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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