Puritanism Discussion
Puritanism is interpreted today as a form of political extremism that developed from as a species religious radicalism. Such a type of radical ideology and politics led to moral-religious absolutism (Zaforovsky). The Puritans, with their intolerance of other beliefs, mistreatment of Native Americans and females and severe methods of punishment were not different from al-Qaeda or ISIL, although historical conditions limited the range and consequence of their impact.
Religious ideology that claimed its “pure” nature as the key concept and had the word used to convey the idea of the faith in naming it functioned in the historically and geographically limited space. Its spreading from England and the Netherlands was limited by official restrictions and reached its peak in New England where it had been brought to by those who adhered to this religious teaching. Today, al-Qaeda and ISIL are also striving to portray themselves as fighters for true ideals of Islamic faith. However, these “new adepts” of Islam shock the world with heinous acts of terrorism in different regions.
Similarly to Puritans with their witch trials in Salem, they practice the most atrocious acts of beheading within the territories where their power exercises control over people and social institutions available in the areas. Another similarity is the particularly inhumane methods of punishing innocent people, which are in stark contrast to all and any views of how political or any other opponents can be treated. Such a contradiction made both Puritans’ and al-Qaeda’s or ISIL’s actions nothing else but a form of ignominious barbarism incompatible with any norms of human behavior. Al-Qaeda and ISIL today is a serious warning to humankind and an example of all the detrimental outcomes of religious radicalism and extremism.
Works Cited
Zafirovski, Milan. Radical Puritanism ‘Rediscovered’: Elements and Legacies of Extremism and Anti-Egalitarianism. 2007. N. d. Web. 10 Sept. …
