Monday, November 22, 2004

 

Absolutists

I don't claim to have any special education within the general subject of theology. And I'm not religious. My childhood included many years of attending Assembly of God churches and that's the extent of my religious training. I have general knowledge of other religions, but that's it.

So maybe when I spotted this article in Asia Times Online on the friction between Muslim and Western societies, I initially took little interest in it.

Muslims who have made their life in Western countries while adhering to Islam face a frightful dilemma. After the November 2 murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, European authorities have demanded that resident Muslims repudiate violence. Many mainstream Muslim leaders, though, cannot bring themselves to denounce the murderer of van Gogh, whose film Submission showed Koranic verses superimposed on the naked skin of Muslim women.

Whew. Such a dangerous act, even if couched as "art", can be easliy termed as foolish.

Smugness oozes from European politicians who demand that Muslims repudiate violence as a precondition for residence in the West.

Sounds like radio host Michael Medved - arrogant demands from a half-baked, Palestinian-hating yahoo.

To repudiate the death sentence for blasphemy would be the same as abandoning the Islamic order in traditional society in favor of a Western-style religion of personal conscience. The West spent centuries of time and rivers of blood to make such a transition, and carried it off badly. Whether Islam can do so at all remains doubtful.

This is an excellent read from a fellow who goes by the name Spengler.






<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?