Socialist/Communist* news site “Worker’s Liberty” gives its two cents on the recent confrontation between Catholic youth and local Pagans at Glastonbury. Writer Sean Matgamna blames the phenomena on what he sees as concessions to violent behavior on the part of some Islamic adherents in the UK.

“This is a highly significant event. Few things are more certain than that religious bigotry, aggression, intolerant militancy, and the urge to confront, subdue, convert or destroy unbelievers, of one religion, will evoke in other religions the self-same bigotry, aggression, intolerant militancy, and the urge to confront – at first defensively perhaps – subdue and overcome infidels, heretics, unbelievers, and other enemies of their faith. It may start with easy targets, such as in this case the “Old Believers” in Druidic paganism. As militancy grows, if they win concessions – the sorts of concession which Islam has won in Britain by confrontation, intimidation, and by threats and acts of violence – then their target widens.”

In brief, Matgamna believes that toleration of any form of religious extremism (in this case Islam in the UK) breeds extremism in rival religions (Christianity). These radicalized adherents then strike out at “easy” targets (the Pagans) to test the waters of their new radical views before striking their rivals (Muslims).

“What is significant is that the witch hunt in Glastonbury it happens against the background of the world wide Islamic upsurge. I repeat: the rampant militancy of political Islam, and the fear of it that has spawned concessions to it, can not fail to stimulate such phenomena. It is not by any means the only cause of the growth of militancy, but it is a key element in it. Religions that seem half-dead and harmless at one point, can nevertheless revive, often in an even more poisonous form.”

Of course the enemy of your enemy isn’t necessarily your friend. These are openly anti-all-religion sorts.

“All religious zealotry, all demands for privilege, for any religion or for all religions, must be opposed and fought. Oppose and fight them all!”

As for Matgamna’s theories, is there a sociologist in the house? Feel free to hold forth in the comments as to if “concessions” (however you define that) for extremism in one faith breeds extremism in neighboring faiths theory holds any water.

* Technically, Matgamna and the “Worker’s Liberty” folks are third camp socialists. According to Wikipedia that means they “aim to support neither capitalism nor Stalinism, by supporting the organized working class as a ‘third camp’.” You learn something new every day!

Tags: Paganism