Schism

Martin Luther (not King Junior) the Monk responsible for the Protestant reformation within the Christian church was a figure that changed the face of European religion forever.

In the 1500s he nailed a set of theses to the door of his church on practices within Christianity that he felt went away from what the religion was supposed to be about.

Just to give you some idea, at this point monks were selling peoples bones under the premise that they were fragments of saints or even Jesus himself at high premiums. They were even seducing young women that they visited and all manner of immoral acts by abusing their position in society.

Martin Luther essentially caused a divide within the Church which would forever be known as the Schism.

I remember one quote from the Pope Leo X (no relation to Malcom X) at the time that this would be a slippery slope should the reform be accepted. That was probably the single most true statement of any Pope there's ever been as you can see walking down any town centre and witnessing the Pentecostal Evangelical Church of Latter day Science or any other of a thousand different cults that have sprang up over the last few decades.

That doesn't detract from the good work it did for the church however. It was a radical shake up of a religion that had started to slip into immorality.

Then I saw this whole storm that Radical Muslim group ISIS were kicking up.

It amazes me the extent of the Muslim religion - it's so vast and broad in it's belief. I know Muslims which are more British than I am despite having lived here my whole life and then you see others taking their religion to the streets with AK47s and Machetes.

I got thinking of how one set of beliefs could still be followed by such polar opposites of people. There are radical thinkers in every aspect of society, but most of us do a good job of putting a clear distinction in place to separate "us" from "them".

In fact none more so than the Christians - hence where the Schism came from.

The Muslim community takes a lot of fire for holding a brotherhood which while somewhat commendable for it's unity contains the kind of scum that they would do very well to distinguish themselves from. Exemplified by statements like "We don't police our own community" which was spoken by an Imam after the identities of members of his congregation were found part of a terrorist plot.

The bonds that tie the community together can only last so long as certain members test it with their radical thinking. When you hear the tales of "forced marriage" aka rape and occupation of towns in Iraq you've got to wonder when a normal Muslim is going to think, enough is enough, I can't consider myself brothers with these people.

I really hope the day comes when a liberal Muslim will walk up to his/her mosque and nail to the door a thesis on the wrongs that he/she can no longer be part of.

It's long overdue and we can then look forward to giving respect to what should be another peaceful, ancient and respectful religion.

~Fraser