By Charles Rein

Rein on All Fronts

 If you're a fan of the time machine trilogy movies, 'Back to the Future' you may have seen the t-shirt with the words: "Marty whatever happens, don't ever go to 2020."

There are a couple of dates, I'd suggest Marty and Doc Brown avoid as well.

If you have a time machine, avoid today April 19 as it's been exactly 30 years since the Waco Siege (if it was a movie, it could portray a story of David Koresh versus the ATF/F.B.I.) Fire engulfed the compound on April 19, 1993, in which 76 Branch Davidians lost their lives.

It's also been 28 years since the Oklahoma City bombing which killed 168 individuals also on the same date.

Like a spiderweb many see these events with exact dates, April 19, as interconnected. There's even the Ruby Ridge standoff event which happened nearly 31 years ago- in 1995-for those not good in math. While not in April, but in August, it was a key influencer to the April 19th Oklahoma City bombing according to a 2018 History Channel article: How Ruby Ridge and Waco Led to the Oklahoma City Bombing.

There's a book along those same lines focusing on answering questions on the extremist mindset. While it's an older book (published in 2003) I personally know many oldies but goodies and I'm not just talking about music.

This book by Jessica Stern, 'TERROR IN THE NAME OF GOD- Why Religious Militants Kill' is one I wish everyone would read.

It's divided like an apple sliced in half. Part one: Grievances, Alienation, Humiliation and then Demographics, History and Territory. Part two is titled: Holy War Organization. It also includes five chapters in part two as well.

If you're one with an inquisitive mind, you may wonder, What are the grievances that lead individuals to join holy war organizations? I'll quote Matthew 7:7 "Seek and you shall find." Some may update that to, "Order on eBay today and receive this book next week."

The author goes on to write, "What is so deeply painful about terrorism, is that our enemies, whom we see as evil, view themselves as saints and martyrs."

We generally hear only the tip of the iceberg on the theme of extremism/terrorism. You may have heard the often repeated phrase that Muslim people can not be friends with a Christian. The real answer is not simplistic and a multi-layered answer. You may also have been told that all Christians are intolerant or too politically or that they're all judgmental. Again real answers vary. Often we hear incorrectly what I call corrupt interpretations or blanket statements which are widely employed to distort the true beliefs and teachings of both. Unless we are willing to look for deeper answers, we are swayed. Our own fears, our biases come into play as do our lack of interactions with "the other." Truthfully how many of us are willing to sit down with an extremist or a terrorist to seek answers?

There's a bumper sticker which states:
Coexist?
With suicide Bombers?
NO THANK YOU.

While humerous, this is too simplistic a message. Our minds should be searching for multi-faceted arguments. So Stern, a Jewish author, does our work for us in order to investigate deeper.

In searching for more serious and practical answers than bumper sticker idiotology, this author reminds us that some recruiters also "offered material and emotional incentives." Providing money to the martyred families is just one real life example in an environment where there is no hope. And "where there is no hope, the people perish." Proverbs 29.

Over a year ago, I reviewed the first half of a different book. I included some experiences put forth by a former 'Islamist' (Islamists are political Islam activists) who was a recruiter for HT- Hizb ut-Tahrir. HT is a fundamentalist political organization whose stated aim is the re-establishment of the Islamic caliphate to implement sharia globally. A former activist of this group, Maajid Nawaz, after leaving their ideology wrote of his experiences in his book, 'Radical.' His words: "the war in Bosnia was crucial to Islamism spread across Europe. It was a similar theme all over: grievance, identity crisis, charismatic recruiters, and compelling narratives."

Nawaz's findings of why people join extremist groups like HT overlap with the Jewish author's findings. Stern interviewed a wide spectrum and personally visited Pakistani Jihad groups. She also spoke with Christian identity adherent members in the USA (apocalyptic sects) who believe they are "now experiencing the tribulations as described in revelation, that America is currently the equivalent of the corrupted and deprived Babylon."

Long story short both groups hold a binary view: on-off, good-bad, hot-cold-simple solution rather than shades of gray view of the world.

As you learn more about various groups, find yourself reading a wide spectrum of books from various perspectives and perhaps even listen to their words, you'll begin to recognize nuances and multiple shades of gray.

Which incidentally is the color, I'd call the Back to the Future DeLorean time machine. So stay safe these next two days.