A Canadian supporter of the Islamic State in his own words

There are certain classes of people who are attracted to radicalized versions of religion.

This young man embodies one particular class. He's not too dissimilar to the "born again" fundies you get in Christianity.

The pattern for these types starts with an early life of hedonism. Partying, drugs, alcohol. A youthful attempt to define life in terms of exuberance. A few can carry this sort of lifestyle on forever, but for most, it starts to wear after a while. The sex, drugs, and booze become repetitive, and hollow. What was once exciting and fresh becomes a tireful chore.

At that point, most normal people are able to step back, re-evaluate their values, and establish a new course - finding substance in more meaningful things. They pick up new hobbies, or identify a career path, or cultivate a relationship, or start a family, or learn a new craft, or some combination of the above. They retool their values based on their experiences.

This is an arduous process that is generally referred to as 'coming of age' - where one transitions from seeking simple pleasures, to pursuing deeper and more sophisticated ones. There are many choices to be decided. There are mistakes to made, and fixes attempted. There are relationships to be nourished, some bruised, some mended, and some broken. There are lessons to be learned. And all along the way, there is doubt. Doubt about whether the right choices are being made. Doubt over what the consequences of certain choices are. Choice after choice after choice, and doubt about each one.

A few are not able to do this very effectively. These are the 'born agains'. They are characterized by a radical transformation. Bewlidered by the complexity of the process of transitioning from a child to an adult, they seek a simple and clearcut answer.

What if you could make one choice, and leave it at that? What if the meaning of your life came pre-packaged, and you didn't have to figure it out for yourself? What if there was a readymade set of "challenges" that were presented to you to make you feel like you were accomplishing something? And what if it all came packaged up in a larger than life narrative? Where you get to be on the side of good, and everything was clear, where all your choices and answers would be laid out in plain sight, and that infernal doubt would never plague you again?

If you hear these people talk about their faith, you see the same motifs over and over again. An early life of indulgence, followed by a quick snap, a shortcut to a "good" life. Bypass all that pesky, troublesome introspection and doubt. Get the bulk deal, the whole package.

You can see the motif in the way he talks about his religion: "I found answers to a lot of questions. Another reason I started studying Islam is because it’s not just a religion as you can compare to Christianity or mainstream Judaism but it’s a full-encompassing way of life that includes a financial system, a system of law, as well as religious beliefs and practices."

The reality is that this young man was too weak willed to follow the usual path. He needed some outside force to come and sketch it all out for him. He outsourced his personal responsibility to a dogma. He wanted that shortcut to a meaningful life, and for him, a radical interpretation of Islam gave it to him. For others, it takes the form of other religions, or ideologies. I have seen similar examples in Christians, Hindus, and just plain miscellaneous cultists.

/r/CanadaPolitics Thread Link - thestar.com