ISIS

In the 9th century the Arab Empire spanned much of the world including Spain. The Arabs loved astronomy, mathematics, science and the arts. They were tolerant of other religions. They translated the great Greek texts; and it was the Arabic translations of the texts that entered Europe through Spain and signaled the beginning of the Renaissance.

In the Middle Ages, Christianity waged brutal wars against the infidels, even enlisting children in the Crusades. Now moderate Christians generally represent the voice of their denominations, leaving the fundamentalist Christians in the minority.

In this time of the rise of radical Islam, with moderate Islam seeming almost voiceless, we see some of these historical patterns being played out again. A recent Frontline documentary on PBS showed chilling scenes of ISIS educating its children. As young as 3, children were watching 8 year olds demonstrate how to kill with guns and 13 year olds prepared to heed the call to be a suicide bomber at a moments's notice. It was children being used and brainwashed to carry out the demands of a vengeful God. It was horrifying.

But then I stepped back and thought this. Though it's certainly a different order of magnitude, our children and brainwashed from the earliest age to recognize brands, to be consumers, to want and desire with no thoughtful purpose. Desire becomes a tool of status. We learn to pay to advertise brand identity on our clothing. Having is the goal in life. We are brainwashed to carry out the demands of the god of money.

The cycle is broken if we begin with the children.