Saker advises not overlooking the religious dimension in the Ukrainian conflict. Religion is always a complicating factor.
For example, Jewish exceptionalism is based on being God's (YHVH) chosen people. Zionism is a political outgrowth of this notion. American exceptionalism is based on reinterpreting this belief as the belief that God — and Jesus is God — has favored the US as nation among nations. While Jews tend to be tribal rather than evangelical, a substantial segment of Christianity is hyper-evangelical. Some ultra-conservative Christians believe that it is the mission of the US to convert the world to their conception of Christianity and open the way for the Second Coming. Christianity is a significant force in US politics, however, it is also somewhat diverse and only unites temporarily on some issues.
Islamic exceptionalism is based on the belief that the world will eventually be converted to Islam and live under sharia. The real danger of the Caliphate aka Islamic State is that many Muslims will view its success as the fulfillment of this belief and enthusiastically jump on board.
The most conservative of all three believe that God's law is superior to and supersedes human law. These ideas are strong forces geopolitically today.
Islamic exceptionalism is based on the belief that the world will eventually be converted to Islam and live under sharia. The real danger of the Caliphate aka Islamic State is that many Muslims will view its success as the fulfillment of this belief and enthusiastically jump on board.
The most conservative of all three believe that God's law is superior to and supersedes human law. These ideas are strong forces geopolitically today.
In Christianity, the split between the Latin (Roman) Church and the Orthodox churches in 1054, a split that is largely forgotten in the West but not in the East, eventually led to war. Some of the bloodiest European wars were at least in part religious wars. Similarly, the Protest Reformation also led to war and the conflict has persisted in some places, notably Northern Ireland.
These are powerful forces that should not be overlooked or underestimated, especially because the religious factor is closely combined with other factors such as nationalism and ethnicity. People have been willing to fight and die over these differences. The stage is set for Ukraine to become another Northern Ireland.
The Vineyard of the Saker
Uniat priests calls for depriving Orthodox from basic civil rights
Vineyardsaker
The Vineyard of the Saker
Uniat priests calls for depriving Orthodox from basic civil rights
Vineyardsaker
As I have been bemoaning for over 40 years, this is why the concept of "the public purpose" is undefinable yet infinitely elastic. It is also why only a fool would give the government the power to be anything but "revenue constrained".
ReplyDeleteIt is also why majority rule by one these groups in a multi-ethnic multi-religious "social democracy" is likely to lead to ethnic strife if not genocide.
Bob you have these religious sects here trying to usurp the correct channeling of authority away from civil government.... it doesnt work this way.
ReplyDeletersp,
Or to conflate religious authority with political authority for a double whammy.
ReplyDelete