MOST people try to explain the radical Jihadist group ISIS as a problem of “extremism” that results in irrational behaviour. This type of extremism exists because today’s postmodern world fails to provide meaning to life for young people. Young people desire something to live for, and thus look for strong ideals expressed strongly.

Extreme Islam provides some of them with not only strong ideals but wrong ideals to fill the void. Its tech-savvy militants express these ideals not strongly but savagely by breaking the civilized rules that still govern the world and using the very technology of progress to broadcast their barbarism across the hated west. What is missing are right beliefs expressed strongly that are worth fighting for. And the west has those right ideas that now more than ever need to be expressed rationally, strongly and unapologetically.

These ideas include the rule of law, a strong moral code based on natural law, representative government, Christian charity and a passion for justice – all the fruits of Christian civilisation. The sad thing is, the west has lost the will to fight for these ideas, and that is the greater threat. Much more dangerous than the paltry army of ISIS terrorists is the west’s fear of affirming Christian principles strongly.

Norman Plaisted, Vivian Road, Newport