In an effort to distinguish between ordinary, civilized Muslims, and those terrorists who commit atrocities in the name of Islam, a new label has been created. Those murderers are not Muslims; they are Islamists. I don’t think this is a valid distinction.
When a Christian extremist commits an atrocity in the name of Christianity, he is not called a “Christianist.” He is called a Christian. Most of us recognize that such a terrorist doesn’t represent Christianity. He is acting on some twisted perversion of Christian teachings that is invalid; but he’s still called a Christian.
Why, then, not say that Muslim terrorists are Muslims?.
Islamism
In an effort to distinguish between ordinary, civilized Muslims, and those terrorists who commit atrocities in the name of Islam, a new label has been created. Those murderers are not Muslims; they are Islamists. I don’t think this is a valid distinction.
When a Christian extremist commits an atrocity in the name of Christianity, he is not called a “Christianist.” He is called a Christian. Most of us recognize that such a terrorist doesn’t represent Christianity. He is acting on some twisted perversion of Christian teachings that is invalid; but he’s still called a Christian.
Why, then, not say that Muslim terrorists are Muslims?.