"This raises another question. Is Islam both a religion and a political ideology?"
Philosophers organize their quest for knowlege into four areas, or sub-disciplines. (1) Metaphysics: the study of the nature, structure and origin of what exists, or, very simply put, what is the nature of reality? (2) epistemology: the study of the nature and limits of human knowledge, or, how do we know what we know? (3) Ethics: the study of right and wrong actions and attitudes, or, how should be live? (4) Logic: the study of principles for distinguishing correct reasoning from uncorrect reasoning, or how do we think correctly? (Thanks to Dr. Greg L. Bahnsen for the definitions.)
Every 'ideology', or 'system of thought', aims to provide answers to these particular questions. Christianity, Communism, Islam, Judaism, etc. They each use there own private vocabulary to discuss these questions and their answers to these questions. The problem with this is that it makes communication between the various 'thought systems' very difficult. Therefore, philosophers have created a generalized 'philosophical vocabulary' that allows those of different 'though systems' to communicate.
Using this 'philosophical vocabulary' we can talk about 'worldviews' and how a particular 'worldview' would answer life's questions. If we understand the human thought process in general philosophical terms, we won't stumble over the distinction between an ideology and a religion and a political system. We will understand that there are various competing 'worldviews' which each assert their anwsers to the basic questions of philosophy. We will also understand that each 'worldview' has logical consquences in the area of family, government, economics, education, law, sexuality, history....every possible area of life. We often focus on one particular area, for
example economics or politics, and look at how a 'worldview' works itself out in that area. But we should understand that a 'vorldview' is far more broad than just
an economic or political system. For example, we tend to think of Communism as an economic system, but Communism is really a 'worldview' which, like other 'worldviews',
works itself out in each area of life as people seek to apply the ideas of their particular 'worldview'.
You'll often hear people say that 'ideas have consequences'. That is true, but it is better to say 'worldviews have consequences'.
The Christian history and heritage of the USA has come under attack in the last several generations. Many want us to forget or deny our Christian history. Why? I submit to you that the peace, safety and prosperity we have enjoyed in our culture for so long are the logical consequences of a Christian 'worldview' lived out by several generations.
Historically, even those who rejected Christianity still 'lived' as Christians....they believe in absolutes, they held to traditional thoughts about how life should be lived, i.e. men marry women, not other men, children are a good thing, sex is for marriage. Even if they didn't live up to these ideals, few rejected them.
Today there are many who don't want us to believe that 'worldviews have consquences'. They want us to believe that peace and prosperity are intrinsic to life and aren't the conseqence of any kind of national Christianity. They want us to believe that we can throw marriage out the window and still have peace and properity. We can throw private property out the window and still have peace and prosperity. We can have men marry men and women marry women and still have peace and prosperity. We can abort babies by the millions and still have peace and properity. We can throw absolutes out the window and still have peace and prosperity. We can allow
every foul and destrucive 'worldview' to come into our culture and set up shop and STILL we will continue to have peace and prosperity. They want us to believe that we can have ANY worldview and the result will always and only be peace and prosperity. These people are fools and destroyers.
Islam fails to pass 1, many or all of these worldview tests depending on our own worldview(s)
It should be noted people who are struggling with worldview questions are often despairing and even suicidal, which brings us to Islam terrorists in the year 2005.