A radical idea: How Muslims can be European, too

Christian Science Monitor ^ | Oct, 31, 2006

[PRePublic]

LONDON – For a soft-spoken, mild-mannered man, Tariq Ramadan stirs up a remarkable amount of controversy.

In his own Muslim community, the Islamic philosopher-activist comes under attack for selling out his religion to the West; Britain has funded his lectures to young Muslims. But Western critics accuse him of being a Trojan horse for radical Islam. In the past two years, the US has three times denied him a visa.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The article seems to have been written by an atheist. He doesn't seem to understand that for religious fundamentalism (for any religion) the core values do not change over time. Real Islam is as bad as it was centuries ago, because a fair amount of what the Koran teaches is bad. Real Christianity's values also should not have changed--adapted to new situations, but not fundamentally changed.

[Mrs Ivan]

Ramadan has focused on encouraging European Muslims to remain both true to their faith and loyal to the secular societies in which they live.

I was under the impression that this was an impossible thing for a follower of Islam.I don't think I am mistaken.

[CzarNicky]

hey can become European by renouncing islam.

[Killborn]

Wow! You meant to tell me that instead of Balkanizing everyone into competing ethnic groups we could actually, you know, asimmilate tham and have then join together for the good of the country?!

Who'da thunk...