According to the Free Beacon another group is emerging to replace ISIS in Iraq. A few weeks ago that would have been a genuine cause for concern in my mind, but today, not so much.
I have just finished reading a very thick book called A History of the Arab Peoples by Albert Hourani. From his name and the way he writes I can only conclude that he is a Muslim. One of the things that stands out in his sympathetic treatment of the Arabs and Islam is that they have always been tribal in their thinking. Mohammed had a hard time getting them to follow him because the basic Arab mentality is that of independence and personal freedom. The only allegiance that perseveres is loyalty to the tribe.
From the beginning up to the present day the history of the countries with a strong Arab influence has been a constant litany of civil war and military coups. There have been brief periods where a strong leader has brought them together. He has usually done this by killing everyone who disagrees with him or at least enough of them to give them the idea it would be better to cooperate.
So when I hear about a new group and see their white flag with a lion on it I have two reactions: Here we go again and I am glad I don’t live there. It is just the drama of a barbaric society based on a feudal approach to politics. In a feudal system your loyalty is given as an individual to an individual and when one or the other dies then the oaths are voided. When Genghis Khan died the Mongols went home. When Tecumseh was killed the Indian alliance fell apart. When Tito died Yugoslavia splintered.
This is the goal of the race baiters of the left in America. They want us to have a loyalty to our local “clan” and to hate and mistrust anyone else. It is part of the thinking behind hyphenated Americans such as Irish-American or African-American.
So we have a new group of Arabs in Iraq raising their flag because they want to do it their way. Islam has one thing in common with other forces in history, they would be a real worry if they ever could work together. They can cause a lot of damage but will eventually run into someone with a blue flag decorated with an tiger.
Hourani, Albert. A History of the Arab Peoples. Cambridge: The
Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1991.
homo unius libri
Something like 95% of the current wars on earth involve muslims. There will be no overall peace on the planet so long as one muslim lives. Unfortunately, there's no way to reach that point until the Lord comes back to reign.
ReplyDeleteActually there are a lot of peaceful Muslims but the reality is they are not very serious about being Muslims. It is more of a cultural thing. Kind of like being a member of a church with the word "united" in your name.
DeleteGrace and peace
I worry about you and your family...I can't remember but do you now live in Austin? Such frightening things happening there....If you live there, please be very safe!
ReplyDeleteNo we are more out in the country. All is well, thanks.
DeleteGrace and peace