Thursday, September 18, 2014

From Jack: Terrorism. New to us but not the US

by Jack Reeves

The Middle East conflict and its religious roots seems novel. However, our history is replete with religion-driven violence.

The Revolutionary War was fought over opposing religion and politics. American preachers fueled the War of 1812.

Manifest Destiny: Belief that God willed Americans conquer the continent, to include Canadians and Native Americans.

The South believed that religion justified slavery, the North abolition.

The Spanish-American War reflects conceiving international relations in a missionary fashion, like spreading democracy.

WW I: The Great and Holy War.

Lenin established "godless communism"; the godly had to oppose.

WW II: Deified Emperor Hirohito inspired Japan's bloody rage. Nazi terrorism aimed to exterminate the Jews.

The Korean War was between communism and religion-based capitalism (natural right to liberty and property).

The Vietnam War is traceable to conflict with Catholicism.

Terrorism: Use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims, e.g., ISIS/ISIL, Sherman's burning of Atlanta and destructive March to the Sea.

Not novel.

1 comment:

Stickup Artist said...

Reason for or justification of, it all boils down to the same thing. Oh, how I wish it would end...