“My Jihad”. American mujahedin Aukai Collins was a passionate convert to Islam. But his new memoir makes it clear that nothing got him more excited than the sound of a rocket-propelled grenade and the look in an enemy’s eyes as he slit his throat. [Salon.com]

Well,  now isn’t that special?   It’s pretty sickening too,  as well as how many stories like this come out at a time like this.  Not exactly conducive to understanding is it?  About as much as an anti-Christian news outlet (or more likely,  a person with an apocalypse-size chip on their shoulder about Christianity  (or the “brands” of it they seem to get exposed to all too often) releasing story after story of abortion clinic bombers or Klu Klux Klansmen quoting the Bible.  

The author of the above review is NOT blaming Islam for the views of this man,  but the appearance of the book seems timed well enough to do the work of re-emphasizing the link between Islamic spirtuality and  violence.

Well, duh, of course all these psychopathic followers of some crazed apocalyptic dream are going to be highlighted, but it bothers me,  just as it bother Christians and Muslims alike,  that any divine claim is being made to justify senseless violence.

“On that day I realized that I was among the strange few who knew war and loved it nonetheless.” Many of the mujahedin Collins meets fall into this category, and Islam gives him and them a moral framework for consummating that love. “

The latter quote from the review is scary .  It leaves me with the frustration I get when I put myself in the place of a Muslim whose deep devotionto their relgious tradition and its writing s leads them to entirely different, more reconciliatory conclusions.  Peaceful conclusions.   I know I feel that way when I read of Christians glorifying war.  

I have never said that there is NEVER a cause to take  up arms.  There are certainly times.  Post Sept. 11 was a call to action,  not that I was without pause in approving all the measures the US took as they began bombing.  All the “regrets” about civilain casualties caused me to ask how such measures which always seem to end up causing such regrets are NOT REALLY “regrets” that they have any intention of preventing in the future,  but are seen as calculated costs,  which bothers me.