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 ompetition
could cure the perverse strain of Islam that infects America's enemies.
Under capitalism, economic competition punishes companies that don't
meet their customers' needs. In democracies, political competition
(usually) keeps loony politicians from office. Likewise, in religiously
tolerant countries, spiritual competition punishes faiths that solely
serve the needs and ideologies of their mortal leaders. It's no
coincidence that the countries whose dominant faith has been hijacked
by hate-filled lunatics are the countries where the dominant faith
is sheltered from competition.
Imagine what
would happen to an American religious leader who declared a holy
war against, say, France. Most of his flock would surely seek out
new spiritual leadership. Our "crusader" would be pushed
to the fringes of society. Because we are free to change churches,
a religious leader who spouted demonstratively destructive sermons
would lose any ability to influence a significant number of Americans.
If given a
choice, the people of Iran would surely reject the death-to-America-chanting-Mullahs
who have wrought political isolation and economic stagnation upon
Iran. If given a choice, the women of Taliban-occupied Afghanistan
would surely reject any religious sect that banishes them to near
oblivion. If given a choice, most peoples of the world would abandon
any clergy who embarked upon an almost suicidal jihad against the
world's only superpower, when that superpower had clearly done them
no harm. Many of the clerics who spew forth homicidal anti-American
hatred are only able to maintain their influence because their flock
have no choice. If their followers change faiths then they are persecuted
or killed.
The companies
that most resist free trade are inevitably the ones that have the
most to fear from competition. Inefficient industries are always
clamoring for protection because they know that many of their customers
would prefer to buy from foreign competitors. The old Soviet block
restricted emigration because they realized that many of their citizens
wanted to live elsewhere. Before September 11th, Afghanistan arrested
aid workers who the Taliban claimed were missionaries. The Taliban
would no doubt claim that their intolerance is a sign of strength;
since they are certain about the validity of their beliefs, there
is no need to expose their followers to alternative views. The Taliban's,
intolerance however, is a sign of weakness. Why should religious
leaders fear missionaries unless the leaders fear losing their flock
to competitors?
Healthy religions
should welcome missionaries because competition fortifies the soul.
Competition with Japan causes American car companies to produce
better products. Competition forces political parties to communicate
more effectively with voters. Competition for members forces religions
to strive to more effectively spread the word of the Almighty. When
religions are assured of keeping their followers they can ignore
the effectiveness of their message and focus on satisfying the desires
of their mortal leaders. Lack of competition hurts not just Islamic
but also Christian faiths. Adam Smith and Nobel Prize-winning economist
Gary Becker have written that the state-granted privileges of the
Church of England weakened it and allowed the Church to become somewhat
indifferent towards the needs of the British people.
The American
public school system shows the harm that can be caused by lack of
competition. With a captive audience public schools can ignore the
needs of their students and pursue the often left-wing agendas of
the teachers' unions. Competition causes schools as well as religious
organizations to either focus on the needs of their "customers"
or lose market share. To prosper under competition schools would
have to emphasize math over multiculturalism and religions must
stress a person's relationship to the Lord over a man's "duty"
to kill.
Americans are
horrified that some religious sects are advocating our murder. How
could any faith hold that the attacks on September 11th were just?
Americans should take comfort from the knowledge, however, that
the sects which are the most vehemently against us are the ones
that shield themselves from competition. The clergy who have become
our blood enemies do their best not to let their followers be exposed
to competing faiths. They undoubtedly realize that their perverse
theologies are not strong enough to survive in the marketplace of
faith.
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