Response to Amaryllis Fox Video

There is such a thing as evil and it cannot be reasoned with...

 

I’ve been a cop for over 13 years, all patrol, and I am still employed.  I have been to terrorism training for Law Enforcement, I teach Police Response to Active Violence and have performed terrorism assessments for my local area.  I have done less than some, more than others.  The information about Islam below comes from my personal study.

                 Maybe you're one of the 61 million people who have viewed the alledged ex-CIA agent's video on Al'Jazeer Plus' facebook page.  I saw it when someone linked it on face book but I cannot seem to find it on anything that will let me link it to my blog.  The whole premise is this alledged ex-CIA agent for "almost 10 years" tells us that the big secret about the war with ISIL / ISIS is that "everyone thinks they're the good guy."  She goes on to insinuate that everyone is just fighting for their families and the "oversimplified" narrative of Islamic Extremists wanting to kill us is controlled by a "very few."  Her final point is that we should just sit down and listen to those in ISIS.  The implication is that all the problems will then go away.

                There is a lot of truth here.  There is also a lot of error here.  Unfortunately the idea behind the video falls victim to the great error of Relativism: the belief that all beliefs are equal and none are better than another.  But Relativism  is a self-refuting proposition like me typing: I can't type.  In the case of Relativism in general, the proposition "all beliefs are equal and no one belief is better than another" is presumed to be the one idea that is better than all the others.  So it fails it's own standard.  
               Let me show you how this applies to the movie:  Ms. Fox obviously believes she is "right" to espouse the beliefs in her video and that her beliefs are "good" otherwise she would not have made the video.  However, if we were to apply her own criticism to her own argument, she would not have posted the video because the point of the video is if you think your ideas are right and good then you need to reconsider.  You also need to listen to the other view.  Certainly don't act upon your convictions.  So, by the fact she believes she's right, she acted upon those beliefs, and - as far as my views are concerned - she never sat and listened to my views, her own argument refutes her video.

                But beyond the fatal philosophical flaw there is more to say.  Given a peaceful environment I will listen to anyone.  I will treat anyone with respect and dignity if, for no other reason, one cannot be convinced about how much you know and how correct your information / beliefs are, unless they are first convinced about how much you care.  I have listened to abusers, molesters, armed robbers and murderers about why they did what they did.  They all believe they did what they did because of some perceived good.  They were wrong.

                Let me apply this to this video.  I will listen to anyone from any of the numerous branches of Islam, again, given a peaceful environment.  As a country we MUST acknowledge that there are numerous different interpretations of the Koran, the Hadith and the Teachings of Mohammad - all three authoritative in Islam.  However there is no central, authoritative, interpreting authority in Islam.  Some branches of Islam are very peaceful.  Most branches of Suffi, for example, take a very introspective, contemplative, spiritual interpretation on the violent passages and teachings of Islam.

                However, we MUST acknowledge that there are other branches of Islam that take a very literal interpretation of verses that directly advocate enslaving or executing anyone who is not Muslim.  Wahabi Muslims are an example of this.  According to these branches, Suffi are not Muslim and therefore deserve enslavement or death.  I would still be willing to talk to Wahabi-ist Muslims if they would let me.  The problem is, according to their own Imams and Laws, talking with an Infidel -  anyone who is not Muslim - is forbidden unless the Infidel agrees to be enslaved.  If the Infidel refuses enslavement they are to be killed.  So the return respect is not there.  ISIL / ISIS and Al-Qaida are made up of this style of Islam.

                In this belief system the world is split into two area: Dar Islam and Dar al-Harb: the world of Islam and the world of War.  Either the world is under their law - Sharia Law - or they are at war with the parts that are not.  Sharia Law is the governing system in these versions of Islam.  It is both a religious belief system and a governmental system - these branches of Islam have no concept of separation of masque and state. Sharia has laws stating women are property of men; women are not allowed a voice in government, society or even their own lives; if someone is not Muslim they are not human so killing a non-Muslim is not against Sharia.  This and more is incompatible with the Western world’s philosophy.  This is NOTHING that the U.S. did, movies notwithstanding. 

                An irony about this video is the speaker, being a women and, apparently, not a Muslim, would not be listen to by the very people she says we need to listen to.  She would be enslaved at best or killed by these branches of Islam.  Where these branches of Islam rule 10 year old Christians are being beheaded or crucified - literally; Journalists are beheaded for trying to report truth; sentences of death are administered by stoning or beheading for anyone who has same-sex attraction; women and little girls are sold into “slavery.”  All of this is verified by news accounts - even news agencies sympathetic to these styles of Islam.  In these branches of Islam, there is no right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”  There is no tolerance of people OR ideas.  The beliefs of these Muslims are wrong.

                I do not see anything similar in the West.  The Western philosophy is based on tolerance of people; tolerance of discussion of ideas; but intolerance of harmful ideas.  This is based off of one of the basic tenants of Christianity: Hate the sin; Love the sinner.  I don’t see the West unjustly beheading or crucifying anyone as a rule.  There are no systematic forceful conversions - that includes the crusades and inquisions; that’s not what either of them were about despite the faulty modern popular teaching to the contrary.

                Yes, there are other more moderate branches of Islam that do not hold to the harsh, radical interpretations.  Unfortunately, a historical study of Islam, from Mohammad’s birth in AD 632 to the present, shows that these moderate, peace-loving Muslims are not the traditional way Islam has been interpreted.

                So I agree with the video: things are NOT as simple as some make them seem.  Unfortunately for this movie it again fails its own standard.  According to the movie things have been over simplified: either us or them.  However, the solution is over simplification: just listen to them and everything will be better. 

                We must have a balanced approach: listen when able; act when we must.  Tolerate people, do not tolerate harmful ideas, stop the people acting on those harmful ideas.  Unfortunately, when someone does not see you as a person and is actively trying to kill you - or advocating for someone to kill you - the time to listen is over; the time to act to protect life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is at hand.  Anyone who fails to do act when the time to act is at hand is as guilty as those who fail to listen when the time to listen is at hand.

                The violent-advocating branches of Islam are wrong.  I will not tolerate those harmful ideas.  I cannot tolerate those harmful ideas.  Prudence, Justice, Mercy and Morality demand that of me.  If a person espouses those ideas, I will listen and I will show where their though process has gone wrong - yes there is such a thing as correct thinking: it's called the Laws of Logic.  If that same person stops talking and starts trying to harm me, my family or innocent people I will stop them using every way necessary.  There is such thing as evil.  I have seen it.  I will do whatever I can to stop it.  Evil does not stop on its own.  It does not listen to pleas or reason.  Evil does not care what you think.

                Why does the West love the movies like Independence Day and Star Wars?  Because, in the history of the world, the Western philosophy of tolerance of people, peace, personal responsibility, liberty and justice for each person no matter their sex, age, race or belief and the freedom to behave as you aught IS AN ANOMILY.  It is a blip on the radar.  It is a radical idea espoused by a very few who are immediately attacked by those whose power is threatened by these ideas.  Socrates was executed for espousing ideas like this; Christ was crucified for it; Peter, Paul, Justin Martyr, Polycarp, Ignatius of Antioch and thousands more were all executed by the Roman Empire for espousing it; the US was born in blood fighting for these ideas; we fought a war with our self over these ideas;  WWII was fought over the same thing; and today we must uphold these ideas from all enemies foreign or domestic.

                I have listened to ISIL / ISIS and Al-Qaida.  I have heard what they say in both word and deed: Death to the West; Death to the Christian; Death to the Jews; Death to the Pope - who has no army and preaches dignity and value of all people, love and peace; Death to all who do not espouse their brand of Islam.  I have listened and I take them at their word.

                The Blue Crucifix

P.S. As I searched for information about this video, all I found is similarly worded blogs in support of it.  I found none - zero - vetting of the video.  I’m curious why.  I can’t even find anyone asking the question: was Amaryllis Fox actually a CIA agent and why did she serve only “almost” 10 years?  When I hear of a cop who says that, it usually doesn’t bode well for why they left the profession.