With illustration please explain why al-shabaab attack severally in kenya
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Al-Shabaab Attack
The repeated attacks by Al-Shabaab in Kenya have been a cause for concern and have raised numerous questions about the motives behind their actions. To understand why Al-Shabaab targets Kenya frequently, it is important to consider several factors that contribute to their ongoing aggression. By examining their ideological motivations, regional dynamics, and Kenya’s vulnerabilities, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of the reasons behind these repeated attacks.
1. Ideological Motivations: Al-Shabaab is an extremist Islamist group that emerged in Somalia and seeks to establish a strict interpretation of Sharia law. Their primary goal is to overthrow the Somali government and replace it with an Islamic state. However, they view Kenya as an obstacle due to its support for the Somali government and its involvement in the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which aims to combat Al-Shabaab. The attacks on Kenya can be seen as part of Al-Shabaab’s broader strategy to weaken their adversaries and expand their influence.
2. Regional Dynamics: Kenya shares a porous border with Somalia, making it vulnerable to infiltration by Al-Shabaab militants. The proximity of the two countries facilitates cross-border movements, allowing the group to carry out attacks inside Kenya and then retreat back to their safe havens in Somalia. Additionally, Kenya’s significant Somali population provides a potential recruitment base for Al-Shabaab, allowing them to exploit existing social and economic grievances within this community.
3. Kenya’s Vulnerabilities: Al-Shabaab takes advantage of several vulnerabilities within Kenya to carry out their attacks. One such vulnerability is the country’s vast and difficult-to-secure border with Somalia. The extensive coastline and numerous entry points make it challenging for Kenyan security forces to prevent the infiltration of militants and the smuggling of weapons. Furthermore, Kenya’s diverse population and religious tensions provide potential avenues for radicalization and recruitment by extremist groups.
4. Retaliation and Resentment: Al-Shabaab has explicitly stated that their attacks on Kenya are in retaliation for Kenya’s military involvement in Somalia. In 2011, Kenya deployed its forces as part of AMISOM to combat Al-Shabaab and stabilize Somalia. This intervention has resulted in a series of reprisal attacks by the extremist group, targeting civilian populations, security forces, and public institutions to undermine Kenya’s stability and deter its support for AMISOM.
In conclusion, the repeated attacks by Al-Shabaab in Kenya can be attributed to a combination of ideological motivations, regional dynamics, Kenya’s vulnerabilities, and perceived retaliation. Understanding these factors is crucial in formulating effective counterterrorism strategies that address the root causes of extremism and enhance security cooperation between Kenya and its regional partners. It is essential to implement a comprehensive approach that combines military efforts with socio-economic development, community engagement, and intelligence sharing to combat the threat posed by Al-Shabaab and other extremist groups in the region.
