Counter Cosmopolitans

• Definition: Individuals who believe in human dignity across national boundaries, transcending local allegiances and loyalties.

• Beliefs:

  • Universal Justice: They resist local allegiances and are willing to fight against any nation obstructing universal justice.

  • Globalism: They utilize the internet to communicate and spread their beliefs across diverse cultures and languages.

  • Opposition: They oppose crass consumerism and the influence of narrow nationalism.

  • Faith: Their conception of faith is simple, clear, and direct, which leads them to reject traditional religious authorities and beliefs that they perceive as obscurantism.

The Ummah

• Definition: A global community of believers that the counter cosmopolitans aim to build, rooted in a vision of universal faith.

• Characteristics:

  • Open to anyone sharing their vision of faith, mainly referring to a young demographic of global Muslim fundamentalists.

  • Division between faithful and infidels that differs from broader understandings of Muslim identity, where self-identifying Muslims may not be regarded as part of the true Ummah.

  • Al Qaeda Connection: Many among these individuals may be potential recruits for organizations like Al Qaeda.

The Critique of Established Islam

• Separation from Culture: The new globalists perceive traditional Islamic cultures as having compromised the pure message of Islam.

• Olivier Roy's Perspective:

  • Globalized Islam: Islam has always been universal, but has historically become embedded within specific cultures after the Prophet Muhammad.

  • Past versus Present: Contemporary globalization allows for the separation of Islam from these cultural contexts and offers a model that transcends cultural boundaries.

Similarities with Christian Fundamentalism

• Rejection of Authorities:

  • Similar to Christian fundamentalists, who challenge the interference of churches and scholars and uphold the direct interpretation of their sacred texts.

• Language Use: Many neo-fundamentalist Muslims communicate in English due to their upbringing in Western nations where Arabic is not dominant.

The Dynamics of Identity and Minority Status

• Context of Minorities:

  • Acknowledge the distinction of living as a Muslim in predominantly non-Muslim countries. Examples include children of immigrants from Algeria in France and Pakistan in England.

• Focus on Faith:

  • Islamic practices like prayer, fasting, and charity are emphasized, overshadowing traditional practices tied to specific national identities.

• Cultural Rejection: Neo-fundamentalists often reject ancestral cultural ties to emphasize pure religious practice.

Attitudes Toward Violence and Terrorism

• Distinction from Radicalism:

  • Majority of neo-fundamentalists do not support violence or terrorism, contrasting with radical neo-fundamentalists like Osama bin Laden.

• Political Decisions: The endorsement of violence is viewed as a political choice, not necessarily a religious obligation.

• Jihad Reinterpretation: There has been a shift from violent endeavors toward a focus on Dawah (preaching) as a means to recruit and convert.

Historical Context of Religious Warfare

• Universalism and Its Risks:

  • The concept of a universal faith can lead to violence, as evidenced by religious wars in Europe.

  • Example events:

  • French Wars of Religion, Thirty Years' War, and the English Civil War highlighted the disastrous consequences of dogmatic universal beliefs.

Contemporary Christian Perspectives

• Tensions Within Christianity:

  • Some Christians maintain exclusivist views that non-Christians face eternal damnation, leading to friction based on differing religious beliefs.

  • There exists a small subset advocating for a more Christian national identity in government policy.

• Christian Terrorism:

  • Notable acts of violence have been committed by individuals like Eric Rudolph, linking some violent acts to Christian extremism.

Comparison of Religious Extremism

• Terrorism Dynamics:

  • Contrast between Islamic counter cosmopolitan figures like Osama bin Laden and Christian individuals like Timothy McVeigh highlights different motivations and forms of extremism.

• Perception of Threat:

  • While some Christians do not equate Islam with a threat, many Muslims perceive a continuous Western crusade against them.

Ethics of Universalism

• Moral Obligations:

  • Cosmopolitans emphasize obligations toward all humanity and the necessity of intervention against serious injustices.

  • Tolerance requires defining the intolerable within moral discussions.

Philosophical Considerations of Cosmopolitanism

• Pluralism:

  • Cosmopolitanism accepts the coexistence of multiple values, whilst counter cosmopolitanism seeks homogeneity under a singular belief.

• Foundationalism:

  • Cosmopolitans operate under a notion of provisional knowledge, acknowledging the limits of their understanding of truth.