Posted on 01/27/2005 6:48:20 PM PST by Cornpone
Continuing to humor...no.
No. America is a country with religious freedom. However, Muslims must make a distinction between Islam and Islamism. The former claims to be a religion while the latter is an exclusionary, neo-fascist movement bent on destruction of the nation-state and global domination.
What about religious freedom?
“A large number of Bin Saud’s followers belong to the Wahabi sect, a form of Mohammedanism which bears, roughly speaking, the same relation to orthodox Islam as the most militant form of Calvinism would have borne to Rome in the fiercest times of the religious wars. The Wahabis profess a life of exceeding austerity, and what they practice themselves they rigorously enforce on others. They hold it is an article of duty, as well as faith, to kill all who do not share their opinions and to make slaves of their wives and children. Women have been put to death in Wahabi villages for simply appearing in the streets. It is a penal offense to wear a silk garment. Men have been killed for smoking a cigarette, and as for the crime of alcohol, the most energetic supporter of the temperance cause in this country falls far behind them. Austere, intolerant, well-armed, and bloodthirsty, in their own regions the Wahabis are a distinct factor which must be taken into account, and they have been, and still are, very dangerous to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and to the whole institution of the pilgrimage, in which our Indian fellow-subjects are so deeply concerned. The Emir Bin Saud has shown himself capable of leading and, within considerable limits, of controlling these formidable sectaries.”
Winston Churchill, Speech to the House of Commons, 14 June 1921
Unfortunately, while Churchill was prescient, he was wrong. The House of Saud has not been able to control the Wahabis.
OK, I was just seeking clarification.
That's why we're all here:)
"We may not have declared war on Islam, but were sure as heck are fighting against some if its central "purist" tenants."
I can certainly agree with you there. My hope is that, our actions in the region will lead to some internal reform and rooting out of some of those "purist" tenants. But there is a fine line between influencing such reform, and exacerbating attitudes towards us. I don't think anyone knows how to do the former, but there are definite ways to do the latter, which include unnecessary limitations of the freedoms of Muslims in our own country or declaring ourselves in a conflict against Islam.
"What about religious freedom?"
We also have laws.
Maybe not in your mind but 30+ years of killings in the name of some pig puke called MoHamMud tells the rest of the thinking world something different.
Their silence says YES!
What about it? Your right to religious freedom, like your right to swing a fist, ends where my nose begins. You are free to BELIEVE anything you want. However, you are not free to put those beliefs into practice if doing so would violate a religiously-neutral law.
We can't ban a religion or a religious belief, but we can prosecute those who commit crimes based on those beliefs.
Actually, we now have two. We have the laws of the U.S. and we shariah. Which should apply?
Freedom of religion has limits, according to the law, but Islamic "true believers" think they are only answerable to the laws of Allah and not the laws of man... This is where we have some problems.
Since when has shariah become one of our systems of law?
Every true Muslim is answerable to the laws under shariah. You know that. If you are a Muslim woman, your society believes, honestly believes, that shariah should supercede U.S. law.
True, and those "true believers" must either adapt, or they are not welcome. All of our freedoms are constrained by laws (and with good reason), and religion is no exception.
Your definition of true Muslim is different from that of many Muslims.
And observant Muslims believe that Allah's law, careful following of Islam and Shariah, take precedence over all other laws. Isn't that also true?
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