The Taliban Among Us

The Taliban Among Us

September 11th, 2001. The West witnessed two hijacked jet planes careen into New York City's Twin Towers killing close to 2,800 people.

I was a teacher then and my students asked, 'How can they kill all those people; how can they do something like that?' And I taught them more than they wanted to hear about dualism, the Middle East, and Islam. But today I extend the lesson to a level closer to home for adults.

How do god-fearing Muslims decide to get aboard a plane and use it as a bomb to kill unsuspecting workers who know or care little about Islam or even history or that they are enemies of someone? People ask what we have done to them and why do they hate us. First of all, every Muslim does not hate us non-Muslims. But the potential is there. The people behind 9-11 must be monsters, they think. But they in fact are extremely religious people and think they killed those people for God. In their minds they believe that their faith is everything and it is to be championed at all costs. They believe that their reward in heaven will be great enjoying total fulfillment. To them, the enemies of their religion, non-Muslims, are also the enemies of God who have aligned themselves with Satan.

Because of such beliefs, they did not kill innocent people because there are no innocent people. Does this sound strange? When people take such an extreme view of life and religion, any justification is possible. According to such views, their victims probably ceased to be seen as people, but instead were considered to be the cohorts of Satan.

Is this so hard to understand? Christians should certainly understand. Just as Islam has its religious fundamentalists, so does Christianity.

Fundamentalist Christianity Fundamentalist Islam

Based on ideas taken from the Hebrew Bible and its patriarchs and prophets. Based on ideas taken from the Hebrew Bible and its patriarchs and prophets.

Based on the teachings of a prophet who reinterpreted the Hebrew Bible Based on the teachings of a prophet who reinterpreted the Hebrew Bible

This prophet is the last prophet and greatest messenger of God (Jesus) This prophet is the last prophet and greatest messenger of God (Muhammad)

Jesus the Messiah/Christ Jesus the Messiah/Christ

Men must accept this Messenger of God and his teachings or be damned to hell Men must accept this Messenger of God and his teachings or be damned to hell

The world is made up of believers who will be saved at a last judgement of mankind, and unbelieving enemies of God who will receive eternal torment The world is made up of believers who will be saved at a last judgement of mankind, and unbelieving enemies of God who will receive eternal torment

Satan is the leader of all unbelievers who are influenced by demons Satan is the leader of all unbelievers who are influenced by demons

Nations not ruled by godly men by holy scripture must be subjugated and controlled by the righteous believers Nations not ruled by godly men by holy scripture must be subjugated and controlled by the righteous believers

There is no sacrifice too great to "serve God" including killing or dying There is no sacrifice too great to "serve God" including killing or dying

Fellow Christians who do not share these views are not "true" Christians or under evil influences and falling away from the faith Fellow Muslims who do not share these views are not "true" Muslims or under evil influences and falling away from the faith

Jews have lost their favor as God's people because of their refusal to acknowledge the new truth of their Master. Believers are now God's people instead. Jews have lost their favor as God's people because of their refusal to acknowledge the new truth of their Master. Believers are now God's people instead.

Operate extremists/terrorists training camps with plans to overthrow the government for God Operate extremists/terrorists training camps with plans to overthrow the government for God

Prosper in the countryside and among less educated people influencing local government in order to extend their power to the national level Prosper in the countryside and among less educated people influencing local government in order to extend their power to the national level

Silence, harass, and socially destroy any adversaries. Attack the virtue of others while hiding their own misdeeds. Silence, harass, and socially destroy any adversaries. Attack the virtue of others while hiding their own misdeeds.

Seek to control the media, operate vast propaganda machines, and education under the guise of religious morality all supported by extensive fundraising schemes Seek to control the media, operate vast propaganda machines, and education under the guise of religious morality all supported by extensive fundraising schemes

Has historically killed millions of non-believers, heretics, and fellow believers for religious, pseudo-religious, and political reasons in the name of God Has historically killed thousands of non-believers, heretics, and fellow believers for religious, pseudo-religious, and political reasons in the name of God

Are we at war with a strange, foreign menace who hates civilization? Yes. But we have the "Taliban" fundamentalist, fanatic, murderous, hateful mentality here among fundamentalist Christians also. Just as Americans sit and wait and worry about the next terrorist disaster, other Americans have always had to sit and wonder 'how will Christians attack us next?' Will they brainwash our children and discriminate against them in the schools? This they do regularly, it is simply a question of how will they do it next time. How will they threaten my livelihood and my rights? They have. I no longer teach school due to their machinations and discrimination. They used discrimination in order to humiliate my children right up to their final week of high school.

There is a difference between the Muslim "Taliban" terrorists, and the Christian "Taliban" extremists. The Muslim terrorists are less cowardly. At least they will step forward to fight, terrorize, and scheme, thus identifying themselves as a clear target to be taken out. The Christian "Taliban" wear big smiles and suits or have a chaw of tobacco in their jaw, have no turbans, but are as full of as much hate for anything they cannot control as Usama bin Laden is.

Fundamentalist Christianity	Fundamentalist Islam
Based on ideas taken from the Hebrew Bible and its patriarchs and prophets.	Based on ideas taken from the Hebrew Bible and its patriarchs and prophets.
Based on the teachings of a prophet who reinterpreted the Hebrew Bible	Based on the teachings of a prophet who reinterpreted the Hebrew Bible
This prophet is the last prophet and greatest messenger of God (Jesus)	This prophet is the last prophet and greatest messenger of God (Muhammad)
Jesus the Messiah/Christ	Jesus the Messiah/Christ
Men must accept this Messenger of God and his teachings or be damned to hell	Men must accept this Messenger of God and his teachings or be damned to hell
The world is made up of believers who will be saved at a last judgement of mankind, and unbelieving enemies of God who will receive eternal torment	The world is made up of believers who will be saved at a last judgement of mankind, and unbelieving enemies of God who will receive eternal torment
Satan is the leader of all unbelievers who are influenced by demons	Satan is the leader of all unbelievers who are influenced by demons
Nations not ruled by godly men by holy scripture must be subjugated and controlled by the righteous believers	Nations not ruled by godly men by holy scripture must be subjugated and controlled by the righteous believers
There is no sacrifice too great to "serve God" including killing or dying	There is no sacrifice too great to "serve God" including killing or dying
Fellow Christians who do not share these views are not "true" Christians or under evil influences and falling away from the faith	Fellow Muslims who do not share these views are not "true" Muslims or under evil influences and falling away from the faith
Jews have lost their favor as God's people because of their refusal to acknowledge the new truth of their Master. Believers are now God's people instead.	Jews have lost their favor as God's people because of their refusal to acknowledge the new truth of their Master. Believers are now God's people instead.
Operate extremists/terrorists training camps with plans to overthrow the government for God	Operate extremists/terrorists training camps with plans to overthrow the government for God
Prosper in the countryside and among less educated people influencing local government in order to extend their power to the national level	Prosper in the countryside and among less educated people influencing local government in order to extend their power to the national level
Silence, harass, and socially destroy any adversaries. Attack the virtue of others while hiding their own misdeeds.	Silence, harass, and socially destroy any adversaries. Attack the virtue of others while hiding their own misdeeds.
Seek to control the media, operate vast propaganda machines, and education under the guise of religious morality all supported by extensive fundraising schemes	Seek to control the media, operate vast propaganda machines, and education under the guise of religious morality all supported by extensive fundraising schemes
Has historically killed millions of non-believers, heretics, and fellow believers for religious, pseudo-religious, and political reasons in the name of God	Has historically killed thousands of non-believers, heretics, and fellow believers for religious, pseudo-religious, and political reasons in the name of God