Combat cultism in religion's garb
"Religion is not merely the opiate of the people, as the Marxists believed, but, if wrongly interpreted, it is the poison that destroys society” (Iftekhar Murshed). Thus the religious ignore those who misinterpret their faith at their peril.
The whole world waits for Islam to deal with the likes of Jamaat. Even though they do not train or use suicide bombers, they too seem to have grasped 'a religiously-inspired ideology which teaches that it is every loyal Muslim's duty to use any means necessary to compel the world's submission to Islam, even though this makes most Muslims their enemies as well as the rest of the world.'
I can see how attractive it can be, at a certain stage of one's religious growth, to be drawn into such a movement but when what happens is far from godly, but is symptomatic of a CULT, it is time to get out. Here are some typical expressions of a cult - and they can turn up in any religion:
1. They insist on their respectability (even demand charitable status) but their practices become more and more unacceptable.
2. They do not consider any law applies to them as they are under a 'higher' law. Hence the growing tendency to target the forces of law and order. Murdering policemen becomes justifiable.
3. Others who disagree with the cult are considered worthless, even dangerous, and this too can lead to justifying murder.
4. The parents of the deeply indoctrinated children of a 'church' that was a cult, said that they knew their children were capable of killing as they were repeatedly told that it was better to die or kill than to be a person that did not support it.
5. The leader of a cult is usually obeyed blindly and some have persuaded their followers to commit mass suicide. A former Editor of the Times wrote, “Osama bin Laden was not a potential martyr for his religion but a cult leader, whose cult, like many others, ends in murder and suicide.”
6. Children who get involved with cults are told their parents should agree with the cult - or they are condemned. A London Muslim said, “Our children are being taken away from us and brainwashed… (They) are being told not to listen to their parents because their parents are wrong.”
7. The 'teaching' of such cults is in fact indoctrination, including via superstition that can sway the ignorant. (Sayedee's 'face on the moon' that was taken as an 'omen' is typical.) It does not allow argument or discussion - and the faithful must indoctrinate others in the same way. Members of cults are NOT 'freely choosing their allegiance' - they are being 'brainwashed'!
The threats, brainwashing and behaviour of the next generation by a cult are addictive and must be stopped. Its right to religious, political and social respectability must be removed. In the current case, the Shahbagh movement has begun to do this. I am sure, sir, that you have no shortage of other readers who will suggest how to complete the process.
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