THE BELGRAVIA DISPATCH: Medieval Barbarism Watch

November 20, 2004

Medieval Barbarism Watch

How many great ideological movements have been borne of beheadings in the past half millenia?

(OK, aside from this one...)

Can this savagery really win hearts and minds--even in a pre-Enlightenment society ridden by myriad American blunders--over the long-term? The answer must be no. Or am I understating the role of vicious, wanton violence in spearheading ideological movements--successfully over a significant time horizon (scratch relatively short-lived fascistic and communist excesses) in the modern era?

This said, it's one of histories great ironies that the demarcation point as between the pre-modern and modern era occurred via the decapitation of a monarch.

Posted by Gregory at November 20, 2004 03:41 AM

Comments

Greg;

Your shock at trhe spate of beheadings is not well-based.

Historically speaking, Islam spread nearly entirely by dint of conversion under duress - under threat of arms, by conquering hordes who waged war with RUTHLESS brutality.

This SAVAGERY is not new to them, nor does it run counter to their literal translations of the Quran.

Therefore, you should not be surprised by it.

As a matter of fact, the perps contend that these kinds of efforts are exactly what their God demands, and are exactly the types of efforts which brought them their prior glory. The glory they seek to restore.

This perverted ideology is more evil than any other ever faced by mankind, and it has the potential (when combined with WMD) to undo all the gains which we in the West have won since the Medieval times you refer to.

If they could be made to understand that God only wants sincere and true devotion - (and does not accept perfunctory devotion only offered at the tip of a scimitar, because sincere and true devotion cannot ever be demanded or coerced) - then they would see the error of their sadistic ways and instead seek to win over the hearts of their fellow men to their Prohpet's cause by their piety, poetry and good deeds - like true missionaries.

Instead, they behave like mercenaries of hate - mercenaries who can only convert cowards and fools.

Atocha proved this still works sometimes.

Posted by: reliapundit at November 20, 2004 04:57 AM | Permalink to this comment

I have a different viewpoint on all of this. The current leaders of many of the various sects in Islam are in a race for the bottom in the quest for religous authority and secular power. Much like certain "reality" based shows such as the many Japanese challenge-based shows, they are increasing what it takes to overcome the jaded audience of Islamic listeners and using increasingly strident calls against the secular West. This has reached its current pinnacle with Islamic condoning, no, support for human sacrifice. Complete with ceremonial garb, specific rituals, hidden temples, and recording it for distribution to the "faithful", Islam has come Full Circle. Mohammed hunted down and eradicated pagan tribes sacrificing people to their gods, and now Islam is supporting the sacrement of ritual butchery of people to the greater glory of Allah.

Posted by: Jhn1 at November 21, 2004 06:39 AM | Permalink to this comment

Whant casino at home? Go to online casino games at http://online-casino-games-000.net!!!

Posted by: casino games at November 26, 2004 02:43 AM | Permalink to this comment

The fastest way to casino is online casino games at http://www.online-casino-01.com

Posted by: online casino at December 2, 2004 09:42 AM | Permalink to this comment

Blogging is the next generation of the Internet. If you've got something to say that interests somebody else, by golly, then there you have it! It's not about search engine rank or advertising, either. It's about word-of-mouse, and presentation. More here

Posted by: Bloggerman at December 2, 2004 06:45 PM | Permalink to this comment

Your life is gambling? Gamble at Online casino gambling at http://online-casino-gambling-000.biz

Posted by: online casino gambling at December 3, 2004 02:12 PM | Permalink to this comment

Online casino gambling? Online casino gambling at http://online-casino-gambling-000.com!!!

Posted by: online casino gambling at December 3, 2004 11:12 PM | Permalink to this comment

the leaders in computer disk retrieval

Posted by: computer disk retrieval at December 7, 2004 04:24 AM | Permalink to this comment

	« Tired Tina \| Main \| Quotable » November 20, 2004 Medieval Barbarism Watch How many great ideological movements have been borne of beheadings in the past half millenia? (OK, aside from this one...) Can this savagery really win hearts and minds--even in a pre-Enlightenment society ridden by myriad American blunders--over the long-term? The answer must be no. Or am I understating the role of vicious, wanton violence in spearheading ideological movements--successfully over a significant time horizon (scratch relatively short-lived fascistic and communist excesses) in the modern era? This said, it's one of histories great ironies that the demarcation point as between the pre-modern and modern era occurred via the decapitation of a monarch. Posted by Gregory at November 20, 2004 03:41 AM Comments Greg; Your shock at trhe spate of beheadings is not well-based. Historically speaking, Islam spread nearly entirely by dint of conversion under duress - under threat of arms, by conquering hordes who waged war with RUTHLESS brutality. This SAVAGERY is not new to them, nor does it run counter to their literal translations of the Quran. Therefore, you should not be surprised by it. As a matter of fact, the perps contend that these kinds of efforts are exactly what their God demands, and are exactly the types of efforts which brought them their prior glory. The glory they seek to restore. This perverted ideology is more evil than any other ever faced by mankind, and it has the potential (when combined with WMD) to undo all the gains which we in the West have won since the Medieval times you refer to. If they could be made to understand that God only wants sincere and true devotion - (and does not accept perfunctory devotion only offered at the tip of a scimitar, because sincere and true devotion cannot ever be demanded or coerced) - then they would see the error of their sadistic ways and instead seek to win over the hearts of their fellow men to their Prohpet's cause by their piety, poetry and good deeds - like true missionaries. Instead, they behave like mercenaries of hate - mercenaries who can only convert cowards and fools. Atocha proved this still works sometimes. Posted by: reliapundit at November 20, 2004 04:57 AM \| Permalink to this comment I have a different viewpoint on all of this. The current leaders of many of the various sects in Islam are in a race for the bottom in the quest for religous authority and secular power. Much like certain "reality" based shows such as the many Japanese challenge-based shows, they are increasing what it takes to overcome the jaded audience of Islamic listeners and using increasingly strident calls against the secular West. This has reached its current pinnacle with Islamic condoning, no, support for human sacrifice. Complete with ceremonial garb, specific rituals, hidden temples, and recording it for distribution to the "faithful", Islam has come Full Circle. Mohammed hunted down and eradicated pagan tribes sacrificing people to their gods, and now Islam is supporting the sacrement of ritual butchery of people to the greater glory of Allah. Posted by: Jhn1 at November 21, 2004 06:39 AM \| Permalink to this comment Whant casino at home? Go to online casino games at http://online-casino-games-000.net!!! Posted by: casino games at November 26, 2004 02:43 AM \| Permalink to this comment The fastest way to casino is online casino games at http://www.online-casino-01.com Posted by: online casino at December 2, 2004 09:42 AM \| Permalink to this comment Blogging is the next generation of the Internet. If you've got something to say that interests somebody else, by golly, then there you have it! It's not about search engine rank or advertising, either. It's about word-of-mouse, and presentation. More here Posted by: Bloggerman at December 2, 2004 06:45 PM \| Permalink to this comment Your life is gambling? Gamble at Online casino gambling at http://online-casino-gambling-000.biz Posted by: online casino gambling at December 3, 2004 02:12 PM \| Permalink to this comment Online casino gambling? Online casino gambling at http://online-casino-gambling-000.com!!! Posted by: online casino gambling at December 3, 2004 11:12 PM \| Permalink to this comment the leaders in computer disk retrieval Posted by: computer disk retrieval at December 7, 2004 04:24 AM \| Permalink to this comment		Reviews of Belgravia Dispatch "Best 9/11 Commentary" "Always-Worth Reading" --Andrew Sullivan "Awake" --New York Times "Must-read list" --Washington Times "Always Thoughtful" --Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit "Pompous Ass" --an anonymous blogospheric commenter Recent Entries Grading Bush's Speech: B- An Open Letter to POTUS Bush's Speech Who Me? The Secretary of No Responsibility Kerry's Bad Advice "Last Throes," Or 12 More Years? We Get Comments Leiter's Provocative Query: What Are The Root Causes of a "Reverse Philosophy Brain Drain"? What Next for Iran? B.D.'s Conscience Caucus Search Search this site: Advanced Search About the Author Email the Author English Language Media New York Times Financial Times The Economist The Times The Spectator New York Observer Daily Telegraph Matt Drudge The New Yorker Washington Post New Criterion Washington Monthly New Republic National Review The Atlantic Harpers The Guardian Weekly Standard The Nation WSJ Opinion Times Watch Real Clear Politics Foreign Affairs Commentariat Foreign Affairs Foreign Policy Le Monde Diplomatique National Interest Non-English Language Press Le Figaro Le Monde El Pais Pravda U.S. Blogs Andrew Sullivan Instapundit Mickey Kaus Josh Marshall Oxblog Katrina vanden Heuvel Armavirumque Daniel Drezner Kevin Drum Gawker Romenesko James Taranto Volokh Conspiracy &C (TNR) NRO's Corner Laura Rozen Innocents Abroad Juan Cole Tom Maguire Matthew Yglesias Pejman Yousefzadeh Spencer Ackerman Wonkette Brad DeLong The American Scene Eric Martin Mark Kleiman Winds of Change Jon Henke L.A.T. Steve Clemons Jack Balkin Crooked Timber Austin Bay Becker-Posner James Wolcott UN Dispatch Phil Carter Western Europe Eursoc Fistful of Euros France Ceteris Paribus L'Ombre de l'Olivier United Kingdom Samizdata Germany Davids Medienkritik Italy 1972 JimMomo Ideazione Walking Class Netherlands Peaktalk Spain Barcepundit Iberian Notes Central and Eastern Europe CIS/FSU Registan Russia JRL Moscow Times Scraps of Moscow Siberian Light The Russian Dilettante Armenia Blogrel East Asia Howard French China Simon World Danwei China Matters Peking Duck ESWN Japan South Korea Marmot Middle East Egypt Baheyya Arabist Big Pharaoh Israel The Head Heeb Lebanon Across the Bay Lebanese Blogger Lebanese Abroad Lebanon Matters Lebop Bliss Street Journal American in Lebanon Beirut Spring For Lebanon Syria Amarji Josh Landis Syria Exposed Columnists Tony Blankley David Broder Fred Hiatt Jim Hoagland David Ignatius Robert Kagan Michael Kinsley Charles Krauthammer Robert Novak Safire and Company Mark Steyn Sebastian Mallaby George Will Anne Applebaum The Reliable Source Washington Whispers Howard Kurtz Think Tanks AEI Baker Institute Brookings Carnegie Cato CFR CSIS Heritage IISS Intl Crisis Group USIP Security Janes Fed. American Scientists Defense Tech Global Security Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Books LRB NYRB NYT Book Review Paris Review TLS Granta Grand Street B.D. In the Press The Sunday Times(UK)"If It Makes America Look Bad It Must Be True, Musn't It?" The Guardian "Trial and Error" Online Journalism Review "Feeling Misquoted? Weblogs Transcripts Let the Reader Decide" Online Journalism Review "Bloggers Rate the Most Influential Blogs" (see chart) The Sunday Times (UK) "Rise of the Virtual Soapbox" MORE" Archives June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 Categories Area Studies Beltway Banter Books Department Cultural Missives Euro-American Relations In-House News Iraq Legal Matters Mailroom Media Monitoring Middle East--Iran Middle East-Peace Process Philosophy Presidential Politics Terrorism U.S. Foreign Policy Syndicate this site: Powered by

	© 2004 Belgravia Dispatch