It's almost impossible to argue with a religious fanatic that thinks if he blows himself up and kills lots of infidels or heretics he'll go to heaven and be awarded 72 virgins. His fate is assured he thinks. God will reward him.
Fortunately though there are a large number of religious fanatics and intolerant "conservative" co-religionists (of all sorts not just Islam) the vast majority of human beings on this planet are fairly tolerant of others and simply want to get on with their lives.
When it comes to politics the same rules apply, even to those who one would think of as rational since many claim to stand for the liberation of mankind from capitalism and ignorance. These people are called socialists or Marxists in the main.
Yet the level of fundamentalist intolerance found in this milieu is shocking. Despite the majority having a supposedly "secular" or non-faith" outlook their view of the world and those they consider infidels is strikingly similar if not the same as the man who thinks he's going to heaven. There can be no deviation, no heresy, no opposition to the religion of "socialism".
Of course there are many socialists, better described as social democrats to be honest who do not adopt this blinkered approach but with the rise of what we still call "Corbynism" the hate and bile spouted by the left-wing brethren matches that of the religious fanatic. Remember socialists love their martyrs as well.
I recall being truly fascinated at the sight of a self proclaimed follower of scientific socialism speaking on a platform with Trotsky's Death Mask in front of him. An icon of the socialist faith. The replacement for Jesus on the cross. Their leader one Gerry Healy lauded as th new a prophet with almost an Mohammedan importance.
Scary.
Whilst this may seem an extreme example one has only to try and discuss or debate politics with the comrades. Whether on-line or in pubic you will find yourself condemned as the pawns of capitalism no matter how innocent your question might seem. The comrades have learned their lessons well from dead Russians no matter which of them they claim to follwo. Trotsky was simply a failed Stalin. His actions were no better just lesser crimes in scale.
The cause is all, the class must be liberated. Individualism is a crime. Freedom an illusion. Dissent simply heresy. Fundamentalism of a simply different kind.
The comrades cannot be reasoned with. The workers have false consciousness. the comrades are the vanguard, the leadership we need who will liberate us from our ignorance in the name of the gods of socialism.
Reason and compromise are enemies of the cause.
The threats to our freedoms remain. Communism, Fascism, Religious Fundamentalism. Do as we say or die. A trilogy of evil.
Only when we learn to discuss calmly, rationally and not suppress that which we do not want to hear can we ever be free.
Well said Howie.
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