Is violence in the Middle East a result of bad theology, or bad sociology?

Question

Have you noticed that no one burns cars, or parades through the streets holding up signs of martyrs in Michigan?

Who is to blame?

Answer 1

Is violence in the Middle East a result of bad theology, or bad sociology?

Yes.

In the west, our multi-cultural sociology AND our more progressive interpretation of theologies tend to win out.

THAT's why muslims in the more developed western countries can get upset at speeches like the pope's, but their protests are civilized- aimed at real change and public debate through peaceful means.

Still, there's so many hot heads in the world. It's getting really scary.... And I don't scare so easily.

Answer 2

Could not the bad theology be a contributing factor to the bad sociology? Cause and effect, I say.

Phoenix: If it were just America, you might have had something there, but it's not. It's every country that isn't a muslim country, and some that are. There's been violence there since the beginning of recorded history, and the US hasn't gotten involved until what, the last 50 years or so? The US isn't the cause.

Answer 3

Sociology, of course.

Or maybe more correctly, their socio-economic environment.

I believe Michigan has a town with a high density of American Muslims, and yes, they're educated and hold jobs, etc. And yes, they aren't suicide bombing, or rioting.

Michigan is very different from the Middle East, and in this case, religion is the common denominator.

(Edit: Why is anyone with "Grandma" in their name such a bigot?)

Answer 4

Bad politics, especially since the 2nd war.
I blame the English, for the Balfour Declaration.

Answer 5

BAD GEOGRAPHY.

My little giraffe brains is fixated on the geographical desert climate causing violence. I was watching the 'History Channel' last night, and they were teaching about the Sahara / Timbuck Tu. Apparently, 10,000 years ago (when humans evolved to human) the Sahara was not desert but more like the safari to the south. Well, a rotation in the earths axis caused this area to evolve into desert untill our current time. So, of course my imagination is placing this to be "Eden" and when we sined, well, God rotated the earth causing hellish conditions on earth.

It is not limited to Africa/ Middle East. Have you meet people who want to live in Los Vegus Nevada USA? They're crazy. Sure it's a blast to visit ... but who in their right mind would live in, or fight for desert property???

When ppl are in hot tempatures, their tempers rise too.

Answer 6

I think that in that area of the world the two go hand-in-hand. They are both so intertwined you cannot distinguish the one from the other, hence all the problems. There is no separation of church and state and the fools in this country who bring their religion into politics are headed for the same disaster.

Answer 7

Call it bad foreign policy. It's neither a theological or socoligoical issue. It's purely and simply politics and turf. Put the two together in the ME and you've got issues/problems. PEACE!

Answer 8

It is the result of a mix of things but economy (oil) certainly plays is a strong role on that.

Also i think the sociological issues are stronger than the theological ones.

Answer 9

Bad theology: look the Jews say Christians are not God ppl and Christians and Jews say the same thing about Muslims and here you have it

Answer 10

I think its a mix but you need to understand that many if not most people in the middle east are raised to hate the western world. Lets be honest, Islam is similar to all other religions including christianity, its the people who take it one step further.