One of the great paradoxes of our time is that knowledge accumulates exponentially while beliefs increasingly invade the political space.
Take the recent clashes between Palestinians and Israelis. At the core of the conflict, of course, is the establishment of the Jewish state on lands de facto owned by the Palestinians. But rationality and the spirit of reconciliation tend to be extinguished on both sides once fanatical religious factions seize or approach power. The Muslims of Hamas, Hezbollah or the various orthodox Jewish parties all have in common the idea of defending the interests of a deity – the same at that. But their religious beliefs cloud their sanity so much that they are sometimes willing to kill those who refuse to believe the same implausibility as they do.
1. What are examples of religious fanaticism in Israel?
According to the religious fanatics surrounding Israel’s defense minister, the Jews believe they form a superior race with the right to dominate the others, especially the Palestinians. This racist world view is supported by extremist interpretations of the Torah. However, that recent archaeological discoveries show that Yahweh was originally the god of the smiths, a god who later became a universal god, does not make them ponder the nature of their divinity.
2. How are Muslim protests co-opted by Muslim leaders?
The Palestinians who demonstrated in Jerusalem this week and ended up barricading themselves inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque are confusing their territorial claims with their religious beliefs. The Israeli security forces breaking into the mosque and the images of Muslims being beaten with batons went viral around the Muslim world. Hezbollah took advantage of the situation to claim that Muslims were ready to “shed blood”. Do Muslims understand that they are being manipulated by Hezbollah leaders in the name of their faith? No way.
3. Who is behind religious extremists?
Jewish and Muslim religious extremists are supported by states that see this support as a political interest. Jewish extremists are good settlers eating away at Palestinian territories. Muslim extremists are supported for some by Iran, which through Hezbollah is powerfully helping to destroy Lebanon, for others by Saudi Arabia and some associated states, thus extending their control to the entire world.
4. Are the religious wars of the Middle East coming here?
As long as the religious wars of the Middle East only exacerbated local conflicts over territory, oil, water, or even tribal struggles, countries outside that region could easily ignore or exploit them. But with immigration, these medieval religious beliefs, contrary to modern knowledge, have spread.
5. How do beliefs conflict with education?
Adherents to these beliefs have challenged the Quebec Department of Education for decades. For example, in the name of what right do we tolerate that children raised by extremist Jews are virtually cut off from all modern knowledge? How can radical Muslims demand prayer rooms in schools to uphold their faith when one of the very aims of the school is to fight against belief of all kinds through knowledge?
