Angry religious zealots are not just nutty and narrow-minded. They are dangerously deluded. That’s the lesson of Christiane Amanpour’s three-part takedown on CNN, God’s Warriors, of the trio of radical fringes — Jewish, Muslim and Christian. She’s more respectful than that, of course. But viewers may conclude that fundamentalist extremists are a scary lot and not a little crazy. Whether they’re fighting over the Dome of the Rock or legislation regarding school prayer, they share the notion that modern life has gotten off track. American popular culture, of course, is the biggest demon. But whether it’s Britney Spears music videos or Harry Potter magic poisoning the minds of our young, the extreme believers want secular society unplugged and their idea of a perfect religion-based life restored in its place. Amanpour, CNN’s chief international correspondent, knows she won’t win friends with this documentary. “I’m already a target,” she said, shrugging off the potential danger. The result of eight months of reporting, God’s Warriors subject is the not-for-cocktail-party intersection of politics and religion. “Whether it’s Islam, Judaism or Christianity,” Amanpour said, what marks the truest believers is “not just the disappointment with the secular world but also a deep belief that they have a transcendent and unique line to God”. She counts the “clash of civilizations” as the key issue of our age, along with the environment. And she leads the discussion with a disarming first-person narration. Only a small minority of the fundamentalist faithful believe violence is the correct path, the documentary is careful to note. Most preach nonviolence. That will be a sticking point for observers who will note the bombings, assassinations and attempts at martyrdom of radical Islamists are unlike the other religious beliefs. There are extremists and then there are extremists. Amanpour’s documentary is careful not to equate the three movements in the three two-hour films. In addition to radicalised members of each faith, Amanpour interviewed former President Jimmy Carter; the Rev. Jerry Falwell (his last); Noa Rothman, granddaughter of Israeli premier Yitzak Rabin; and Kamal el-Said Habib, a reformed Islamic jihadist who was part of a militant group that assassinated Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. In the end, Amanpour isn’t as frightened as some members of her audience may be after sitting through the series. She told critics she takes heart in knowing that some sort of democracy increasingly is taking root around the world: “The numbers of people who reject extremism, who reject al-Qaedaism, who reject violence, is. heartening.” These extremists and head cases should not be ignored, she concludes on camera; they should be explained.-Joanne Ostrow(NYT)
