On 13 August 1521, Hernando Cortez overthrew the Aztec empire. This led to the speedy demise of Huitzilopochtli, the most important god of the Aztec pantheon.
Huitzilopochtli was the national god of the Aztec as well as their god of war. He demanded human blood. On festival days, victims would have their hearts ripped out, offered to the sun (Huitzilopochtli was also the sun god) and thrown into the fire. The body would be thrown down steep steps of the temple, flayed, carved up and eaten. The skin would be used as a shirt in the religious festivities.
The Aztecs believed that without human sacrifices to their gods, the world might come to an end or that their crops will fail. This belief created a big demand in human sacrifices and kept the Aztec state perpetually at war with its neighbors. Prisoners of war and criminals were constantly needed for sacrifices. Thus their religion is a religion of war because their religious beliefs compel them to wage war.
It is fortunate for the world that Cortez and his Spaniards were not tolerant, multiculturalists and moral relativists. Otherwise, in the name of religious tolerance, the Aztec gods would still be worshiped today. Instead, Cortez ordered their temples to be converted into churches. Those who resisted were dealt with in the familiar 16th century way - they were killed.
If Aztec gods have survived to this day, what would the multiculturalsts say?
I think they might say something like this:
"You may not agree with the quaint Aztec custom of human sacrifice and the wearing of human skins. But we must not judge them. Remember, what seems bad to you is good to others. Instead, let us enjoy mankind's rich tapestry of different cultures and religions. Oh by the way, if you happen to visit Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) on their festival days, be sure to wear a suit of armor. You don't want to lose your skin, er, I mean wallet."
I think that modern Americans should be grateful that the 16th century Spaniards were intolerant people. They were intolerant because they were confident that their culture and religion were superior to that of the Aztecs. Otherwise, modern Americans would be having far more trouble with their illegal Mexican immigrants.
But what of the Europeans whose immigrants come from Muslim lands? I fear that they are out of luck because Allah, like Huitzilopochtli, Thor and Mars, is a god of war - the only god of war still worshiped in the 21st century.
Allah is a god of war because the beliefs associated with his worship encourages its devotees to violence and war. What are these beliefs?
To begin with, Islam has this belief that a warrior, who dies in a jihad to spread or defend Islam, goes straight to heaven and be awarded with 72 Virgins. This is somewhat similar to the religion of the Vikings who believed that brave fallen warriors go to Valkyries and feast forever in Odin's hall.
This belief was firmly planted by Islam's Prophet himself who led a Holy War against his enemies and promised Paradise to fallen warriors. He even encouraged Islam's first suicide warrior. (1)
Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 59, Number 377:
Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah:
On the day of the battle of Uhud, a man came to the Prophet and said, "Can you tell me where I will be if I should get martyred?" The Prophet replied, "In Paradise." The man threw away some dates he was carrying in his hand, and fought till he was martyred .
To encourage jihad, recruiters would quote Koran 9:111:
Verily, Allah has purchased from the believers their selves and their wealth, in return for Heaven being theirs. They fight in the path of Allah and they kill and are killed "
How different are the modern Islamist preachers calling for young Muslims to sacrifice their lives in order to kill infidels from the Aztec priests who performed human sacrifices? They both are calling for the blood of innocents.
Classical Islam has always divided the world into two parts - darul Harb (abode of war) and darul Islam (abode of peace). It is the duty of Muslims to conquer and subjugate darul Harb so that Islam prevails. This idea is still alive today. Ayatollah Khomeini sums it up best:
"Islam makes it incumbent on all adult males, provided they are not disabled and incapacitated, to prepare themselves for the conquest of (other) countries so that the writ of Islam is obeyed in every country in the world.
But those who study Islamic Holy War will understand why Islam wants to conquer the whole world ... Those who know nothing of Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war. Those (who say this) are witless."
These beliefs are what we politely call radical Islamism or Islamism for short. But the truth is that it is also classical Islam practiced since Islam's earliest days. This war-like ideology was developed in Islam's early years based on the teachings and deeds of Prophet Mohammed. Of course, there will always be Islam apologists who say that not all Muslims would agree with this ideology. That is true.
But Muslims regard Prophet Mohammed as the perfect man and role model. In his life-time, Mohammed waged war, killed his enemies and critics. While his behavior was not unusual for a 7th century ruler, he did start a religion. To repudiate his example would be tantamount to rejecting Islam. Therefore, the Islamists have a better argument. That is why it is so hard for moderates to reform Islam and make it more suited for modern times.
This is why about half of the world's conflicts today involves Muslims even though they account for only 25% of the world's population. (2)These conflicts are in Algeria, Kashmir, Aceh, Kalimantan, Maluku Islands, Papua New Guinea, Israel, Lebanon, Nigeria, Philippines, Chechenya, Sudan, Thailand, Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Yemen and a civil war between Hamas and Fatah. Allah is truly a god of war.
It is a pity that the Reformation came one century too early. This provoked a Christian Civil war. Otherwise, the Spanish Reconquista might have permanently reconquered North Africa which the Spaniards claimed as theirs because it had once been ruled by Visigothic kings. Instead of fighting each other in religious wars, European states would have stood a good chance to reconquer the Southern Mediterranean which would have rejoined western civilization as it was originally part of before the Arab conquests. September 11 would not have happened.
Throughout man's recorded history, people have worshiped many different gods of war. These gods go by different names like Huitzilopochtli, Mars and Odin. The ancient Egyptians called him Bast. The Celts called him Segomo and the Slavs worshiped Perun. (3) None of these trouble mankind anymore. Gods of war no longer inspire people to shed human blood. The only exception is Allah.
(1)http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/059.sbt.html#005.059.377
(2)http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/index.html
(3)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_deities
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