The terrorism attacks in Paris are yet another example of just how dangerous Fanaticism Disorder can be. My heart is with all Parisians at this time, and all those outside Paris as well, who have been traumatized by the 11/13/2015 attacks. As part of my own healing from being in the New York area on and after 9/11, I wrote “A Declaration of Global Responsibility.” Its ten integrated psychospiritual principles for responding to all forms of extremism, and the terrorism this so often leads to in today’s world, seem as relevant today as it felt to me back then. Here it is if you’re interested in reading it: www.TheNewIQ.com/dgr
Solidarity among world leaders about the Paris terrorism attacks — like the clips you see in the brief video at http://nyti.ms/1kUXlWX — is of course valuable at this time. However, if world leaders — and/or world citizens — are believing that military intervention ALONE can eliminate terrorism, this would be as deluded as believing that the “war on drugs” can be won. Just as we’re finally waking up to the fact that the drug trade can’t be eliminated by a “war on drugs,” it’s also time to for us to wake up to the fact that the War on Terrorism can’t be won using this tactic either.
Until world political leaders finally turn the bulk of their behind-the-scenes attention — and their public messages — to substantially reducing the root causes that breed Fanaticism Disorder (I describe some of these in my Declaration of Global Responsibility), they will continue to throw trillions of war dollars into a never-ending money pit. And they will continue to have nothing to show for this.
Yes, the socopathically insane ring leaders of Fanaticism Disorder absolutely must be contained as quickly as possible, and by whatever means required. Though not as an act of vengeance nor as an end in itself, but as part of a much more comprehensive strategy (again, refer to my Declaration of Global Responsibility). In addition, woe unto humanity if we continue to insist that an entire religion (in this case Islam) — and therefore all of its adherents — are fundamentally mentally ill. Doing that is fighting Fanaticism Disorder with Fanaticism Disorder.
It’s instead time for leaders and citizens to finally realize that this strategy only fuels more Fanaticism Disorder; it doesn’t reduce it. Those political leaders — and their supporters — who are non-Muslims must instead be willing to free ourselves from our own forms of ideological rightness addiction. Until we do, the strategies citizens advocate and leaders implement to deal with terrorists abusing religion as a shield will only continue to aid the insane in accomplishing their agenda. It will not restore sanity.
The same goes for religious leaders. Just as it falls upon spiritually wise Muslim leaders to teach their flocks that it’s imperative to stop tolerating, justifying or protecting Muslims with Fanaticism Disorder, so too does it fall upon spiritually wise leaders of all other faiths (Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Shinto, and so forth) to teach their flocks the same thing: it is our job to stop justifying, tolerating or protecting those of our own religion who have been perverting our religion through their Fanaticism Disorder.
It is time for political and religious leaders of ALL stripes to finally stop ignoring or downplaying the monumental impact of the psychological dynamics that have been causing culture deterioration. It is time for them to instead start boldly calling these dynamics out into the open, and to start intervening with them in psychologically potent ways. It is time for them to proclaim as a singular voice that without addressing these psychological and cultural dimensions, military force and covert operations by themselves will remain doomed to fail.
Until leaders join together to do this, they will remain part of the problem instead of leading the way toward a sustainable solution. And until citizens start demanding this of them, leaders will remain reluctant to do what needs to be done about these things.
You see, the problem is NOT that cultural psychological factors can’t be altered. They most definitely can be. It’s that we haven’t yet collectively accepted just how vitally important it actually is to address these factors, and how suicidal it is to ignore or downplay them.
I therefore call upon world leaders in both politics and religion to finally replace their empty rhetoric with no-nonsense citizen education about these issues. I call upon them to speak up as one voice to bring THIS message to their own citizens and to the entire world! It’s high time for THIS kind of political and religious backbone.
It pains me deeply that this isn’t yet happening. If you are with me in calling for these changes, I hope you’ll share this post on your Facebook Timeline, LinkedIn and Twitter, and in relevant Facebook or LinkedIn groups that you’re a member of. And if you happen to know anyone who might have the ear of a world leader (or who has the ear of someone who does), I hope you’ll also send them a private message with this information. Thank you.
