Diverse schools

Submitted by trans-parere (Canada), Apr 26, 2008 at 21:04

Dear Jared.

No, there is not a single authority as in Catholicism but, that does not mean Islam is not authoritarian and dictatorial as expressed in religion and [my concern] government. As an example, I don't know any other religion that has as part of it's doctrine the killing of individuals who choose to leave it's embrace as does Islam, or views any and all discussion of it's religion or Holy Book as apostasy. I believe there is more death fatwas issued for apostasy. One is not allowed to freely interpret the Koran.

The Catholic institution of Christianity does not dictate [not that they probably wouldn't like to] to the other Christian institutions. The Christian debate with in Christianity is as broad as is the number of independent Christian Churches. As is the way each choses to read from the Bible.

I watched Bill Moyers 1hr. interview with Rev. Jeremiah Wright on PBS, and Rev. Wright talked about the difference between the [narrow, his word] focus of "Black" Christians who's view is strictly from their history in The United States which they have themselves coloured through their mythology and music, and how all this influences how they express "their" Christianity different from "Whites".

During this same interview Rev. Wright spoke of Nation of Islam and Louis Farrakhan's efforts to save the "Black" man from their cultural realities, crime and incarceration and their high numbers of recidivism. Perhaps Farrakhan's Nation of Islam will be a moderator for Islam in America and stand against the efforts of C.A.I.R. and others to Islamify American law and politics.

I think The United Kingdom needs it's own "school of Islam" as does France, India, Canada, Australia, and the U.S., etc. I think ultimately it will be that diversification that will if not remove the threat of "global jihad" and anti-democratic Islam, it will at least push it into backwater pockets that can be counter attacked or dealt with using sanctions, with holding aid, or any other political measure we feel at the time will render that violence mute. To do it with out ourselves loosing our potential for growth and human development and rendering by implication all of Islam as potential terrorist or supporters of terrorism.

Islam and the Koran needs to be debated by Moslem's and how they choose to interact with fellow Moslem's and non-Moslem's in a respectful and considered manner towards the rights of the individual. I believe this is most fundamental in relieving the world of a source of dictatorship and gaining a friend in social freedoms and a shared path for moving forward as a global people.

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