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Gnosticism is not a separate religion,  but I include it here because many of the Middle Eastern faiths already described incorporated the ideas of Gnosticism.

Gnostic ideas developed in the second century AD as theologians began to form and question the concept of God. The basic idea consists of a dualism: God Himself is pure and completely above the world, while the world itself is evil. The corollary of the system is that true knowledge comes to the individual through a secret process that is known only to a select group.

Neoplatonism, emerging in the same time frame, contributed elements to the system with its idea of emanations or emissions flowing out from a singular being. The linkage with Gnosticism is that, for salvation, one must be aware or made aware of this knowledge.

Many texts of Gnosticism arose  in the first few centuries after Christ. In general, they expressed the idea that there were important concepts and even facts that were not revealed in the Bible.  In order for the individual to be sufficiently informed, this information was needed. Notable among these were the Nag Hammadi gospels, found buried near a settlement in Upper Egypt. Like many Gnostic documents, their authenticity has been questioned.

Gnosticism is considered heretical to Christianity. Its idea that knowledge itself is the key to one’s salvation is in direct contrast to the Christian doctrine of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest of the world religions. There are perhaps 200,000 adherents throughout the world with most residing in Iran and India. It can best be described as monotheistic with its chief deity, Ahura Mazda. The sacred text is the Avesta, compiled over centuries by many authors. Some commentators state that Zoroastrianism lay the ground work for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

While one may think of Zoroastrians as fire worshipers, the main reason for that expression is that they worship toward a source of light, often a fire.

Coming into existence very early, the religion did not rise to prominence until the fifth century BC. With the rise of Islam in the seventh century AD, the number of Zoroastrians began to decline.

The system emphasizes the importance of right behavior.

Conversion to the faith is generally impossible,  and therefore the religion is hereditary.

While Iran, of course, is mainly Muslim, some facets of Zoroastrianism remain in the culture.

The religion is primarily of historical importance, and it has little political influence.

The Alawites, a group predominantly located in Syria, is a secretive and inbred sect, perhaps an offshoot of Shiism. Even in Syria, the sect consists of less than 20% of the population. Alawites adhere to the teachings of Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet. The Alawites ascribe nearly divine significance to Ali.

While the practices and beliefs of the Alawites are not well-known outside the religion, their system of theology incorporates elements from Judaism, Christianity, Gnostic, and even Zoroastrianism. They believe the one God reveals Himself through the personality of various individuals, such Mohammed, Jesus, Buddha, and Socrates. The Alawites obscure their beliefs from outsiders in order to avoid criticism.

The Alawites believe in reincarnation, often as a punishment for sin in this life.

The current importance of the Alawite faith rests in the fact that the Assad regime in Syria built its political apparatus around members of the sect. While they are a minority in Syria, much of the Assad power structure resides with the Alawites.

As the Syrian civil war has continued, a portion of the Alawite community has declared itself separate from the Assad coalition.

Continuing our discussion of the lesser known religious sects of the Middle East, we consider the Yazidis.

The Yazidis are northern Mesopotamian, residing mainly in northern Iraq and adjoining Turkey. Their people group, consisting of less than one million adherents, came to the news in 2014 as they were attacked by ISIL and trapped on Mount Sinjar. Through an international effort, including the US military, many were rescued. Others, however, mainly women and children, were taken by ISIL into sexual slavery, which remains one of the principal modalities of warfare.

The Yazidi faith is monotheistic but heavily syncretic embracing elements of Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. They believe the world has been placed under the care of seven angels, with the chief referred to as the Peacock Angel. Conversions do not occur, and any who marry outside the faith are considered to have converted to the religion of the partner. They believe in reincarnation.

Because of the obscure character of their faith and their inwardly focused social structure, the Yazidis are among the most misunderstood groups of the Middle East. Their worship of the Peacock Angel is interpreted  by some as a form of devil worship. Hence, they became a target of ISIL during the Sinjar episode. Now, they are still at some risk because Kurdish groups distrust their intentions. With the syncretic nature of their faith, they don’t fit in with any of the religious majorities.

Although their current status has not reached the area of general news, the Yazidis are likely a setup for further conflict.

The Druze are a small, independent sect who reside in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel. They number as many as 2 million.

They originated in the 11th century as an offshoot of Ismaili Shiism. They consider themselves strict monotheists holding to tenets arising from Islam, Christianity, Judaism with added elements of Gnosticism and Neoplatonism. They believe in reincarnation. Many of their specific teachings are considered secret and known only to an inner core of believers.

Druze is a closed religion. One cannot convert to the Druze faith nor can one leave the religion. Marriage out of the faith is not allowed.

Their political fortunes in Syria are confused. Previously, they supported President Assad. Assad indicated he would protect them against Islamic terrorists, but forced conscription of young Druze males has eroded the President’s support.

In Lebanon, Walid Jumblatt, the main Druze spokesman, has opposed the Assad regime.

The Druze in Israel remain loyal to the Israeli government.

The small size of the Druze community in any country makes them vulnerable to oppression and bias. The concern is that they may fall prey like the Yazidis who suffered in Northern Iraq.

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By condemning Qatar’s supposed “terrorist” stance, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain continue their attempts to isolate their fellow Gulf Cooperation Council member. Kuwait has been active in attempting to ameliorate the squabble.

But Qatar recently made themselves the most open country in the region by deciding to admit citizens of 80 countries on the basis of passports alone, without the need for visas.

Meanwhile Qatar has carried on joint military exercises with Turkey.

Saudi Arabia bombs poor Yemen, still in the siege of a cholera epidemic.

Al Jazeera, a major source of news for the Arab world, supported by Qatar, is at odds with their Arab neighbors.

Thus, we enter a re-ordering of the Arab world in the Gulf.

The Yazidis are a religious minority who reside mainly in the Nineveh province of northern Iraq and also in parts of Syria, Iran, and Turkey. Although they are monotheists, they are syncretistic observing a combination of Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism beliefs. Perhaps because of their lack of specific identification with any of the great religions, they have been set aside from most of the day’s news.

In August 2014 ISIL fighters attacked the Sinjar region of Iraq. Men were killed and women and children were kidnapped. It is estimated that 3000 Yazidi women and children still remain in ISIL captivity.  The Iraqi troops invading Mosul failed to recover these victims who were held in that city. The fate of the females among the group is unknown, but it is likely they were inserted into the sexual slave trade economy.

In the past there was the slave trade which supported the agrarian economy throughout the world. Now we have advanced to the trading of sex slaves. The Yazidis, who have  little voice, are ideal candidates for this revenue. We should be vigilant for the day they begin appearing in the US sexual slavery business.

Much of this blog relied in Al-Jazeera as a source of information.

The split between Sunni and Shia was early in the life of Islam. The problem began when Abu Bakr was chosen as the successor to Mohammed. Those opposing the choice believed that Ali, the closest male relative of Mohammed, was the proper successor.

The split was compounded when Ali’s son, Hussein, was killed at the Battle of Karbala when he rebelled against the current Sunni Caliph. This event elevated Hussein to the status of martyr, and his martyrdom is commemorated yearly by the Shia.

The central theological difference, then, between Sunni and Shia is that the Shia believe biological inheritance of the authority of Mohammed is the key to belief, faith, and knowledge. The basis for authority is the direct inheritance from Mohammed. This inheritance confers inspired information. Thus, the authoritative imam, identified by inheritance, is the divinely appointed ruler.

On the other hand, the Sunni believe that spiritual authority is conferred by the wise opinion of the general community of Islam.

The source of spiritual authority is the principal difference between Sunni and Shia Islam.

We see this difference reflected in the spiritual ruler of Iran, the Ayatollah Khamenei, and the current ruler of Saudi Arabia, King Salman.

Other differences center around economic issues. In most areas the Sunnis control the economic forces, and thus the Shia are often relegated to lower status.

In most countries, the Sunni constitute the majority.

Still, with these important differences, Shia and Sunni have lived together in relative peace of centuries. Intermarriage is common. In the US Shia and Sunni often worship in the same mosque.

So, then, what is the source of the current troubles between the two groups? Today, the main issue appears to be a desire for power rather than any theological difference. The current battles between Sunni  and Shia in Iraq and the ongoing conflict between Saudi Arabia and Iran are prime examples. They don’t argue about religion but rather political control.

Any solution, if there is one, resides in the area of political dialogue.

Given our drift to modernity, one might think religion is no longer the issue in Middle East politics. Hasn’t the world advanced beyond those old, very old, differences? Surely, the issue is more likely oil, political power, land, or some combination thereof.

But an analysis of the Sunni/Shia disposition of the combatants suggests that religion is still at the heart of the conflicts. Christians and Jews take the sideline in these confrontations.

The evidence for the contention that religion is the issue is circumstantial but strong nevertheless by virtue of the way the parties stack up.

The prototypical example is the Iran-Saudi Arabia mess. Saudi Arabia is Sunni, and Iran is Shi’a. The two countries fear each other and have no plan for settling their differences. They are engaged in a proxy war in Yemen with the Iranians assisting the Houthis and the Saudis bombing in support of the old Hadi government. The Houthis are an obscure branch of Shi’a Islam, which is a Fiver sect of Shi’a rather than the more common Twelver sect. The numbers five and twelve indicate of the numbers of approved or inspired imams ruling since Mohammed. Those who support Hadi are Sunni.

In Iraq, the conflicts have also centered about the Sunni/Shi’a conflict. The northern portion of the country is under Sunni influence, and the southern portion is predominantly Shi’a. The current government is under Shi’a control, and alliances with Shi’a Iran have strengthened.

The Syrian Civil War also has its basis in the Shi’a/Sunni conflict. Assad’s Alawite ruling minority is branch of Shi’a Islam. They are supported by Iran. The Sunni majority in the country are supported by Gulf states and Turkey. While ISIL has complicated the mix by opposing everyone, the basic trouble remains between Sunni and Shi’a.

Finally, Lebanon and Palestine, when they have the energy, periodically take up the conflict. Lebanon, primarily Shi’a, and Hezbollah, their Shi’a splinter group, clash with Sunni Palestine and Hamas, their political action group.

Next, we’ll take up the reasons for the Shi’a/Sunni dispute.