Religious Authority and Online Extremism

The RSA in association with the Tony Blair Faith Foundation presents the Faith 2.0 conference.

Religious Authority and the Growth of Online Extremism

How has the internet destabilised traditional structures of authority? Has the internet facilitated the creation of new lines of authority in their place? Who has the power?

With: Rev Canon Robin Morrison, the Bishop's Adviser for Church and Society in Wales; Joshua Fouts, co-author of Carnegie Council Report "Digital Diplomacy: Understanding Islam through Virtual Worlds"; Sheikh Dr Usama Hasan, scientist, lecturer & activist; Gary Bunt, senior lecturer in Islamic studies, the Higher Education Academy, University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

Moderator: Lorne E Dawson, professor of sociology, University of Waterloo.

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[The RSA]

The RSA is an independent, secular organisation which encourages discourse and debate and as a secular organisation does not endorse any particular views put forward.

[M0rganKane]

you cant be an "extreme" christian because christianity itself is extreme. there are only real christians, and weaksauce christians (still better than real christians)

the problem isn't christian and muslim fundamentalists, just the fundamentals of christianity and islam

[lurkio77]

This is a disgrace, the RSA is bombarding us with religious nonsense - what is going on ?

[Ah4b]

You're right. But there is a profound difference in the manner in which critique is met in the different religions. While the mainstream christianity has gotten used to their holy scripture being subject of discussion the islamic mainstream has not and the RSA-kind discourse of intellectuals is encornered by the emotional reactions of devout believers.

The lamentation that we see even in this video, that there is a point about R. Spencers work, is alarming.

[afroschlan]

Now there's an assertion only a "real" prophet could make: We will still have conflict even if religion did not exist.. Can you point to an example?

What has religion got to do with family and friends and dying and someone missing you and people wanting to live and people trying.. All I'm seeing from your is a bunch of incoherent nonsense in a child-like manner.. Pick up yourself.

[afroschlan]

Whether or not science is, on occasion, incorrect, does not validate religion.. science does the exact opposite. What right do we have to expect reasonable, coherent, rational people within our society? Every right. You preach atheism? Are you retarded? It is anti-social, as in anti-society, it demolishes the science of social science (duh) by establishing social rules that are counter-productive and wrong. Amazing buildings do not validate religion (seriously?)!

[haokun12]

How many times have science been wrong? Besides what right do we have to tell others what to believe in? Just like how they preach about religion we preach about atheism. Why does it matter? They can believe in whatever they want. How is it anti-social? MANY believers of religion do not force their beliefs onto others. It is not counter-productive at all...Look at the ancient world. How many amazing building were build because of religious reasons?

[afroschlan]

..and sure they do it while spreading their, false/incorrect, beliefs .. that should summon it up pretty much. Glorifying stupidity is not a virtue, it's counter-productive and anti-social.

[haokun12]

Church groups have done amazing things for the world...and sure they do it while spreading their beliefs. Stop being so closed minded about religion. Why do you think that it cannot be a good thing?

[afroschlan]

How can religion be a good thing?

[haokun12]

I didn't say that I need that to stay motivated I'm staying that some people do. I am not brainwashing the children, What I meant was that religion can be a good thing. Exposing them to religion is not the same thing as shoving it down their throats. We all need something to believe in, something that will keep us going, for some people that is religion.

[MartinWAPerth]

Amen! :)