Islam is a religion, as is Judaism; however, both Islam and [Orthodox] Judaism are religions that come complete with rules for every aspect of life, including politics and statecraft.
The political aspect of Jewish Law is localized to a single nation and one place on this planet: The Jews, and their homeland on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. In contrast, Islam is a universal religion, and its political aspect applies to all people everywhere.
What I'm saying is, global imperialism is part and parcel of orthodox Islamic law. All Muslims who take Islam seriously—which, seeing as the Muslim world never underwent anything like the Western Enlightenment, means most of them—believe in the duty of installing Islamic law throughout the entire world, over all peoples.
I don't mind Islam much as a religion—theologically speaking, Islam has always posed less of a problem for Judaism than has Christianity. It's the political baggage of Islam that should worry anyone who values their freedom, because non-Muslims' freedom of or from religion isn't accorded by Islamic law.
As for religion in general being a problem—after 100,000,000 dead at the hands of Marxism, I think it's time for all people, including atheists, to start looking at an alternative explanation. No, I don't believe atheism is the cause of immorality, but that isn't the point—I'm not the one asserting that the demise of religion could reduce human atrocity.
Yes. To those who point out that there are Muslims who don't want shariah law installed over the whole world, I reply that this no more affects Islam itself than pork-eating Jews mean Judaism is OK with eating pork.
"This is a discussion happening on Right, but not on the Left."
We have Edward Said to thank for that. Basically, his life's work (culminating in his well-known book Orientalism) was instrumental in intellectually outlawing this discussion among any people who didn't want to be accused of Western colonialism, white racism etc. The discussion is held only among those who no longer care being called those names.
Well first they have to be enightened. One would assume a western style education would help that until we look at jihadists like Osama et al. Oops. There goes that theory. Perhaps the ENGLISH teacher, Said, should have worked on getting Muslims to be nice to the "other."
This guy, even though he makes me cringe at times, is right on here.
ReplyDeleteI posted much the same yesterday, through the eyes of Robert L. Bernstein, especially concerning the do-gooders.
If only something like this was fair game at Daily Kos. But they are not interested in the marketplace of ideas.
Islam is a religion, as is Judaism; however, both Islam and [Orthodox] Judaism are religions that come complete with rules for every aspect of life, including politics and statecraft.
ReplyDeleteThe political aspect of Jewish Law is localized to a single nation and one place on this planet: The Jews, and their homeland on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. In contrast, Islam is a universal religion, and its political aspect applies to all people everywhere.
What I'm saying is, global imperialism is part and parcel of orthodox Islamic law. All Muslims who take Islam seriously—which, seeing as the Muslim world never underwent anything like the Western Enlightenment, means most of them—believe in the duty of installing Islamic law throughout the entire world, over all peoples.
I don't mind Islam much as a religion—theologically speaking, Islam has always posed less of a problem for Judaism than has Christianity. It's the political baggage of Islam that should worry anyone who values their freedom, because non-Muslims' freedom of or from religion isn't accorded by Islamic law.
As for religion in general being a problem—after 100,000,000 dead at the hands of Marxism, I think it's time for all people, including atheists, to start looking at an alternative explanation. No, I don't believe atheism is the cause of immorality, but that isn't the point—I'm not the one asserting that the demise of religion could reduce human atrocity.
Zion,
ReplyDeleteyou put your finger on one of the very central questions in the world today.
That is, is the problem Islam or Radical Islam?
Your suggestion is that it is Islam, itself.
What I'm saying is, global imperialism is part and parcel of orthodox Islamic law.
The suggestion seems to be that the problem is inherent within Islam.
This is a key question that is being addressed, if I am not mistaken, only among western conservatives.
This is a discussion happening on Right, but not on the Left.
"Your suggestion is that it is Islam, itself."
ReplyDeleteYes. To those who point out that there are Muslims who don't want shariah law installed over the whole world, I reply that this no more affects Islam itself than pork-eating Jews mean Judaism is OK with eating pork.
"This is a discussion happening on Right, but not on the Left."
We have Edward Said to thank for that. Basically, his life's work (culminating in his well-known book Orientalism) was instrumental in intellectually outlawing this discussion among any people who didn't want to be accused of Western colonialism, white racism etc. The discussion is held only among those who no longer care being called those names.
Well first they have to be enightened. One would assume a western style education would help that until we look at jihadists like Osama et al. Oops. There goes that theory. Perhaps the ENGLISH teacher, Said, should have worked on getting Muslims to be nice to the "other."
ReplyDelete