Just Looking ...

From what I understand, it seems that terrorists and new testament Pharisees could be looked at in the same light. “The Pharisees were a very ancient sect among the Jews… They were only distinguished from others by greater strictness of life. For they were zealous of the law in the minutest points; paying tithes of mint, anise, and cummin: And hence they were had in honour of all the people, and generally esteemed the holiest of men” (quote from John Wesley, sermon 25). Similarily, Islamic extremists can be seen as keeping the strict laws of the Qur’an. Yet, to other Islamic brethren, they may not be following the true meaning of Islam. In the New Testament, Jesus voices his problem with the Pharisees: “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone (Luke 11:42). So Jesus is saying that these Pharisees kept the legality of the Old Testament but forgot justice and love. A similar view can be seen of Islamic extremists, keeping one part of the law of the Qur’an and the Hadith, but forgetting about love and justice. In the popular view of terrorists, they are often demonized as beings without any emotions and can be seen as fanatical legalists. Where as the Pharisees themselves are also depicted in the same way since they were the ones that “killed Jesus.” What is interesting to me is that there is an association between terrorists and the Pharisees who so called had Jesus crucified. It could be suggested that having Jesus crucified was an act of terrorism for the sake of what they believed, like Islamic extremist who commit terrorist acts for the sake of what they believe. Any thoughts about this?