Continuation of my Contentions Series.

Link to Shaykh Abd al Hakim Murad’s Contentions part 1.

34. Judaism and Islam have resisted Christianity through eros and thanatos. Hence the magnitude of their victory.

Terms:
Eros - From the Freudian theory of the duality of human nature, Eros represents the drive towards attraction, reproduction, life, love and sexuality.

Thanatos - From the same theory, Tahanatos represents the drive towards aggression, repulsion , death.

Interpretation:

The first thing I noticed in this contention is the application of Freudian concepts of human nature applied to a religion. This is a very unique way to personify Christianity, and to categorize what we have seen as far as its nature.

This exposure of the duality of Christianity is really intresting, as Christianity definately has had its moments of Thanatos exposed through periods such as the Inquisition, the Crusades, and some might say the political-oriented evanglists of today. In the same way Muslims and Jews have also felt the Eros of Christianity in their preaching of Divine love, sacrifice, etc. Today, the emphasis of save-a-child type programs as well as humanitarian missions (Mother Teresa), also represent this attractive quality of Christiandom.

My opinion is that the Shaykh is raising the point that Muslims and Jews have both managed to survive the aggressive nature of Christianity and the subtle beckonings of the softer side throughout history, and it is quite significant that they have done so.

Here is a sub-contention, has Christianity already used up all of its ammunition?