Hi, Gilberto,

At 09:35 PM 5/7/2005, you wrote:
>>1. It was my impression (at least this is what I've read, and I've never read 
>>anything different) that the historical Mutazilite school basically survived 
>>within 12-er Shiism. So I'm not sure what it would mean to revive it.<< 

I believe that there are vestiges of it in the isna ashariyyah movement, but I 
am sure that others would be more qualified to comment.

>>2. The Mutazites weren't necessarily more liberal or open-minded in the ways 
>>which come to mind when we think of the term "rationalism". For example, the 
>>most frequently mentioned Inquisition-like period in Islam is when the 
>>Mutazilites were in charge and tortured people like Ahmad ibn Hanbal (the 
>>founder of the Hanbali school) in order to get him to confess that the Quran 
>>wasn't the eternal word of God but instead was created.<<

Yes, the eternal-created issue was a biggie for these folks. However, I never 
suggested that they were more open-minded. In most religions (systems of 
beliefs and praxes, focused on the sacred, which unite people into a moral 
community), leaders are rarely tolerant once they hold the reins of power.

>>For example, the "reformers" are often the ones who becoming repressive and 
>>oppose the more tolerant principles of the traditionalists.<<

In the Buddhisms, that is seen in the Nichiren movement. 

Via moderna, Mark A. Foster � Portal: http://markfoster.net
"... since [a] word is said to be common, it can be called a 
universal" - William of Ockham, Summa Logicae, Part I 


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