One does not have to think very hard about the atrocities
committed against us by extremists on the outside. There have been too many to
count, the latest of which began on October 7, 2023 - and lasted two years. And
there remains the very real threat of further atrocities being committed
against us by the extremist Islamic regime of Iran.
In all of these cases of extremism, it is not in pursuit of
liberty, but in pursuit of something of a much higher order that is pursued:
the belief that the atrocity being committed is in service of God. That it is
God’s desire that His word (as understood by their beliefs) be established in
the world, eliminating all other versions which are deemed false. When acting
on behalf of God, ‘whatever it takes’ is what is required. Extremism becomes a
given.
This same logic applies to our own religious extremists.
Although I certainly do not compare them to Hamas or Iran in degree - we are
not mass murderers - I do compare their motives: the use of extremism to
advance goals they believe to be Godly.
There are basically two different sets of religious extremists.
Both of which are devoutly religious, but could not be further apart in the
goals they pursue. Yet they are disturbingly close in the methods they use to
achieve them.
Extremist Charedim believe that their refusal to serve in
the IDF is an ideal worth pursuing through extremist means, regardless of the
damage it does or who gets hurt in the process. This is why they see no issue
with violent protests that often cause bodily harm and, at times, even death. Sometimes
to their own protesters. It doesn’t matter. To paraphrase Barry Goldwater: ‘Extremism
in the pursuit of God’s will is no vice’. To them it is instead a virtue.
Extremist Religious Zionists are no better...
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