Only a "skull that would never smile again," to quote the great Polish former Marxist philosopher Leszek Kolakowski, in his reference to communism-socialism, could still with a grin on its face argue and support religious fanaticism in the form of Islam, under the 'venerable' name of Marx, that is pregnant with the monster child of Islamofascism.

http://kotzabasis.com

Themistocles

i fail to see where the article argues for support of Islamic fundamentalism.

Indeed for a good pamphlet on the issue from a marxist perspective, read Chris Harman's "the Prophet and the Proletariat".

The article is making the simple point that Marxists support religious freedom.

I support Islamic groups when they want to set up schools and councils reject them, ostensibly on planning grounds. I support Islamic women who want to wear the hijab, just as I support Christians who want to wear crucifixes around their necks or jews who want to wear the yamulka.

None of this is support for suicide bombers. However let me make the point crystal clear. The major terrorists sit in Washington and London and Canberra.

Fundamentalism is a response to Western and Russian imperialism.

The defeat of the Russians in Afghanistan (with US supported bin Laden prominent in the struggle) was a step forward for humanity. Why? Because Russian imperialism was pushed back into its lair for some time and in this particular case the war and resistance contributed to te emagnificent revolutions against Stalinism. (Stalinism, by the way, is not Marxism, but its opposite - state capitalism).

Passy wrote:

(Stalinism, by the way, is not Marxism, but its opposite - state capitalism).
State capitalism is state ownership of economic entities. State capitalism is not the opposite of Marxism.

Somehow Marxists try to claim that Stalin was not a Marxist. It is like Christians claiming Hitler was not a Christian because they don’t like what he did. Jesus was not a Christian, but Hitler was one.

It would be hard to deny that Marx was a Marxist. In the Communist Manifesto Marx put forth 10 points to be implemented in his vision of society. Points 1, 5, 6, 7, and 9 mandate state capitalism.

From the Manifesto:

1. Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes.

5. Centralization of credit in the banks of the state, by means of a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.

6. Centralization of the means of communication and transport in the hands of the state.

7. Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the state; the bringing into cultivation of waste lands, and the improvement of the soil generally in accordance with a common plan.

9. Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual abolition of all the distinction between town and country by a more equable distribution of the populace over the country.

The above points are state capitalism.

Passy,
Like everything in life it's the context that counts. To speak for religious freedom and explicitly include Islam when the latter's doctrines in the present context are interpreted, propagated, and implemented by religious fanatics, not by moderates, is to support indirectly, but just as explicitly, "Islamic fundamentalism".

http://kotzabasis1.com

Religion is opium of the people ?

"I say the media's the cocaine 24 hours of propanganda druggin' my poor brain .....
Pillars of Society (Kev Carmody/Paul Kelly) ..."
www.kevcarmody.com.au/tracks/messages.html

Strangely this excellent song"Pillars of Society" was not covered/redone on the recent compilation of Murrie singer sonwriter Kev Carmody.

Dear David F, Found you again. The only diference Between you and I is the God we chose .I chose the living God .You chose the god of death by your beliefs . The choice has always been Life or Death not Good and evil as you believe . You judge people by the fruit of their life and Hitler did not bare fruit according to life, so he served the god of death . Jesus said come with a child like faith . Simple yet you chose to redicule and complicate his words on faith.