Many on the left believe there is no such thing as evil. Or, if they do believe in the concept, they see it in secular terms, meaning some people or groups think outside the lines of accepted behavior. These humanists adhere to the philosophy of moral relativism and situational ethics which advances the idea evil is in the mind of the beholder. In other words, what may be evil to one individual may not be evil to another. Also, many on the left believe certain situations demand certain actions and those actions are justified. Hence, the phrase, "The ends justify the means."
Most historians agree western civilization adheres to the Judeo-Christian ethos. This means evil is something that's very real. It can influence men, it can impact the way men think. Evil is a palpable force, rooted in malevolence, bent upon the destruction of mankind.
Some who have experienced real evil agree with those who think of the concept in theological terms. For example, people have felt the presence of real evil in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany and the killing fields of Cambodia. Individuals have also encountered evil on a one on one basis, like those who have survived encounters with serial killers. Survivors of such events tell stories that cannot be supported by the notion that evil is a subjective term. They have seen its effects up close and personal. They have looked the devil in the eye and know of his reality.
If one believes this interpretation of evil is true, we can look upon history from a different perspective. Hitler believed the Jews were at the root of the world's problems and they caused Germany's disgrace at the end of World War I. Hitler also believed Jews had to be eliminated from Europe, in order for Germany and the European continent to prosper and take its rightful place upon the world stage. There are those who see the Nazis' mission in more religious terms. The Jews were God's chosen people, according to the Old Testament. If Hitler was truly evil and represented the devil incarnate, as I and many others believe, wiping out the Jews would have certainly been one of his priorities. In fact, during some of the most important battles of World War II, Hitler often diverted material and troops away from the military, in order to carry out what he saw as "The Final Solution" which was the total annihilation of the Jewish race. This mission took precedent over world conquest, in Hitler's warped mind. Subsequently, one could say his mission was driven by evil to the point beyond human reason. It was driven by evil beyond the reasoning of the people who surrounded him as well. Indeed, those who were there at the time say Hitler had a charismatic aura that could not be described in human terms. Yet if his plans were irrational and counterproductive to the welfare of the state, why did many continue to follow this madman until his--and their--demise? They followed Hitler to the death of their nation as well.
The same analogy can be drawn today between Hitler's warped goals and the agenda of radical Islam. Political correctness continually tells the world, Islamic extremists represent a small fraction of those who practice that faith. Yet with every terrorist bombing and after every beheading of an innocent individual, this rationalization is beginning to lose its credibility with many the world over. Of course, this is not to say every believer in Islam agrees with the agenda of Islamic extremists. Also, it must be said members of all faiths can come under dark influences, history has told that story very well. However, some on the left say terrorists are justified in the killing of innocent people. They call them "freedom fighters" and compare them with America's Founding Fathers. Radical thinkers, like Ward Churchill, a professor at the University of Colorado, claim the victims on 9/11 deserved their fate. In fact, Churchill referred to those killed in the World Trade Center as "little Eichmann's" whose deaths were, in a way, justified because of America's international policies. Adolf Eichmann was the architect of Hitler's "Final Solution" regarding the extermination of the Jews.
But, like Hitler, radical Islam seems to share the same goal: The destruction of the Jewish race. Islamic fanatics will tell you they simply want a Palestinian state, but at the same time, many proudly proclaim their goal is the destruction of Israel and its people.
In many terrorist incidents perpetrated by radical Islam, Jews have been singled out for attack. From the terrorist assault during the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany, to the case of the Achile Lauro pleasure cruise in 1985 where 69 year-old wheel-chair bound Leon Klinghoffer was cast into the sea, Jews were actively pursued and murdered. In no way could this have led to the creation of a Palestinian state. These actions were evil. They were not the acts of "freedom fighters" or revolutionaries. These men had one goal and that was to kill as many Jews as possible.
The similarities between Hitler fascism and radical Islam cannot be denied. Political correctness cannot obscure it. Multiculturalism cannot deny it. Nationalist fervor cannot justify it. Since Hagar and Ishmael were cast out by Abraham, as related in an Old Testament story, the enmity towards the Jewish people from the Arab race has been palpable. Certainly those of the Islamic faith have not been the only perpetrators of evil against the Jews. As previously stated, evil can and does find its way into all races and faiths. But when there is a unified effort to destroy those who some believe are God's chosen people, the concept of good vs. evil cannot be dismissed as religious superstition.
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