Another case of much ado about nothing
Magic River
Many years ago I met a Sufi master whose profound understanding of Islam truly impressed me.
But before I continue with this story, let me state that almost all the Muslims with whom I have had close friendships have either been Sufis – or were gravitating towards a mystical interpretation of Islam. The mystical approach is experiential and private; whereas ritualistic religion is regulated by public behavior and therefore tends to be tribalistic in nature.
I find it impossible to have an intelligent conversation with fundamentalists of any persuasion – whether Muslim, Christian or whatever. This is because fundamentalism is antagonistic to intelligence. Wherever violence erupts over religious differences, fundamentalism is invariably the root cause. Brawn and brute force override brain and heart when independent thinking is suppressed.
