[JasonC]

Men said that of Catholicism, but they were wrong. It ceased to be intolerant long ago, without ceasing to be Catholicism. Because it contained within itself the seeds of correction. There are such seeds in Islamic civilization. Indeed, some of ours came from some of theirs, as your screen name suggests to me just now, but that is a long story.

[Aquinasfan]

Men said that of Catholicism, but they were wrong. It ceased to be intolerant long ago, without ceasing to be Catholicism. Because it contained within itself the seeds of correction. There are such seeds in Islamic civilization.

This seems to be more wishful thinking than anything else. Where are "such seeds in Islamic civilization"?

There are two fundamental reasons why Mohammedanism cannot be reconciled with non-authoritarian government. First, in a positive sense, "The Prophet commanded absolute submission to the imâm. In no case was the sword to be raised against him." (See below). Secondly, in a negative sense, Mohammedanism embraces moral irrationality. In Mohammedanism, God wills both good and evil. Therefore, Mohammedanism cannot be reconciled with the natural law which is written on the human heart and which provides the moral foundation for our form of government.

Our form of government is based on the natural law and the derivative traditions of the common law. We simply cannot assimilate a religious group that does not and cannot logically admit the dictums of natural law.

The 1911 Catholic Encyclopedia entry under Mohammed and Mohammedanism concludes with the following paragraph:

In matters political Islam is a system of despotism at home and aggression abroad. The Prophet commanded absolute submission to the imâm. In no case was the sword to be raised against him. The rights of non-Moslem subjects are of the vaguest and most limited kind, and a religious war is a sacred duty whenever there is a chance of success against the "Infidel". Medieval and modern Mohammedan, especially Turkish, persecutions of both Jews and Christians are perhaps the best illustration of this fanatical religious and political spirit.

This summary is as true today as it was 100 years ago and 1300 years ago.