The rise of religious fanaticism.
Religion has long been a word which stirs emotions, triggers debate, arouses passion, and also instills suspicion and fear. The worship of a higher being of which generally there is no concrete evidence, has shaped societies and cultures for thousands of years. One of the religions at the centre of the debate is Islam. This religion, looks to Allah as its supreme being, and has rules which must be followed.
Parts of the religion calls for jihad (extremists) against anyone who makes fun of, mocks, or generally disrespects the prophet Mohammed. Jihad being the act of killing someone and at the same time being prepared to die, or dying in the act. One Islamic group which has risen to prominence in recent times is IS or ISIS depending on who you listen to, or what you read.
This is a very good documentary which goes a long way to explaining the rise of ISIS. Whatever your views on religion, Islam, faith, and belief in general, the ‘fallout’ from aspects of the religion of Islam are being felt in many countries, sometimes in positive ways, but overwhelmingly in negative ways at the moment, due to groups such as this. Recently the city of Paris was attacked twice, by groups affiliated with ISIS. These attacks have left 100,s of people dead, and scores more critically injured. These people were mostly going about their daily lives, with no real views on other people,s religious beliefs, yet they were killed for their views, or non-views, in this case.
ISIS’s mission is to create an Islamic land which covers the Middle East and Europe. They want to introduce Sharia law throughout this land, and ensure that the Muslim majority control everything. Anyone who does not subscribe to their views is either eliminated or removed. You can use your own imagination to interpret the meaning of those words.
Whatever your views on religion, or ISIS/IS, politics, which is entwined with religion, for many people this is the beginning of a dark period in our history.
