FANATICISM AND THE AVERAGE NIGERIAN

http://www.businessinsider.com/bomb-attack-on-un-building-in-nigeria-2011-8

Fanaticism consists of redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim.
George Santayana

Fanaticism is overcompensation for doubt
Robert Davies


From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step.
Denis Diderot


The mistake we make is to attribute to religions the errors and fanaticism of human beings.
Tahar Ben Jelloun


In morals what begins in fear usually ends in wickedness; in religion what begins in fear usually ends in fanaticism. Fear, either as a principle or a motive, is the beginning of all evil.
Anna Jameson



The average Nigerian, by nature, is not fanatic, except, of course, when it comes to football. The real football, I mean. This is why all the recent bombings and Jihad killings are still so hard for me to comprehend. The Nigeria that I remember is the country of fun-loving yet hard-working people who had time to eat and laugh together at the end of a hectic day; the gathering together for birthdays, weddings, funerals, graduations and any excuse for food, music and lots of loud talking. Christians and Moslems alike celebrated all the national and religious holidays together. Imams and pastors sharing a fence and watching their children play together. That Nigeria is gone, I guess, at least in most parts of Northern Nigeria. The fanatics are taking over and we are watching.

I hear Boko Haram is supported by Al Qaeda. What the fanatics are too obtuse to realize is that Al Qaeda is determined to add as many countries as it can to the “black list” that it already belongs to. It makes it easier to cultivate a false sense of kinship with other blacklisted countries – “We are all in this together. The Western World hates us, let’s band together and get back at them.” The egregiously zealous dolts also did not pause to consider the effects their actions will have on their fellow countrymen and the country’s already blemished reputation. Do we really want to add “terrorist” to the list of unsatisfactory adjectives used to describe our country?

Al Qaeda has nothing to do with religion and everything to do control, mind control, which ultimately leads to power, tons of it. The average Nigerian is strong-willed and not easily conned, skeptical, even. That is why I’m a little alarmed that so many of them are falling for this sham. Even in religion, as with most things, you are allowed to test and consider the message / messenger. I’m not a student of Maimonides’ teachings but I agree with his approach to proving who is a true prophet. It is so basic, yet effective. Kenneth Seeskin said it best, “Maimonides’ approach is so basic that it is novel: Question the messenger. Raise the credibility bar. Ask yourself if the message makes sense and if it is in harmony with moral absolutes.”

It is clear to me that the persons happily bombing away in Nigeria are below-average Nigerians (I hope there aren’t that many), have fallen prey to false prophets, or both. How do we stop fanaticism from taking root in Nigeria? I don’t know and we won’t know until we stop wringing our hands and offering condolences every time something like this happens. The Nigerian Government needs to find out where Boko Haram is getting all the aid and motivation from, and it needs to cut if off from its roots. Swifly. It needs to ask for help from its citizens, from other countries and international agencies. Sending soldiers into random towns to kill and maim innocent people will not resolve the issue.