Today's religion and world affairs news from the United States and
around the globe: the shooting in Copenhagen, how to help displaced Nigerians, and analysis of ISIS' endgame.
AROUND THE WORLD
Shooting at Cartoonists, Again
Economist
http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/02/religion-europe-and-denmark
The terrorist shootings in Denmark are the latest skirmish in Europe's ongoing contest between freedom of expression and radical Islamists, and as with January's attacks in Paris, they targeted both the press and the Jewish community. But one of Denmark's most passionate free-speech advocates, who happens to be of Muslim heritage himself, is adamant that now would be the worst possible time for politicians to slacken, even by careless use of language, their determination to protect liberty of expression.
Europe’s Post-Copenhagen, Post-Paris Script for Responding to Terror
by Elias Groll
Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/02/17/europes_post_copenhagen_post_pari_script_for_responding_to_terror/
Indeed, the clash between ornery defenders of free speech, such as Vilks, and their jihadi opponents is now such an accepted part of the European cultural landscape that it is easy to forget how sad it is that a cartoonist has gone underground to protect his life. But no matter. Amid repeated attacks on cartoonists and centers of Jewish life, these are the issues around which European politics now revolve.
To Defeat Our Foe, We Must First Define Him
by HRH Crown Prince Salman of Bahrain
Telegraph op-ed
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11414646/To-defeat-our-foe-we-must-first-define-him.html
The weekend’s attacks in Copenhagen are a further reminder that if we’re meaningfully to address this spiralling global threat, we need to widen our understanding and define our foe, in order to refocus our efforts accordingly. Terrorism is not an ideology; we are not merely fighting terrorists, we are fighting theocrats.
ISIS Is Not a Terrorist Group
by Audrey Kuruth Cronin
Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/143043/audrey-kurth-cronin/isis-is-not-a-terrorist-group
But ISIS is not al Qaeda. It is not an outgrowth or a part of the older radical Islamist organization, nor does it represent the next phase in its evolution. Although al Qaeda remains dangerous—especially its affiliates in North Africa and Yemen—ISIS is its successor. ISIS represents the post–al Qaeda jihadist threat.
What ISIS Really Wants
by Graeme Wood
Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/
The Islamic State is no mere collection of psychopaths. It is a religious group with carefully considered beliefs, among them that it is a key agent of the coming apocalypse. Here’s what that means for its strategy—and for how to stop it.
Islam and the West at War
by Roger Cohen
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/opinion/roger-cohen-islam-and-the-west-at-war.html?_r=0
I hear the words of Chokri Belaid, the brave Tunisian lawyer, shortly before he was gunned down by Islamist fanatics on Feb. 6, 2013: “We can disagree in our diversity but within a civilian, peaceful and democratic framework. Disagree in our diversity, yes!” To speak of a nonspecific “dark ideology,” to dismiss the reality of conflict between the West and Islam, is also to undermine the anti-Islamist struggle of brave Muslims like Belaid—and these Muslims are the only people, ultimately, who can defeat the black-flagged jihadi death merchants.
A Letter Concerning Muslim Toleration
by Mustafa Akyol
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/18/opinion/mustafa-akyol-a-letter-concerning-muslim-toleration.html
If Islamic thought is to liberalize today, it must take a Lockean leap. This would not mean importing any Western cultural notion, for a Lockean tradition has long existed in Islam, buried in the late seventh century, in a largely forgotten school of theologians called the Murjites.
The First Victims of the First Crusade
by Susan Jacoby
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/opinion/sunday/the-first-victims-of-the-first-crusade.html?ref=todayspaper
Just as the Crusades were integrally linked to Roman Catholicism in the Middle Ages, terrorist movements today are immersed in a particular anti-modern interpretation of Islam. This does not imply that a majority of Muslims agree with violent religious ideology. It does mean that the terrorists’ brand of belief plays a critical role in their savage assault on human rights.
Dreaming of Russia in Ankara
by Claire Sadar
Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/143087/claire-sadar/dreaming-of-russia-in-ankara?cid=nlc-foreign_affairs_today-021315-dreaming_of_russia_in_ankara_5-021315&sp_mid=48019502&sp_rid=andlaWNrZ2VuYW50QHJlYWxjbGVhcndvcmxkLmNvbQS2
The AKP’s conservative leanings notwithstanding, Turkey isn’t about to go Islamist. In fact, the party’s systematic campaign to eliminate political rivals is rooted not in religious fervor but in the secular aspiration to retain and consolidate power. A deeper look at Turkey’s political trajectory under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggests that he is steering Turkey in an authoritarian but secular direction, toward a state not unlike President Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
How to Help Nigerians Displaced by Boko Haram
Washington Post editorial
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-to-help-nigerians-displaced-by-boko-haram/2015/02/17/636f1e10-b5f4-11e4-a200-c008a01a6692_story.html
Despite US offers of assistance to Nigeria in combating Boko Haram, the government has proved to be a difficult partner to work with. But the United States has an opportunity to directly help Nigerians in need by funding local humanitarian relief efforts in the north, such as in Yola—as well as regional efforts in Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
Modi Promises to Punish Religious Violence in India
by Ellen Barry
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/18/world/asia/india-narendra-modi-religious-violence.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India said on Tuesday that his government would not “accept violence against any religion, on any pretext,” and that it would take forceful steps if such crimes occurred, in a speech widely interpreted as a response to a series of attacks on Roman Catholic churches in and around New Delhi.
With New Cardinals, Pope Aims to Widen Horizons of Church Leadership
by Sylvia PoggioliNPR
http://www.npr.org/2015/02/14/386227396/with-new-cardinals-pope-aims-to-widen-horizons-of-church-leadership
The pope has been shifting church leadership away from an image of power and privilege. He wants to elevate priests who stay close to the poor and marginalized, and who are what he calls "shepherds living with the smell of the sheep." The new appointments reflect Francis' interest in Africa and Asia, where the church is growing fastest, and Latin America, where about 40 percent of the world's Catholics live.
Blood and Ecumenism
Economist
http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/02/pope-francis-and-copts
After a century of mostly well-intentioned dialogue between the world's Christian communities, Catholics and Copts are still far from unity. But Pope Francis is throwing out a challenge. People who cannot come together for a ritual of sacrifice in a church are being cast by circumstances into a single, dire community of fate.
DOMESTIC
It’s Hard to Prove Any Hate Crime. But for Muslim Victims, It’s Especially Tough.
by Farhana Khera
Washington Post op-ed
http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/02/17/its-hard-to-prove-any-hate-crime-but-for-muslim-victims-its-especially-tough/
There are many things the nation can do to better ensure justice when Muslims are persecuted for their religion. First, law enforcement agencies and civic organizations should do more to educate the public on the importance of reporting hate crimes and should help them access the resources necessary to do so. The federal government should also commit more resources to investigating and prosecuting civil rights violations and step in before crimes are even committed.
Some See Extreme 'Anti-Theism' as Motive in N.C. Killings
by Tom Gjelten
NPR
http://www.npr.org/2015/02/15/386406810/some-see-extreme-anti-theism-as-motive-in-n-c-killings
The man held responsible for the killings is an avowed atheist. Whether that's relevant in this case is not clear, but some experts see a new extremism developing among some athiests.
Shooting at Cartoonists, Again
Economist
http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/02/religion-europe-and-denmark
The terrorist shootings in Denmark are the latest skirmish in Europe's ongoing contest between freedom of expression and radical Islamists, and as with January's attacks in Paris, they targeted both the press and the Jewish community. But one of Denmark's most passionate free-speech advocates, who happens to be of Muslim heritage himself, is adamant that now would be the worst possible time for politicians to slacken, even by careless use of language, their determination to protect liberty of expression.
Europe’s Post-Copenhagen, Post-Paris Script for Responding to Terror
by Elias Groll
Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/02/17/europes_post_copenhagen_post_pari_script_for_responding_to_terror/
Indeed, the clash between ornery defenders of free speech, such as Vilks, and their jihadi opponents is now such an accepted part of the European cultural landscape that it is easy to forget how sad it is that a cartoonist has gone underground to protect his life. But no matter. Amid repeated attacks on cartoonists and centers of Jewish life, these are the issues around which European politics now revolve.
To Defeat Our Foe, We Must First Define Him
by HRH Crown Prince Salman of Bahrain
Telegraph op-ed
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11414646/To-defeat-our-foe-we-must-first-define-him.html
The weekend’s attacks in Copenhagen are a further reminder that if we’re meaningfully to address this spiralling global threat, we need to widen our understanding and define our foe, in order to refocus our efforts accordingly. Terrorism is not an ideology; we are not merely fighting terrorists, we are fighting theocrats.
ISIS Is Not a Terrorist Group
by Audrey Kuruth Cronin
Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/143043/audrey-kurth-cronin/isis-is-not-a-terrorist-group
But ISIS is not al Qaeda. It is not an outgrowth or a part of the older radical Islamist organization, nor does it represent the next phase in its evolution. Although al Qaeda remains dangerous—especially its affiliates in North Africa and Yemen—ISIS is its successor. ISIS represents the post–al Qaeda jihadist threat.
What ISIS Really Wants
by Graeme Wood
Atlantic
http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/
The Islamic State is no mere collection of psychopaths. It is a religious group with carefully considered beliefs, among them that it is a key agent of the coming apocalypse. Here’s what that means for its strategy—and for how to stop it.
Islam and the West at War
by Roger Cohen
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/opinion/roger-cohen-islam-and-the-west-at-war.html?_r=0
I hear the words of Chokri Belaid, the brave Tunisian lawyer, shortly before he was gunned down by Islamist fanatics on Feb. 6, 2013: “We can disagree in our diversity but within a civilian, peaceful and democratic framework. Disagree in our diversity, yes!” To speak of a nonspecific “dark ideology,” to dismiss the reality of conflict between the West and Islam, is also to undermine the anti-Islamist struggle of brave Muslims like Belaid—and these Muslims are the only people, ultimately, who can defeat the black-flagged jihadi death merchants.
A Letter Concerning Muslim Toleration
by Mustafa Akyol
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/18/opinion/mustafa-akyol-a-letter-concerning-muslim-toleration.html
If Islamic thought is to liberalize today, it must take a Lockean leap. This would not mean importing any Western cultural notion, for a Lockean tradition has long existed in Islam, buried in the late seventh century, in a largely forgotten school of theologians called the Murjites.
The First Victims of the First Crusade
by Susan Jacoby
New York Times op-ed
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/opinion/sunday/the-first-victims-of-the-first-crusade.html?ref=todayspaper
Just as the Crusades were integrally linked to Roman Catholicism in the Middle Ages, terrorist movements today are immersed in a particular anti-modern interpretation of Islam. This does not imply that a majority of Muslims agree with violent religious ideology. It does mean that the terrorists’ brand of belief plays a critical role in their savage assault on human rights.
Dreaming of Russia in Ankara
by Claire Sadar
Foreign Affairs
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/143087/claire-sadar/dreaming-of-russia-in-ankara?cid=nlc-foreign_affairs_today-021315-dreaming_of_russia_in_ankara_5-021315&sp_mid=48019502&sp_rid=andlaWNrZ2VuYW50QHJlYWxjbGVhcndvcmxkLmNvbQS2
The AKP’s conservative leanings notwithstanding, Turkey isn’t about to go Islamist. In fact, the party’s systematic campaign to eliminate political rivals is rooted not in religious fervor but in the secular aspiration to retain and consolidate power. A deeper look at Turkey’s political trajectory under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggests that he is steering Turkey in an authoritarian but secular direction, toward a state not unlike President Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
How to Help Nigerians Displaced by Boko Haram
Washington Post editorial
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-to-help-nigerians-displaced-by-boko-haram/2015/02/17/636f1e10-b5f4-11e4-a200-c008a01a6692_story.html
Despite US offers of assistance to Nigeria in combating Boko Haram, the government has proved to be a difficult partner to work with. But the United States has an opportunity to directly help Nigerians in need by funding local humanitarian relief efforts in the north, such as in Yola—as well as regional efforts in Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
Modi Promises to Punish Religious Violence in India
by Ellen Barry
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/18/world/asia/india-narendra-modi-religious-violence.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India said on Tuesday that his government would not “accept violence against any religion, on any pretext,” and that it would take forceful steps if such crimes occurred, in a speech widely interpreted as a response to a series of attacks on Roman Catholic churches in and around New Delhi.
With New Cardinals, Pope Aims to Widen Horizons of Church Leadership
by Sylvia PoggioliNPR
http://www.npr.org/2015/02/14/386227396/with-new-cardinals-pope-aims-to-widen-horizons-of-church-leadership
The pope has been shifting church leadership away from an image of power and privilege. He wants to elevate priests who stay close to the poor and marginalized, and who are what he calls "shepherds living with the smell of the sheep." The new appointments reflect Francis' interest in Africa and Asia, where the church is growing fastest, and Latin America, where about 40 percent of the world's Catholics live.
Blood and Ecumenism
Economist
http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/02/pope-francis-and-copts
After a century of mostly well-intentioned dialogue between the world's Christian communities, Catholics and Copts are still far from unity. But Pope Francis is throwing out a challenge. People who cannot come together for a ritual of sacrifice in a church are being cast by circumstances into a single, dire community of fate.
DOMESTIC
It’s Hard to Prove Any Hate Crime. But for Muslim Victims, It’s Especially Tough.
by Farhana Khera
Washington Post op-ed
http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/02/17/its-hard-to-prove-any-hate-crime-but-for-muslim-victims-its-especially-tough/
There are many things the nation can do to better ensure justice when Muslims are persecuted for their religion. First, law enforcement agencies and civic organizations should do more to educate the public on the importance of reporting hate crimes and should help them access the resources necessary to do so. The federal government should also commit more resources to investigating and prosecuting civil rights violations and step in before crimes are even committed.
Some See Extreme 'Anti-Theism' as Motive in N.C. Killings
by Tom Gjelten
NPR
http://www.npr.org/2015/02/15/386406810/some-see-extreme-anti-theism-as-motive-in-n-c-killings
The man held responsible for the killings is an avowed atheist. Whether that's relevant in this case is not clear, but some experts see a new extremism developing among some athiests.
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