Let’s not get too excited about Islam

There seems to be a lot of young Arab men in Europe who need to be induced to join an army to fight Daesh. Once some sort of ceasefire is organized in Syria, such an army should be part of the picture. Recruitment can start now. Many already have military training, so they can train the others.

Still in that neck of the woods, I can’t help getting annoyed with this stuff about Islam being the problem. OK I suspect the Koran is more revolting than the Bible. The New Testament is about fire and brimstone in the next life for sinners and in the Old Testament, God instructs the Hebrews to engage in a bit of ethnic cleansing. However, I don’t think there is anything comparable to Jihad. (Just an aside: In my current state of ignorance I am not sure whether Mohammed was a brigand who used religion to further his brigandage or a religious zealot who used brigandage to further his religion. Either way I suspect he was a self-serving SOB.)

Having said all that, it is still Muslim supporters of the Arab Spring who will have to do much of the fighting against Daesh. So carrying on about how Islam is the problem is a bit tiresome and counterproductive. And besides, Islam will adapt to modernity much as Christianity did, no doubt with women leading the charge.