The Lack Of Any Causal Chain

I argued, if in an estoeric way, that too much Muslim analysis breaks down into a simplistic causal chain, where Muslims are only ever reacting to what America, the West, etc. does. As if Muslims have no desires, aims, methods, goals of their own — as if the Americans et al. are not susceptible to ‘reaction’ too.

On the other side of this “debate” are people who think like this:

“Why are there terrorists who are Muslims?”

“Because they’re evil!”

Does this help anymore than bad analysis by Muslims? These peolpe view Muslim actions in some sort of vaccum. Often this other universe Muslims inhabit contains them just them and their religious texts, especially the Qur’an:

Why are there terrorists who are Muslims?”

“Because they’re religion is evil and their Holy Book says so!”

Both views are nonsense.