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Karen Armstrong & Salman Rushdie Karen Armstrong wrote about the roots of religion and how they are instrumental in modeling a compassionate and empathic person. But with modernization, the virtues that were cultivated during the axial age have denigrated and people have lost the meaning and essence of those longstanding habits and traditions. She, therefore, highlights what has been lost with time and how the beliefs kept the communities during the period in check and with minimal violence. On the other hand, Salman Rushdie directly addresses the impact of the lost virtues of the current society, and he bases his arguments on the Islamic faith. Rushdie points out the shortcomings of Muslims in practicing the virtues that will identify them as exemplary and also distance themselves from the acts of violence and terrorism linked to them. The two authors agree in the major aspects that religions should promote among its followers for it to serve its purpose and to remain relevant. Armstrong in her essay points out that the axial traditions put emphasis on the significance of the people of a particular faith to fully understand themselves first before concerning themselves with other external matters. In the phrase, “How could you talk about other-worldly phenomena, when there was so much that you did not understand about earthly matters?” (Armstrong, 565). Where she illustrated how Confucius discourage his followers from speculating in things that did not concern them but instead try and understand what is within first. They both agree when Rushdie talks about the Islamic people who blame the West for their misfortunes and link the, with vices such as the
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