Islamic influence on popular culture focus of UTA forum

As an American who sometimes ruminates on the role of God in our society, I find the debate over the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools interesting. I can’t separate whether I’m okay with the pledge because it does not violate constitutional separation of church and state or because I believe that it is in fact God’s authority that really provides inalienable rights. If it’s the former, then I don’t really have a problem. However, if it’s the lattter and “one nation under God” is fine with me personally, then I shouldn’t be okay with it as…

CNN is reporting on the desecration – after the murder – of US soldiers in Iraq. The Shi’ah condemn Yazid for his treatment of Imam Husayn in a similar fashion. In the Qur’an the word for hypocrites is munafiq, arguably a worst sin than shirk. For the Shi’ah responsible, damn you to hell. The Sunni base their actions solely on the traditions of the blessed Prophet Muhammad. If any of them dare to say he did such a thing, they are besmirching the name of beloved of God. They are apostates; damn them to hell. To kill in the name…

Even though categorization is a useful tool for analysis, and OBL is definitely a bad guy, I am curious to hear if people have any objections to the use of the term binladendism as described in this article in the Boston Globe by Abdul Cader Asmal.  I’ve heard some convicing arguments against the blanket use of the term Wahhabism and my sense is that binladenism is probably more accurate but flawed in its own ways.