Islamic Fundamentalism

Description:

Islamic fundamentalism, a strong believe in the Islam which aims at gathering more believers and expanding the religion by creating more and more Islamic states.

During the last 50 years, the CIA in trying to destabilize the Islamic world (against the USSR threat), nurtured fundamentalism by supporting an anti-religious leader to suppress the Iranians. This caused the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in which Islamic fundamentalists took over by force. This inspired other nations as well, making fundamentalism a trend in the Arab world.

Enablers:

Historic Enablers

• Islamic Revolution in Iran
• Collapse of Arab nationalism after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war
• Fall of the Soviet Union/Marxist dream of the late 1980s
• Cold war Western support to Muslim groups as insurance against Communist encroachment

Current enablers

• Polarization: Them versus us feeling still being enforced by the United States who are pointing out Islamic countries as being the 'axis of evil'.
• Rapid industrialization and urbanization: Many traditional muslims feel displaced in the big city. Religion provides them some feeling of security.
• Indecent Western culture: Muslims are disgusted by some aspects of Western culture causing a chism between the two. Examples are narcotics, pornography and the disrespect against religion.
• Poverty: Religions number one feeding ground.

Inhibitors:

• Globalization and technology tends to bring cultures together, decreasing extreme fundamentalism.
• Capitalism: Money is a good replacement for religion.

Paradigms:

• Before the Islamic Revolution: Communism is bad
• After the Islamic Revolution: Fundamentalism is bad

Experts:

Google

Timing:

The fundamentalisic trend was started by the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Web Resources:

• [1] Fundamentalis Resurgence - Causes and Prospects -
• [2] How CIA destabilisation causes Islamic Fundamentalism
• [3] Islam Fundamentalism