The fog of war still swirls around the Orlando shooting, but the murderer of fifty or so people appears to be Islamic, who had attended a homosexual bar, either to "case the joint" or to participate in the bar's social life, or something else.
But once again it begs the question of how Islamic people can so easily be radicalised and commit murder. What is it about the faith of Islam that makes it the most violent and murderous religion upon the planet by a long, long shot?
Reading the Koran provides some clues. We offer a possible explanation. On virtually every page of the Koran the reader is threatened with references to Hell, hellfire, judgment, and curse. Allah is a minatory deity. The key reason to persuade people to believe and follow Islam is to avoid the judgement of Allah for their sins. These precepts are repetitive and pervasive throughout the Koran. Pick any chapter. Here is one chosen at random:
Hell will lie in ambush, a home for the transgressors. There they shall abide long ages; there they shall taste neither refreshment nor any drink, save boiling water and decaying filth: a fitting recompense. [The Tidings]But at the same time there are repeated references to Allah being both compassionate and merciful.
Here is the question: to whom is Allah compassionate and merciful?
To the one who submits to Allah and his prophet. Allah will then look upon the believers good works and repentance and will extend mercy. Every other sin becomes a "little sin". In other words, mercy and forgiveness can be earned by repenting and living a good life. Islam teaches a doctrine of works which earn the favour of Allah.
None of this is surprising--in fact it helps confirm the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel, salvation by the works of the law in the Gospel is impossible for sinners; only unmerited mercy and forgiveness from the Lord Himself can deliver us from eternal judgement. Salvation by works (as in Islam) brings only more guilt and more self-condemnation.
How does this relate to making Islam the most murderous, violent religion on the planet? Conducting jihad and becoming a martyr is seen as the great work, the great achievement which persuades Allah to extend mercy. The average Islamic believer knows that he has failed miserably to be faithful to Allah. He fears hellfire and judgement. What would make up for all his previous unfaithfulness? The supreme act, the supreme sacrifice would impress Allah so much that he will be persuaded to accept the devotee. Thus, violently killing infidels and Unbelievers becomes a way of salvation, a method or work to achieve was otherwise would not be possible.
To reflect for a moment upon the murderous rampage in Orlando, and its perpetrator--did this fellow really hate those he killed? Unlikely. But he was apparently able to objectify them as worthy of death, such that killing them would be seen by Allah as a great and holy work, thereby ensuring his salvation.
We suggest that this is why so many Islamic believers are willing to commit murder in the name of Allah. They know they have been unfaithful to Islam's teaching. They know they are sinful. (The Orlando perpetrator was a homosexual, according to witnesses. He had been in the club many times. He had sought to pick up lovers there. He possibly was a self-loather.) They fear that in Allah's balances they have not been good enough. But one single great act of holiness will suffice to outweigh all their previous infidelities.
It has often been observed that many jihadis appear to have led unholy lives (in Islamic terms) prior to their great act of jihad. They were not particularly devoted Islamic believers. They had lived out many acts of compromise with the hated West, the Great Satan. But, then, suddenly they become jihadis--which contradicts so much of their outward course of life hitherto. But it becomes perfectly understandable if their act of jihad is seen as cancelling out all their prior sins in Allah's eyes.
And that, we suspect, is why Islamic people appear so easily influenced into the life of murder. It is a ways of achieving salvation. It is a way of cancelling out their former sins. It is a way of restitution to impress Allah sufficiently so as to earn his mercy and forgiveness. In this light, it is a perfectly understandable course of action, springing out of the heart of the teachings of the Koran. That is why, we suggest, Islam can recruit so many of its followers to bloodshed and violence.
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