Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ut-ngp.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!ut-sally!ut-ngp!anthro From: anthro@ut-ngp.UUCP (Michael Fischer) Newsgroups: net.religion,net.politics,net.religion.jewish Subject: Re: World Population Control Message-ID: <853@ut-ngp.UUCP> Date: Tue, 21-Aug-84 02:08:30 EDT Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.853 Posted: Tue Aug 21 02:08:30 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 22-Aug-84 05:26:47 EDT References: <256@mit-athena.ARPA> Organization: Comp. Center, Univ. of Texas at Austin Lines: 28 <> Although the referenced article probably belongs in net.flame, I will comment briefly. I cannot explain away the efforts of groups of people killing other groups of people. This does seem to happen with great regularity, whatever the basis of group formation. To attribute special blame to Islam is unfair, especially in the light of who else 'dumped' on Israel at the conference. The entire membership except Israel and the U.S.A. The range and blend of national and local groups named happen to designate themselves as Muslim, but there are great differences between them. With respect to the cultural and sociological forces that lead to killing, groups will, if unrestrained, engage with any different group. Indeed, using religious labels, we find Muslims killing Muslims with great regularity (the mentioned Chinese are for the most part Muslim). I will agree that the cultures spreading from Greece to SE Asia are violent from our perspective, but in most instances this is due to the weak societal bonds and control beyond relatively small groups. That is, they are hard to control. Certainly these groups are not all Muslim. I cannot personally condone the killing, but I cannot condone the attribution of religon as the cause. Religion is just another (though powerful) basis of group formation, but it is the group dynamics that are responcible for action, whatever the justification. Sorry this short note grew. Michael Fischer anthro@utngp