This is really a fine article and I highly recommend it to everyone:
The emergence of militant Islamic opposition movements and the
general Islamization of society has been the most remarkable phe-
nomenon since the 1970s throughout the Arab region. It resulted
from the thwarted hopes of secular ideologies to achieve both so-
cio-economic progress and a strong international role for the
Arab nations. Millions of young people adopted radical, politi-
cized forms of Islam and began to call the Arab authorities to
adopt the Shari‘ah as the main source for legislation and to im-
plement it. For the Christians in the Arab World, that would
mean a return to dhimmitude.
Stringer, John. 'Christian Mission and Ecumenism' in Saint Francis Magazine, Vol. 5:1, Feb. 2009. p 11.
1 comment:
Iran is an interesting case where you kind of have the opposite (between the people, 70% young, and the old Shia Islamist regime). I.e., Islamism created an opposite reaction within the Iranian populace (who are fairly pro-American and western in their outlook).
You wonder if Obama's election might have the effect of softening the force of Islamists in the next 4 or so years. (Now that they don't have George Bush to kick around no more.) I say this because Arabs and Muslims generally are cozying up to Obama---based on his race and father's Muslim background (which they identify with more). So, about Stringer's note, I am not sure about the extent to which this Islamization will continue---though its existence is ever present in various parts of the Middle East (esp. Pakistan, Gaza, Turkey, Lebanon, Yemen, Algeria). It is places that aim to impose Sharia law that will be the problem (for the women especially and others who believe in modernity). I guess time will tell (barring another major terrorist attack, God forbid).
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