Boko Haram - have you heard of them?
This is a releatively young terrorist organization who operate under an islamic banner. The meaning of their name translates roughly into "Western Education is sinful". Once again their religious fanaticism affects those who are young and often, as of late, female.
The group is believed to have kidnapped some 200 teenage girls and sold them into slavery. I'm always amazed that organizations such as these will committ acts that would be considered despicable by 99% of living adults and justify these actions against a sin (education) that 99% of people would not view as sinful.
Fighting against theocracy is important and will continue to grow in importance in years to come. I have to shake my head at the fact that this group is against an education that the leaders themselves have probably never received and would know very little about. It is similar to catholic priests teaching the poor and ignorant about prohibitions on sex and birth control - when they themselves are virgins.
The preachments of Boko Haram; anti-education, sharia and islamic fundamentalism forced on the populus is an attack on freedeom and other innate rights that we possess. The government and army of Nigeria have the job to protect their citizens against attacks that will collide with their freedom. And the rest of us have the job to educate all that we can around the world about the dangers of theocracy. You need to remember in past ages how governments and churches worked against truth and wisdom when they felt they had god on their side and the right to dole out judgement against those who disagreed. Little has changed on the other side of the world- where women and children and even men are under the thumbs of those who apply their beliefs on others and feel justified by the almighty.
There is no need to extend any form of respect for their religious beliefs. As always, they should be free to believe whatever they want, unhindered in the privacy of their homes, so long as they leave us alone.
