Sunday 3 January 2016

MOSLEM TRIBALISM VS FAITH

Years ago, I studied Current Affairs as an Australian Army Officer and then became a tutor preparing officers for their promotion exams in current affairs. This remains the basis of much of my work on this blog combined with two degrees in Education, History and Government.

One of the topics in Current Affairs was " Causes of Conflict" with two of the key factors being "tribalism" and "religion". 

In the 1970s, the key area of focus was Northern Ireland, suffering from tribalism of English and Irish people and the Anglican and Catholic faith. Tribalism was the heart of the issue with English people moving to Northern Ireland and taking the best land over two hundred years.

In so many ways, the key was the tribal hatred between two races, the result of the potato famines and the English planned genocide of the Irish people. There was a bounty on the heads of Catholic priests to be hanged, drawn and quartered like Mel Gibson at the end of the movie Braveheart.

Tribalism is also the key to the divisions between Moslem Sunnis and Shias. These people came out of the desert with their swords and killed infidels. The difference between the Sunnis and Shias grew out of the succession to the prophet Mohammed after his death.


It is not just a conflict between two groups. Nothing is as simple as that. There are 90% of believers who are Sunnis according to BBC reports. Please click:

Sunnis and Shia: Islam's ancient schism - BBC ... - BBC.com
www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-160477
Muslims are split into two main branches, the Sunnis and Shia. The split originates in a dispute soon after the death of the Prophet Muhammad over who should .

Shias oppose Sunnis. Sunnis oppose Shias. Shias oppose Shias. Sunnis oppose Sunnis. Islamic State is Sunni but opposed by the Saudi monarchy that is Sunni. Iran is Shia and opposes Saudi Sunnis as seen in the recent execution of the Shia cleric. 

The Saudi monarchy has made a foolish move. There should be effort in the Middle East to placate those Moslem groups being discriminated against and killed. The executed cleric had a key role for Shias in Eastern Saudi Arabia. BBC quotes Iraqi Shias as saying he was assassinated.

Every nation faces every other nation in the Levant with its own configuration of tribes and Moslem belief, together with leaders seeking control. 

It would be a nightmare for the Allied commander of ground troops. He would have to direct his troops exclusively in support of a confirmed body of troops against a specific enemy dug in within a designated city. There is a view that allied bombing will not win the war.

But it would be the greatest propaganda ever if the Moslems could say that the infidel nations destroyed the so-called IS Caliphate. 

Most Moslem faith groups regards others as infidel. Sunni leadership will oppose Sunni leadership in competing for the loyalty of others. They will kill one another in the name of Allah. 

All sides will expect to go to heaven for killing or dying in the name of Allah. They may be in for a big surprise in the afterlife.

It would be interesting to study the faiths of refugees and those who stayed behind with their families. Were those hiding in Mosul, Sunni like the so-called Islamic State fighters? Surely the IS would kill them if they were not.

There is more kindness and peace among the Moslems living in Western nations. They have absorbed the religious tolerance of western religions. The strict Moslem approach has given away to religious universalism. There is the opportunity to love Allah and respect other Moslems.

BBC reports that Sunnis and Shias have intermarried. In Indonesia there is the gentle Archipelago Islam devoid of cruelty and hatred. BBC quotes a cry in Indonesia to set up a caliphate. 


This will be of interest to Australia and Papua New Guinea. West Papuan refugees will flood into Papua New Guinea. Will it be a gentle caliphate or a killer group of jihadists? Please click:

Does Islamic State ideology threaten Indonesia? - BBC News
www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-2870098 Aug 11, 2014 -
Radical Indonesian groups declaring support for the Islamic State.

Some western nations have a separation of Church and State. In many ways this is not good as it can lead to a Godless government. 

On the other hand, the Sharia law is flawed by the fact that it can be taken over by the Moslem clique who have taken power in a country. The authority is not written law but individual interpretation of the Koran. If women are to be stoned for not wearing gloves, that is what it is.

Years ago, Christian women had to wear head wear to church. This was due to the quote in the Bible that a woman's hair was her crowning glory. She had to cover her hair.

But then, women's rights came into the picture to say that it was not the woman's duty to cover her body but the men's job not to look. Women stopped wearing hats. Moslems make women cover their bodies from the view of men. They can be flogged for not doing so.

In many ways, Moslem men are saying that men have sexual souls of street dogs. For most men, women are only passing interest in a busy world.


Bruce Copeland BA BEdSt
Major - Australian Army (retired)

No comments:

Post a Comment