary to kill members of either of these groups in order to prevent them from accomplishing their missions then it will not be a matter of counting how many were killed. What will matter is stopping the advance of these radicals… period.

That’s the situation. Endless reexaminations of the wrongs of centuries past, while a constructive exercise, does very little in addressing the realities of the current crop of radicals and terrorists, who have a mission now, a mission that includes indiscriminate murders of innocent people and the disruption of society.

Idealism reigns during time of peace, realism takes precedence in time of conflict, that’s a simple truth which is unchangeable. I compliment those who have this level of idealism, but it will not solve anything.