Tuesday, February 17, 2009

American Islam


David Frum has a new post up about Mormonism, which strikes me as being essentially an American form of Islam, some of the strengths and vulnerabilities of the Islamic version of Islam. Theologically, both are founded on kooky precepts which nobody really believes. But both are sustained by as a means to support communities of their believers. Fortunately for Mormons, America has never been the site of Hobbsean war of all against all. Therefore the tribal violence of Mormons and against Mormons has gone away, leaving just good stuff, communitarianism, strong families, etc., to continue in its wake.

Btw, the apparent point of Frum's post is to rehabilitate the hypothetical Presidential candidacies of Mitt Romney and Jon Hunstman. I don't think that'll work. Eventually somebody has to take the theological kookiness of Mormonism seriously, and GOP base voters will if nobody else does.

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