Rating: 
Summary: Armstrong brilliantly Navigates Fundamentalism Today
Review: Battle for God (Armstrong)The Battle for God makes the reader aware that "Fundamentalism" is strong today. Man's search for meaning has increased the need for fundamentalism. Armstrong interweaves philosophical, religious, and historical dialogues centered on Judism, Islam, and Christianty. Two great forces emerge within the context of her book: secular humanism and fundamentalism. These two forces are at odds with each other. The end results are often violent and bloody with extreme voids separating the belief systems of each group. With literal thousands of historical events chronologically tracing the emergence of fundamentalism through the world this work becomes an elaborate tapestry of the idealogical, social, and political forces forming society in North America, Israel, Europe, and Iran. Armstrong starts her discussion with the battle in Europe. The industrial revolution represented the continuation of the rennaisance enlightment movement where man valued logos. Enlightened thinkers valued mathematics, logic, reason, and science considering such a reference would reduce violence, poverty, and oppression throughout the world. However, the fundamentalist did not concur with the enlightened thinkers for they saw great immorality, suffering, and corruption within the context of secularism. Armstrong takes the reader into the Apolytic fear, weapons of destruction, and death wish associated in early European thought. The fundamentalist context of thought needed to fit the problems of the time. Dilemmas over how mythos should be applied to provide meaning provided fantasy and visions of emmense power for all three fundamentalist groups, specifically: protestant conversatism movements to restore morality in politics offset with premillenial groups at odds with conversative institutional dogma, The rise of secularism was suppose to replace mythology. Defenders of genisis were forced to admit the earth was not created in 6000 years. Yet the influence of Bible increased in strength. Human secularism with the constitutional interpretation forcing separation of religion and government did not decrease the fight for morality. Armstrong traces the successful penetration of Christan media and massive public support for individuals like Farwell, Baker, and others. Secularism legalized or morphed social values allowing positive acceptance of abortion, sexual preference, and no prayer in schools. Incredible forces mounted to reverse these distrubing trends focusing endorsing conservative political groups to stop or reverse these trends. Judaic fundamentalism would focus on redemption of their people. The gheto and holocast betrayed secularism and they realized Judism could not be abandoned. Messaic deliverance rather than law only combined with homeland redemption and disporia to build the kingdom of God. One of the most interesting studies Armstrong makes focuses around Israel struggle for redemption and the rise of false Messah's. The struggle suggests variation in end goal approaches. One Judaic group believing they must suffered patiently their diasporia and not detract from the Messah ability to redeem. In other words the land of Israel itself could not offer redemption. While, another Judiac group believing the land of Israel was necessary for the redemption of the world. First, world redemption could not be possible if the people of Judah were redeem. This redemption required a homeland considering the historical dangers associated with a people with a land. The return to Israel was viewed with a Euporic atmosphere. Judaism consider the study of the Torah essential even to the extent if study ceased the universe would collaspe. The Israeli Defense Force (IFD) and yeshiva harmonized and considered each role essential to the survival of Israel. The IFD became a divine army restoring the land rights, protection of the people, and sovereign. Islamic fundamentalism desired to cultivate a people worthy of God. Economic, political, or social realities became transparent in comparison to strict adherence to Islamic moral idealogy. Extreme adherence and defense of this beliefs increase militant response to defend these beliefs. Islam taught to treat prisoners as humans, yet the 1984 hostages did not receive correct Islamic treatment. Islam accepted mathematics, architecture, and science. Islamic experienced as Rennaise of thought unequalled. Yet within such progress militant group would feel threatened. Armstrong concludes at the heart of fundamentalism is fear. Fear seeks to eliminate the sources of those fears. Armstrong continues case for the rise of fundamentalism with the come to power of Khomeini and the over throw of the Sah of Iran. Khomeini's rise to power reflect the overthrow of secularism and the general underestimation of the forces which fundamentalism can foster. Interestly, within Halberstam's book entitled "Children" the reader begins to feel and understand how the belief system of Islam fundamentalism can generate social forces capable of forcing change. Armstrong leaves the reader with some thoughts about whether secularism has defeated fundamentalism.
Rating: 
Summary: Thank You for the History of Fundamentalism
Review: Armstrong is a very good writer and I really enjoyed reading this book. My feeling is that it had excellent historical information and background. The reason I give it four and not five stars is because I don't think Armstrong has gone far enough in studying the beliefs of the fundamentalists and the religions that they are perversions of.
As a non-fundamentalist Christian, I would like to say that her opinion that there is a 'mythos' and a 'logos' in religion (like a physical and a spiritual element) that must at all costs remain separate could be disputed on serious grounds. But this is my own affair.
I think it would have greatly improved her stance if she had studied what western theists believe about the universe and the nature of man in relation to God. Then perhaps she could have seen that the very claims that the fundamentalists make about their beliefs are self-refuting, one large contradiction. This would have greatly strengthened her argument, in my opinion.
So, again, her study of history is excellent. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand fundamentalism in its political and historical context.
Rating:
Summary: Really enjoyed this look at fundamentalism
Review: Armstrong delivers her theme and sticks to it: Referring to mythos as the mystery, the mysticism of religion, and logos as rationality, she writes, "Fundamentalists have turned the mythos of their religion into logos, either by insisting that their dogmas are scientifically true, or by transforming their complex mythology into a streamlined ideology" (p. 366). Fundamentalist Christians are guilty of the former; fundamentalist Jews and Muslums are guilty of the latter. But Armstrong doesn't point fingers at these fundamentalists and say, "Bad, bad people!" Rather, she looks at the struggles each of the societies she writes about undergoes to modernize, and how each religion adapted, in some people, by turning to fundamentalism. She astutely points out the secularists don't have all the answers, either; all logos and no mythos makes Jack and Jill disillusioned children. Which, of course, leaves them open to fundamentalism, rather than a more balanced approach that leaves reason to reason and mystery to mystery.
Overall, this is a well-researched and well-balanced book. I especially enjoyed the history of Iran leading up to the Iran hostage crisis (which itself gets little ink, as though it were anti-climatic; apparently it turned out to be a much greater venture than the students who took the hostages bargained for!). Some fundamentalists, especially fundamentalist Christians might not like the way they get portrayed; the televangelist scandals of the late 1980s are told a little tongue in cheek. But reading this might help people understand where fundamentalists -- and liberals -- are coming from, and perhaps find ways to bridge the gaps.
Rating:
Summary: An exceptional writer...
Review: Karen Armstrong is one of the best authors I've found in a 2 year, 30+ books study of fundamentalist Christianity. She has the taut lyricism of a poet and the ability to cover multiple topics without missing a beat. The book has a journalistic feel to it; read in short excerpts it could easily rival the best writing in the New York Times. I enjoyed this book without loving it. The three-in-one approach, alternating examinations of each of the desert religions, is skillful, but I found it distracting. Just when I was involved in one religion, the focus would shift to another, and I would find myself skipping around to see what came next. It might have been better to separate them out. But, that quibble is minor. Armstrong is highly intelligent and lucid writer. I look forward to her other books.
Rating: 
Summary: Not for a casual reader!
Review: No doubt about the research and effot put in this book, it has a lot of information about the fundamentalism in world's three prominent religions and a lot of hard facts on them. But definitely this book is not suited for a casual reader as the amount of data presented completely fails to keep the interest of a casual reader alive. I would recommend this book only to a serious reader interested in data and hard facts rather than their treatment or analysis.
Rating:
Summary: The Defeat of Religion
Review: This is an excellent work by one of the most dispassionate observers of monotheistic religions in the world today. Where "A History of God" was just that, this is a similar history of the Fundamentalist struggle against Modernism. Following the history of fundamentalism in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam from the seminal events of the modern world to the end of the 20th century, she brings their remarkably similar stories to the same end: religious ideologies grounded in paranoia, based on narrow and sometimes novel interpretations of scripture, and made manifest through political activism and hatred. Religious values are perverted by paranoia and fear, the sublime and beautiful are twisted into something ugly and distorted, and the sacred qualities of these religions are made corrupt. She describes this as the defeat of religion. She is most sympathetic to the Islamists because of their history of colonial occupation and exploitation by the West, and least sympathetic to the Jewish Fundamentalists. She makes a very good case for both these positions, but don't get me wrong, she does not make these judgements herself, she lets the facts speak for themselves. The only reason I did not give her five stars is that her discussion of Christian Fundamentalism is less energetic than the discussions of Islam and Judaism. It is as if she feels Christian Fundamentalism has been brought to heel by the modern world and does not pose a threat. The thing that struck me the most is how much people like Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, the Ayatollah Khomeini, and Meir Kahane all have in common: an inability to come to terms with the world in which they live.
Rating:
Summary: "This is an age of enlightenment but not an enlightened age"
Review: I truly worship Karen Armstrong, not with a smoky little shrine, but as a crystal intellect. She writes about understanding the concept of causality in primitive religions, (Christian, Islam, and Judaism) with remarkable clarity, sympathy and explanation. The retention of ancient beliefs and customs in the face of overwhelming evidence that they are myths, and that a majority of Americans believe in Angels and Miracles, yet also believe that the laws of physics are immutable, all combine to form the basis of the religious superstition that blew down the World Trade Centers. It is indeed a struggle to ennunciate the commonalities of such a convoluted web of irrationality and cognitive dissonance. But she does without offense. She writes well with astounding scholarship. I sense that she, like Demokritus, believe "that all things occur by chance or necessity".
Rating:
Summary: A little hard on some of us religious folk, but good
Review: It is interesting the way Karen Armstrong takes us through the various stages and roles that God has played in our lives throughout the ages. Each evolutionary period seemed to bring out a new definition of God, it is as though we created Him to suit our needs as our needs changed. And perhaps we did indeed. For those hard core religious folks, it brings to mind unsettling questions about God. If God is so changeable, if humans can make Him what they wish at any given time in history, then couldn't He just be what we create and not vice-versa? A definitively thought provoking book that will challenge even the basis of creation, but will just as easily bring you to a new and honorable state of mind about the One whose word we listen to. For non-believers, I think this book strengthens their case, and makes it look as though God has always been whatever we choose Him to be, yet Karen Armstrong does an excellent job of walking the very fine line between believers and non-believers. This is a true historical gem. Unfortunately, there are many times the words get lost because the focus grows dim. This is the case when Karen Armstrong tries to cram way too much history in one chapter. I think it should have maybe been a series, or two books, because too much information can be as bad as too little information at times.
Rating:
Summary: More Important Than Ever!
Review: One issue that 9-11 should have brought more to the forefront is the role that religious fundamentalists play in the affairs of many countries; from that Taliban to Americas own "Religious Right", fundamentalism is a force in much of our current strife. This books looks at how fundamentalism evoloved and how many times it is a denial of the same principles that the fundamentalists are allegedly protecting!
Rating:
Summary: Not bad
Review: Not a bad book,but its section on Islamic fundamentalism is obsolete now because of the recent events in the world.Jewish and christian fundamentalism sections are well presented.Basically the book compares the fundamentalist movements in all 3 religions and tells the reader about how people kill in the name of their own God because they think it is right.
|
