Something vaguely interesting in the wake of recent terrorist attacks.

[Burney]

I don't think there's a fine line between the two at all. You think the millions upon millions of Muslims across the world who hold fundamentalist views are mentally ill, including the masses of highly educated, highly functioning individuals among them?

Perhaps not so much a fine line as a grey area. Certainly, I would suggest that the Venn diagram between various types of mental disorders (from narcissism and psychopathy all the way up to paranoid schizophrenia) and religiously-inspired violence would contain a substantial degree of crossover. That isn't to say, however, that that absolves the perpetrators or the text that inspires and justifies them.

[redgunamo]

I'm not sure there's much money in propagating the idea that everyone who holds fundamentalist Islamic views is mentally ill. If anything, it's much more likely to lose you your job.

There may be some mileage in suggesting this about those who resort to actual violence, but they are still thankfully too rare to represent a viable business model.

Yes, and no. It's more the general thinking that everybody needs to take mental health questions more seriously, pay them more attention.

[Monty92]

Perhaps not so much a fine line as a grey area. Certainly, I would suggest that the Venn diagram between various types of mental disorders (from narcissism and psychopathy all the way up to paranoid schizophrenia) and religiously-inspired violence would contain a substantial degree of crossover. That isn't to say, however, that that absolves the perpetrators or the text that inspires and justifies them.

Doubtless. Though I was talking about fundamentalist views, not violence, which are typically held by the entirely sound-of-mind.

[SWv2]

You lot, you get a few terrorist attacks and you moan and bitch like you are the first people ever in the world to experience such shít.

Essentially you are nothing better than Americans.

[redgunamo]

You lot, you get a few terrorist attacks and you moan and bitch like you are the first people ever in the world to experience such shít.

Essentially you are nothing better than Americans.

That's what I'm saying; it's not really that big a deal. Unless you can make money out of it, then it's a very big deal indeed.

[Ash]

I'm not sure there's much money in propagating the idea that everyone who holds fundamentalist Islamic views is mentally ill. If anything, it's much more likely to lose you your job.

There may be some mileage in suggesting this about those who resort to actual violence, but they are still thankfully too rare to represent a viable business model.

Still might be interesting to set out a stall in front of a mosque or two with a sign saying "Get your mental health solutions here" and see how it flies.

[Peter]

Honestly, I had dinner with two blokes last week who insisted that Islamic terrorists were simply psychopathic criminals, no different to any other murderous types.

Presumably he's never read the note left by Michael Adebolajo after butchering Lee Rigby (to pick just one of literally thousands of equivalent examples)

"To my beloved children, know that to fight Allah’s enemies is an obligation the proofs of which are so numerous that but a handful of any of them cuts out the bewitching tongues of the munafiqeen.
Do not spend your days in endless dispute with the cowardly and foolish if it means that it will delay you meeting Allah’s enemies on the battlefield. Sometimes the cowardly and foolish could be the dearest to you, so be prepared to turn away from them.
When you set out on this path, do not look left or right.
Seek shahada, oh my sons, so that we might be raised together and if it’s Allah’s decree that you are not to be in the hearts of the green birds, then be ready for a [deleted] to enter the university of Yousef. Sijn. Be patient there and be firm there and inshallah you will meet your Lord with Him pleased with you. Verily, Allah is with those who are patient.
If I live beyond this day and you find me talking other than this, then know that perhaps Allah has left me to stray.
May Allah guide your nation to the truth. Ameen."

Right, but a bloke off his tits is going to spout some nonsense isn't he. Just happens he chose that mob.

There has to be something wrong with you if you believe that old cobblers and prepared to kill for it.

Nutters, the lot of them.

[Peter]

You lot, you get a few terrorist attacks and you moan and bitch like you are the first people ever in the world to experience such shít.

Essentially you are nothing better than Americans.

Errr..... we do have some previous experience of this you know.

[Ash]

Errr..... we do have some previous experience of this you know.

Yeah but those lads were practically gentlemen compared to these loons. Used to phone up some of the time to give advanced warning.

[Sir C]

Yeah but those lads were practically gentlemen compared to these loons. Used to phone up some of the time to give advanced warning.

Sometimes, of course, they couldn't remember the phone number. 999 is a tricky one when you've only got 10 fingers and two wellies to count on.