Posted on 03/04/2008 2:27:49 PM PST by LibWhacker
BAGHDAD — After almost five years of war, many young people in Iraq, exhausted by constant firsthand exposure to the violence of religious extremism, say they have grown disillusioned with religious leaders and skeptical of the faith that they preach.
In two months of interviews with 40 young people in five Iraqi cities, a pattern of disenchantment emerged, in which young Iraqis, both poor and middle class, blamed clerics for the violence and the restrictions that have narrowed their lives.
“I hate Islam and all the clerics because they limit our freedom every day and their instruction became heavy over us,” said Sara, a high school student in Basra. “Most of the girls in my high school hate that Islamic people control the authority because they don’t deserve to be rulers.”
Atheer, a 19-year-old from a poor, heavily Shiite neighborhood in southern Baghdad, said: “The religion men are liars. Young people don’t believe them. Guys my age are not interested in religion anymore.”
The shift in Iraq runs counter to trends of rising religious practice among young people across much of the Middle East, where religion has replaced nationalism as a unifying ideology.
While religious extremists are admired by a number of young people in other parts of the Arab world, Iraq offers a test case of what could happen when extremist theories are applied. Fingers caught in the act of smoking were broken. Long hair was cut and force-fed to its wearer. In that laboratory, disillusionment with Islamic leaders took hold.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The clerics have nothing to fear. Obama will pull the troops out, saving their sorry asses.
they have grown disillusioned with religious leaders and skeptical of the faith that they preach.
The NYT treats this as if it is a bad thing... even though they are so adamant about anti-religion (at least when it comes to Christianity). I think this anti-Islamic development in Iraq is mightily good! Get the folks off Islam and they'll get off the madness.
God (the real one) Bless you Sara. You and your likeminded fellow Iraqis all ought to realize that Islam is Evil.
Ping
Sounds like a breakthrough to me.
The Lord works on the hearts of the people everywhere, even in dark, Islamic repression.
These young people don’t sound as if they will be likely recruits for 72 virgins.
Wow, sounds like good news to me. Perhaps a breakthrough is coming.
I pray their hearts will be opened and they will accept Jesus as their Savior. That’s when true, transformative change can take place.
This is remarkable!
One of the “stretch” goals of the War on Terror was to change the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people...to have them reject terrorism and to accept democracy.
The NYT is proving that the Iraq effort is a COMPLETE success!
Oh certainly they will hate the religious leaders until they move to the U.S.A. and use Islamic doctrine and rules to get their way in the bad old USA as so many followers of CAIR are doing.
Don’t hold your breath about anything big happening in the world of Mosques and downtrodden.
This is why the war will take generations not years. It is near impossible to overcome what is taught the children from birth on up. That’s true of Western schools too where Global Warming will be with most of the kids all their lives even while earth descends into deep Ice Age.
As others have noted, the LORD works in mysterious ways. Perhaps, those that have been listening to the preachers of violence and hate - will realize that it has all been a lie and come to seek rest on the Everlasting Rock...
Prayers for those that are weary and are seeking rest.
“skeptical of the faith”
Thank you, New York Times for putting some truth on your pages.
You’re right. The most radical muzzies are in the WEST, it’s not poverty or lack of education. Hell Bin Laden is a millionaire. a sandbox version of our own radical elite.
Regards
They need a real Savior! Send someone over to help them!
Don't get your hopes up too high. We've been hearing stories like this (about young people disillusioned with Muslim tyranny) from Iran for many years, yet the mullahs cling to power.
This change is not only from exposure to the random brutal violence of radical Islam. It’s also from exposure to the West in the form of our finest young men and women. Our soldiers and Marines.
Give these kids sunglasses and an mp3 player and a chance at a Toyota. Give their young girls status beyond being the possesion of men.
With Iraqs oil riches, and a chance at a better life in the 21st century instead of the 12th, we will win every time.
Regards
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