The Oklahoma beheading post

Haven't chimed in on this one until now, because, as is often the case in this age of the 24-hour news cycle and the ever-billowing world of cyber-punditry, there was nothing I could see to add in the first rush of coverage and conclusion.

And I still don't know what I could say about it that isn't handled in Kevin McCullough's Townhall column today:

He converted to Islam in prison and sat under the influence of imam Suhaib Webb. Webb was connected to the greater Islamic Society of Oklahoma. Webb also had associations with the mosque where the Boston Marathon bombers frequented. Worst of all Suhaib Webb was a confidant of Amwar al-Awlaki, the mastermind of the Al Qaeda attacks of 9/11/01. The killer utilized the techniques of ISIS. And the Obama administration immediately labels it "workplace violence."

I know the authorities are having a hard time accurately describing what happened in Moore, but let's break some things down.

1. This attack occurred after Nolen converted to Islam.

2. This attack occurred after sitting under an Islamic Imam's teaching.

3. This attack followed the rejection of Islamic conversion of co-workers.

4. This attack followed an argument about Islam that got him fired. 

5. This attack followed an argument governing Islamic practice.

6. This attack followed Nolen's intolerance towards anyone's disagreement concerning the stoning of women (an inherently Islamic practice--as neither Jews nor Christians practice such.)

7. This attack followed the rationale of the Islamic State. (Convert, Flee or Die.)

8. This attack utilized the same methodologies as the Islamic State--beheading.

9. This attack--like 9/11 and Boston--was immediately praised--even by Muslims in the U.S.

Yes, the guy was a nut.

That actually leads to an interesting line of questions.

Wasn't the Ft. Hood shooter also a nut?

Wasn't it a little nutty of the 13 guys who orchestrated the September 2001 attacks to  waste their own lives, along with those of the nearly 3,000 they took with them, so horrifically?

Isn't it a little nutty of the Islamic State to take over towns and cities in Iraq, behead the all the men and sell the women into slavery?

So we are once again faced with the question of the relationship between insanity and evil - which in turn gets us into the realm of questions about "real" religion.  Willful separation from the omnipotent, sovereign creator seems like kind of a nutty way to live, does it not?  But then where do we find reliable instruction about how to live in alignment with Him?

And what supposedly sacred scripture might steer us wrong?

Just sayin'.