wk9: Irreligion of Religious Extremism

Religious extremism

When a religion promotes coercive or violent measures to make others accept its beliefs or silence criticism.

Characteristic 1 of religious extremism

It uses force, law, or violence to make others accept the religion’s beliefs or practices.

Characteristic 2 of religious extremism

It uses coercion to silence criticism or rational inquiry into its beliefs.

Characteristic 3 of religious extremism

It discourages reason as a way to gain knowledge and replaces it with unquestioned revelation.

What all 3 characteristics share

They all reduce the role of reason and free choice in human life, especially in forming beliefs.

Religious critique of extremism

The argument that true religion values freedom and reason — gifts given by the Creator.

Freedom and reason as divine gifts

These gifts give humans a special place in creation; rejecting them dishonors God.

Franz Jägerstätter’s question

Why would God give humans reason and free will if we must obey blindly without judging good and evil?

Franz Jägerstätter’s critique

Blind obedience rejects the divine purpose of reason and moral judgment.

Proto-Kantian critique of extremism

An early idea (before Kant) that condemns suppressing reason and free thought in religion.

Abu Yusuf Ya’qub Ibn Ishaq Al-Kindi (800–870 CE)

Early Islamic philosopher who defended the pursuit of truth through reason, no matter its source.

Al-Kindi on truth

“We should seek truth wherever it comes from, even from nations different from us.”

Al-Kindi on corrupt religious leaders

He criticizes leaders who block reason to protect their own status and power.

Al-Kindi’s accusation against extremists

They use religion for personal gain — to secure office, honor, or wealth.

Al-Farabi’s account of virtuous leadership

The good religious leader aims to help people reach true happiness (eudaemonia) through developing their rational nature.

Al-Farabi on vicious leadership

The corrupt leader seeks pleasure, glory, or power, using followers as mere tools for personal success.

Al-Farabi’s and Al-Kindi’s shared charge

They accuse extremists of turning religion into a commodity — something used for profit and power.

Commodification of religion

When religious leaders “traffic” in religion, using it as a tool to achieve private goals like wealth or control.

Connection to Kant’s ethics

Their critique anticipates Kant’s idea that people must be treated as ends in themselves, not as means to an end.

Kant’s Formula of Humanity

“Act so that you treat humanity, whether in yourself or others, never merely as a means to an end, but always as an end.”

Intrinsic worth of persons

People deserve respect because they are rational and autonomous beings, not tools for others’ goals.

Commodifying love relationships

Using someone’s romantic or spiritual love for selfish ends violates their freedom and dignity.

Respect and love relationships

To respect others as rational beings, we must also respect the deep relationships they freely choose — especially love and faith.

The irreligion of extremism

Extremist leaders betray true religion by denying reason and exploiting faith for personal gain.

Two ways extremists violate religion

(1) They dishonor reason — a divine gift. (2) They use people’s faith as a tool for selfish ambition.

True religion according to this critique

Honors reason, free will, and genuine love of God — not fear, control, or manipulation.