Waging war on extremism
Two primary and crucial conditions affect the relationship between Muslims and Christians in Western countries, including the United States. And each condition has a set of components that together form the base of the reactionary behaviors of both sides. These conditions are: Islam and the status of being a minority.
Throughout history, Islam and Christianity have been presented as rivals. This state is continuously perpetuated by popular culture (history textbooks, folk songs, oral history, etc), and cemented with the invention of radio, television and films.
Earlier, these media outlets were controlled in terms of ownership, content, and geographical reach. Now, with the invention of the Internet, these constraints have almost dissipated. The Internet offers a new platform for information flow. This is in addition to a totally new concept of a news platform, specifically the news-on-demand that is accessible around the hour.
People of both faiths could turn to this new electronic channel for information about religions and other subjects to their benefit. Gaining specific information is known as selective news gathering. Nonetheless, this alternative has detrimental consequences because the receiver does not usually examine the information or hold discussions, leading to misconceptions, self-deception and even self-radicalization.
The other set of conditions is the status of a Muslim minority living among a largely Christian majority, which is a state that makes Muslims susceptible to oppression and victimization in various forms and for different reasons. This situation is apparently tolerable as long as it is directed against Muslims only. In other words, Muslims have become a target not only for the majority in those Western countries but also for almost every ethnic group with no questions asked.
As a result, Muslims in Western societies have been geographically isolated and alienated. They are forced to live on the edge of societies as if they don’t belong to them, and their attempts to integrate or be functional are met with either negative preconceived perceptions or deliberate demarcation of a prescribed definition that does not allow them to identify themselves outside of it.
The lifestyles in most Muslims countries are much like those practiced in most Western countries. They are religiously orthodox, conservative, moderate and liberal. Moreover, the rhythm and base of daily life in Muslim cities are almost similar to London, New York, or even Seoul and Lagos. However, once a person is identified as a Muslim, one is defined within a specific context regardless of personal definition and choices and expected to act in line with this specific stereotype.
The conditions that shape the relationship between Muslims and Christians can be applied to the case of Michael Adebhoalajo. He is 28-year-old, a British national of Nigerian origin, raised in a Christian family, and living in a spacious modern house. It is hard to imagine that a person with a middle class upbringing could commit such a savage crime in the middle of a street in London and in broad day light. Moreover, he had no qualms about having himself videotaped saying, “they (the British people) would not be safe either until British soldiers were withdrawn from all Muslim lands.”
The Muslim lands are practically divided along the lines of ethnicity, culture, and political entities and interests; consequently it is unforeseeable to predict a formation of a single Muslim geographical political entity. For this reason, a sense of a spiritual divide can be felt among most Muslims, which indicates a lack of a meaningful and tangible base to build any aspired unity.
Michael’s statement has a political taint that points to the British foreign policy, but the nature of the criminal act more likely refers to the idea of rivalry that shapes the Muslim-Christian relationship, i. e. a hostile relationship. Those who have examined Islam and Christianity can hardly find any intrinsic wrongs or mischievous principles in either religion. On the contrary, these religions share basic principles that guide people to lead a respectful life.
The problem occurs when one relies on one source of information, which could be a place of worship and or the Internet without the possibility of examining the information through discussion with knowledgeable and experienced individuals. In this light, all religions are intrinsically good. However, they could be used for political motives. Those who are not aware of these motives may use the rhetoric to attack a veiled Muslim woman walking in the street of a Western city or hacking a Westerner in a Muslim city.
On the other hand, most Muslim minorities belonging to different ethnic and cultural backgrounds are citizens of Western states. Accordingly, their rights must be protected, and they can only be prosecuted when they violate the law. The feelings of injustice and oppression are continuously annoying, causing much discomfort.
A society and its members cannot live without particular ideologies. However, only positive ones must thrive and destructive ones eliminated. The world must declare war on any form of extremist ideology.
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