Mohammed

Some believe that the terrorist drama currently being played out throughout the world is not about religion at all, but the result of the West's historically destabilising influence over those they wish to manipulate. On the other extreme are those seeking to place blame entirely upon the Arab world and its historically aggressive religion. 

In truth, both are to blame. The West's bullying politics encourages acts of retaliation, and it's human nature to retaliate. However the flavour of Islam preferred by the fundamentalists seems intent on using violence as a winnowing fork of division, inflaming society so as to create an Us and Them dichotomy; Muslim and non-Muslim; and to force the “moderate Muslim” majority to make a choice, to pick a side.

But why is that? Why are Islamic terrorists, in particular, so predictably extreme? Who or what are they looking to for guidance in how to retaliate against their perceived enemies?

Mohammed

Muslims, like Christians, are people, and people are prone to messing up, prone to falling short of the exemplar left them by their mentors. However it needs addressing, that in regard one of those religions the current problem doesn't lay with the failings of its believers but the example left by their faiths founder (and I'm not referring to Jesus).

The founder of Islam was, without doubt, a warlord who established his religion and dealt with his enemies through force of arms and terror tactics. This is not a disputable point, it is well documented history conceded by Islam itself. Yet it rarely gets addressed as central to the terrorist problem. Rather, main stream media seems intent on separating the Islamic terrorist from any semblance of Islam; and least of all its founder. Such a failing is equivalent to lambasting the soldiers of the Jewish death camps while denying that their Fuehrer influenced their actions.

For actions speak louder than words; a truth we all accept. A mother warning their child of the dangers of smoking while lighting up her seventh cigarette, is delusional. No fair minded individual would hold the child guilty for imitating the mothers actions over her words. After all, we imitate whom we most respect. And millions of people around the globe respect Mohammed as the chief prophet of God. Are we surprised, then, that an element of his followers so respects him that they imitate the violence he demonstrated repeatedly in life towards his enemies in Allah's name; even if such violence contradicts some of the things he said (though not all the things he said).

If anyone needs to be held to account, to be proven true or false, it is a religions founder.

Christians, by and large, tolerate a transparent open critique of Christ. Likewise, Mohammed needs to be unveiled. The truth about his life, words and actions needs to be expounded and critiqued without fear of reprisal and abuse. Yet, surprisingly in our society, that abuse comes from our very own media. A media that seems intent on whitewashing Mohammed out of the problem, and berating anyone who would suggest otherwise.