Allen+Yang

Allen Yang 10.26.10

EXTREME PERSPECTIVES!



Extremism, an act in which someone's belief is brought to a level that could be potentially threatening. The subject of extremism isn't something that starts out from poverty, it can happen to anyone regardless of social status or wealth.

The following will be in-sights on the today's problems that relate to extremism. They happen all the time, and are still on going conflicts. Extremism has no face of religion, it has supporters however. The only way to fight it, is fighting the thoughts of these followers, doing some would require you to see them from their perspective.

__**Islam **__

The religion that is often time looked upon as the father of extremism. Stereotypically you'd think they're the dangerous people who strap themselves with explosives and detonate to kill others or carry out terroristic acts.

However that's only a stereotype, there are many muslims out there fighting against extremism among their society. In america more than a third of people think that Islam encourages violence, while 42 percent don't but 25 percent are unsure about it. Ever since 9/11, most don't have trust in muslims, and where almost half have an unfavorable view towards them. High profiled terrorists exist in America, and study has shown that out of all the muslims in america, only a very few amount actually plan to carry out plans. These are just incidents that can sum up most of the stereotypes of Islam. However there's an unseen driving force to these stereotypes and they're radical websites. Often time changing and twist the stories of Islamic teaching, from either lack of knowledge or purposely causing negative thoughts toward Islam.

In Iran and other Shiite Muslims however, they truly are extreme. Mothers wouldn't regret sending their only sons to become martyrdoms. It's nothing new, a type of obligation that has been around for centuries, they will stop at nothing to protect their religion until they a bitter end.

__Above: Under-aged children holding AK-47 Assault Rifles__ http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2007/08/15/gods.warriors.martyrdom.cnn
 * BIbliography***

**Judaism:**

Jewish extremism is different, this refers mostly to Israel. Israel is located in the middle east, a small country that's engulfed by enemies all around. Countries bordering it are almost all Islamic, and for centuries Israel have been fighting them off. They do whatever needs to be done to defend this piece of land and their religion from outside harm. An example is Israel and Palestinians have been struggling amongst each other for very long, a border was built but conflicts still arouse. Instead of going around causing chaos by blowing things up as terrorists, the government plucks out random people including women at a young age to train in the military, a time when education is the most important. They serve for a certain amount of years and can be later released.The religious differences really does stir up a lot of trouble, and violence seems to be one of the only ways to solve them. However extremism in the jewish society doesn't just revolve religion. A political movement known as the Kach, in the 80's caused certain extremist Jews to turn against each other. There were 2 sides left wingers and right wingers, problems stirred up and now Israel was suffering from an internal conflict. In 1983 a lone right winger threw a grenade at a Peace Now Leftist Group, killing 1, and that was the first known incident of Jews turning at each other by use of violence. __Above (left): The Right Wing March__ __(Right): Female Israeli soldiers practicing their M4s with no magazines loaded for the cartridge.__

1. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983714,00.html 2. http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2007/08/16/gods.warriors.murder.hebron.cnn
 * Bibliography***

**Christianity:**

Extremism in Christianity can vary. The Crusades is an example of extremism, however there are current matters relating to extremism. It takes place in San Francisco, and it's called "Battle Cry", they disagree towards the american life style and believe that it's killing them. Thing that doesn't go by the bible are accounted as an evil act, they also resist pop culture, video games, sex, drugs, violence and etc. The extremists also aim at homo-sexuals and bi-sexuals.

__**//Quotes://**__

//"The god of Judaism is the devil. The Jew will not be recognized by god as one of his chosen people until he abandons his demonic religion and returns to the faith of his fathers- the faith which embraces Jesus Christ and His Gospel" - David Chilton//

//"We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. We weren't punctilious about locating and punishing only Hitler and his top officers. We carpet-bombed German cities; we killed civilians. That's war. And this is war." - Ann Coulter// //(Newspaper column, September 2001)//

//"I think Mohammed was a terrorist. He - I read enough of the history of his life written by both Muslims and - and - non -Muslims, that he was a -a violent man, a man of war. And I do believe that Jesus set the example for love, as did Moses. And I think that Mohammed set an opposite example. " - Jerry Falwell//

//"Most American children do not know that this is a Christian nation...[O]ur constitution won't work in Russia, won't work in Haiti, won't work in Iraq. It only works where the people believe in the Christ of the Bible. The United States of America." - Jerry Falwell//

//"The next step, if at all humanly possible (and in 90% of the cases it is), it is to get our children out of the humanistic, brainwashing institution called 'public education'. Frankly, it is a mixture of insanity and irresponsibility to turn our children over to our adversaries and their curriculum in a God-less education system (i.e., a system that teaches history and science without God)." - Randall Terry//

1. http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2007/08/15/gods.warriors.battle.cry.cnn
 * Bibliography***

2. http://atheism.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=atheism&cdn=religion&tm=16&f=00&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.skepticism.info/quotes/archives/christian_extremism_index.shtml