TERRORISM — MEANINGFUL OR MEANINGFULLY TOXIC?

Last week I was in China and after presenting the Self-Actualization Quadrants and the Hierarchy of Needs during Meta-Coach Training, several people asked me about the “meaningfulness” that the Terrorists must get from their activities.

“Are they not at a high level of self-actualization?” “They have lots of meanings, it is meaningful to them, and they are performing to live out their beliefs. Isn’t that self-actualization?”

I answered with a short and definitive answer, “No!!” Well, as you can imagine, that created a lot of conversation! They wanted to know, “Why not?” “What is the distinction that would prevent us from explaining it in that way?” Simple. A thing can be “meaningful” and still be very sick! Someone can give toxic meanings to something which will thereby create toxic responses. Maslow explained this in terms of “neurosis” or human pathology. He ought to know, he wrote a book on Abnormal Psychology. This also explains the structure of human addictions. Yes a person can give lots and lots of meanings to something as the Islamic Terrorists do which, in turn, drives them to behead infidels, go to war, strap on suicide vests, become mass murderers, etc. But that does not by any stretch of the imagination mean that they are self-actualizing.

Lots of meanings, and even “meaningfulness,” does not guarantee the correctness of their thinking, healthfulness, or being a “spiritual” person. To determine these things we have to step back (go meta) and reflect on the quality of the meanings that are being created.

Does this reflect the best of human health and well-being? Does this promote love, compassion, care, joy, serenity, justice, appreciation, etc.? Does this improve the quality of relationships between people? Does this help us resolve conflicts and find ways to understand each other?

In the Neuro-Semantic perspective this is the quality control question that looks at the ecology of the meanings, the effects it has on relationships, health, conflict resolution, healthy negotiations, etc.

Is it realistic? Is it reality-oriented? Is it correct according to psychology or to theology?

The Nazis did the same. They gave lots and lots of meanings to the ideology that Hitler promoted in his book, Mein Kamp. For many of them, it was “meaningful.” It was also sick. It was sick to the point of being toxic, dehumanizing, and destructive. It brought about World War II. Similarly, the misuse of Islam today by the fanatics and their ideology has brought about what will eventually be recognized as World War III. After all, look at all the countries being attacked by these people. In just the past two weeks— the terrorist war showed up in six countries that got international news attention.

The bad news is—World War III is already upon us.

World War III? In just two weeks there have been hundreds of murders in Orlando, Istanbul, Bangladesh, Baghdad, and other places as they have killed so many innocent children and civilians. The Radical Islamic Terrorists are certainly not “contained” in spite of what President Obama proclamation. They may be suffering some set-backs in Syria and Iraq, but they are certainly not a second-rate J.V. (Junior Varsity) team. They are deadly, they are serious, and they are fanatics and they are perverting Islam giving it a terrible public image.

Whether it is ISIS, Al Quada, the Taliban, or some other Islamic Terrorist group, these fanatics “think” they are serving God (their meaning) by killing, destroying, and murdering. Yet is pathological meaning and the most outrageous behaviors that humans can commit, not behaviors connected with being spiritual, serving God or mankind. Whatever happened to kindness, love, and humility? These fanatics know nothing of these. And they are using Allah, the Koran, and the Islamic faith to justify or buttress up their stupid and destructive purposes.

The consequences of what they are doing are dire. They are creating an increasingly dangerous world which is provoking more and more governments to create more and more security measures and to be on the lookout for terrorists. This is create more fear and paranoia in political leaders (which cannot be good!). They are contaminating the Islam religion encouraging naive young people to join an idealistic Nazi-like movement which is doomed to end in death and destruction. Reports say that in the most recent attack in Bandladesh, the terrorists had people quote passages from the Koran and those who got them wrong were killed. How sick is that?

Surprising or not surprising, these Radical Islamic Terrorists are just as willing and contented to murder Moslems who do not share their fanaticism! Nearly all of the nearly three hundred people murdered by the bombs in Baghdad were Moslems. So these terrorists are as much a terror to decent, peace- loving and spiritual Moslems as they are to Westerners and Infidels.

When will the larger Moslem community around the world rise up in force to distance themselves from these fanatics? Some have, there are beginnings. Yet there are thousands who sympathize with these radical fundamentalists and provide them safe havens for promoting their hate and intolerance. That has to stop.

Hopefully there will be a stronger unification of countries including Moslem countries to create a committed decision to eliminate ISIS and the other terrorists. Terrorism under any justification is a psychological and moral sickness driven by toxic meanings. It is an evil to human dignity and human nature. The good news is that it has to be cured by spreading healthy meanings. Let’s go to work!