On my fiftieth birthday my brother gave me this book. Written by Karen Armstrong – a British ex nun, now a journalist and author, Oxford educated. It took me awhile to get around to starting it. Then I plodded through the first half of the book, which is largely historical. Very slowly. The second half is much more interesting. I really started reading quickly when Jim Spears called and asked me to teach.

What is your notion of the meaning of fundamentalism? Generally? (Blocking, tackling, rebounding) As it applies to religion?

While she gives no strict definition, Ms. Armstrong implies that in the context of religion, fundamentalism is a reversion back to earlier, more basic beliefs.

The book follows the rise of fundamentalism in the three great monotheistic faiths – Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. She also calls these the three “confessional�

Sayyid Qutb espoused a similar ideology. He was a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, imprisoned by Nasser for 15 years. He was devoutly religious. As a young man he had a western education, but years in prison made him the father of Sunni fundamentalism. It was Qutb who converted the mythos of Islam into an ideology and plan of action. Very much felt the threat of the modern world against Islam – not only other nations and faiths, but enemies within the faith that attempted to adapt it to the modern world. Qutb looked at history and could see multiple attacks against Islam – Jews, crusaders, Christians, Mongols, Communists, capitalists. Qutb, after his release from prison, was arrested and executed by Nasser as part of action against terrorist cells of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Some topics in this essay:
Remember Muhammad, God God’s, Russian British, Empire Iran, Caesar Caesar’s, Arab Muslim, Muhammad Sunni, Jews Christians, Arabia Egypt, Revolution” Attempted, reza shah, fall edge, mythos logos, lower classes, jews christians, religious faith, modern world, ottoman empire, judaism islam, christianity judaism islam, society sought,