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Disowning the violent past will help but true change will require the following

Reader comment on item: Erdoğan: "Turkey Is Not a Country Where Moderate Islam Prevails"
in response to reader comment: Disown Islam's violent past!

Submitted by Sunil (United States), Apr 15, 2009 at 02:31

When civilizations meet disagreements are bound to occur. Mutual respect and equitable laws of interactions are required so disagreements do not cause turmoil. I believe that Muslims are failing on the following fronts:

1. Separation of religion and life: It is no shame that Islam in addition to being a religion is also a social, legal, and economic system. The problem is that the Islamic theory of spirituality is completely intertwined with its economic, social and legal theories (theories of life). This puts enormous burden on the believer as well as non-believer. The non-believer is forced to offer the same respect to the Islamic theories of life as he is expected to offer to the Islamic theory of spirituality. For example, if I criticize Sharia as a piece of junk, it should not be treated as an attack on the five basic pillars of Islam. Similarly, the believer is in trouble. He is obligated to defend an economic principle (which affects everyone) as earnestly as he defends his belief in God (which affects no one else but himself). If done correctly, I will be able to critique Islamic economic principles just freely as I critique Marxism or Capitalism.

2. Separation of church and state: Very closely related to the first point but different. The ruler in an Islamic state should not be required to protect and propagate Islamic theories of spirituality and/or life. In fact, there is no need for him/her to be Islamic. And, there is no need for the state to be Islamic either. If done correctly, common secular ethics shared by lots of religions will be defended by the governments and not a branded version.

3. There is no infidel: You can call forms of worship than yours sins. That is your prerogative. But do not call the others sinners. Don't say in social settings anyways. If done correctly, no Muslim will call a non-Muslim an infidel.

4. Eradicate unequal rules of engagement: If non-Islamic religions cannot be preached in Islamic societies, do not expect the same favor be extended to you in non-Islamic lands. If done correctly, CAIR will not cry foul every time a Muslim is asked to sacrifice even the smallest of his freedoms in America because it does not cry foul when a hundred times bigger violation goes unnoticed in Saudi Arabia.

5. Eradicate rules against apostasy: Most people do not change their religions anyway. A small number that does should not be forced in anyway whatsoever. If a religion needs to be protected with a sword, it is not a very strong religion. If done correctly, Muslims will feel sad when a Muslim converts to another religion, but they will let him do so. Freedom gives more to a society than forced obedience.

6. Eradicate the unequal rules in marriage: Muslim men can marry Jewish/Christian women but not the other way round. This smells of inequality. Let the lovers choose their religion if/when two people of different religions choose to marry. Most modern societies have moved to this protocol. Islamic societies should also change. If done correctly, a Muslim lover will not force the non-Muslim partner to any more than the latter forces the first.

7. Ummah is good but ummah is bad as well: It is natural for a person to feel sympathy toward another who shares his believes. In this sense the insistence on Islamic-ummah is good. But do not carry it too far. Attack on Muslim 10000 miles away is not an attack on every Muslim 10000 miles apart. Palestinian's war against Israel may or may not be justified, but it should not mandate a Muslim in Bangladesh to crack a bomb. Writing an editorial is ok. Making donations to Palestinian kids is noble. But burning a bus 10000 miles away is not ok. If done correctly no Muslim will support another just because they share a common religion/culture. Secular morality should take precedence.

If we can go this far, very little distance will be left to go.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (54) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Middle of the road [29 words]PatMar 22, 2013 20:41204600
Last window of the trilogy: the intelligent muslims [598 words]OpheliaApr 19, 2009 01:45154078
3Non-muslim girls are a price catch! [353 words]B.N.GururajApr 20, 2009 07:02154078
2Moderate muslims= powerless muslims [342 words]OpheliaApr 14, 2009 01:00153835
Moderate vs. Consevative Muslim--Islam in Europe [49 words]Straight_Talk_LuigiApr 16, 2009 21:08153835
1About another kind of still powerless and "moderate muslims" [531 words]OpheliaApr 17, 2009 23:38153835
ISLAM [61 words]A.V.DuchMay 12, 2013 20:32153835
Disown Islam's violent past! [212 words]B.N.GururajApr 13, 2009 23:12153833
Disowning the violent past will help but true change will require the following [669 words]SunilApr 15, 2009 02:31153833
response to "Disowning the violent past will help but true change will require the following" [750 words]I.Jahir HussainJan 12, 2010 13:55153833
There is no moderate Islam. So there is a hope. [225 words]HopeWhenThreIsNoModerateIslamApr 12, 2009 21:33153795
ignorance [140 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Michael van der GalienApr 7, 2009 10:55153498
2r.t.erdogan [108 words]no name ( too scared to declare)Jan 27, 2009 20:07149296
Tayyip Erdogan and Islam rules now, Atarturk is history. [361 words]Ayse Dinkal (Ms)Aug 22, 2008 06:12137137
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Kuran`s Islam [189 words]Sahane MuftuogluSep 4, 2008 10:35137137
I want too [69 words]DolphinSep 10, 2008 10:04137137
In Response to the grandson of Ataturk`s bodyguard [183 words]Sahane MuftuogluSep 16, 2008 09:24137137
Ata is a national hero... [392 words]DolphinSep 16, 2008 20:08137137
Comments on the National Hero Ataturk [14 words]Sahane MuftuogluSep 18, 2008 12:34137137
Glad to see [45 words]DolphinSep 19, 2008 14:44137137
Bayramin Mubarek Olsun Sahane [75 words]DolphinSep 30, 2008 20:46137137
so, should we leave islam? [78 words]havasNov 29, 2008 15:25137137
By all means, stick to Islam [65 words]UgriNov 30, 2008 12:32137137
islam is the best religon [102 words]havasDec 1, 2008 00:59137137
To dolphin [24 words]Sahane SultanJan 6, 2012 18:56137137
1Erdogan accidentally spoke the truth [385 words]James McCluskeyDec 17, 2007 06:24116324
In FULL Support of James McCluskey for the truth- [181 words]YnnatchkahDec 20, 2007 22:15116324
Erdogan spoke truth about Islam - will our leaders, MSM and experts agree with him or not??? [143 words]JaladhiDec 22, 2007 18:14116324
Thank you Yannatchka, turnspeak [325 words]Petit MarteauDec 31, 2007 10:24116324
Answer to your question [168 words]Straigth_Talk_LuigiJun 6, 2008 01:51116324
interesting response [182 words]zis sumerJun 14, 2008 09:04116324
Moderate Islam? [212 words]Sahane S. MuftuogluOct 5, 2007 06:10110392
continuation of above [206 words]Sahane S. MuftuogluOct 5, 2007 19:27110392
In response to Mr.Muftuoglu [260 words]James McCluskeyDec 19, 2007 05:17110392
in response to Mr. McCluskey [87 words]SAHANE MUFTUOGLUDec 19, 2007 19:06110392
Well Said James [48 words]another infidelDec 20, 2007 02:42110392
Response to Mr.Muftuoglu:Talk is cheap. [296 words]James McCluskeyDec 22, 2007 03:56110392
SEX CONFUSION [40 words]Sahane MuftuogluDec 29, 2007 06:14110392
Apology for sex confusion---The Muslim Jesus [585 words]James McCluskey (Petit Marteau)Jan 1, 2008 09:07110392
To Sahane Muftuogñu [156 words]ChersonJun 5, 2008 11:55110392
turks and islam [224 words]G.VishvasJun 6, 2008 05:35110392
1THE GREATEST LEADER OF ALL TIMES: MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATURK [149 words]Sahane S. MuftuogluJun 9, 2008 05:25110392
Read MICHAEL RUBIN [67 words]Sahane S. MuftuogluJun 9, 2008 05:47110392
1about turkish imperialism [219 words]G.VishvasJun 10, 2008 07:57110392
16The Greatest Leader Of All Times: MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATURK [432 words]Sahane MuftuogluJun 11, 2008 03:55110392
This is how indoctrinated persons speak and think [153 words]G.VishvasJun 12, 2008 06:17110392
Thank you Muftuoglu, [80 words]zisan sumerJun 14, 2008 08:39110392
James pls [94 words]zisan sumerJun 14, 2008 08:51110392
Thank you Zisan Sumer [54 words]Sahane MuftuogluJun 15, 2008 13:26110392
2There are many more like us [207 words]Alp AtikAug 4, 2008 09:59110392
to the ignorant man- James McCluskey [57 words]Ersin DemirbasAug 22, 2008 06:47110392
response to "turks and islam" [595 words]I.Jahir HussainJan 13, 2010 00:10110392
Fundamentalist, Moderate or just plain Muslim? [242 words]M. Nathalie SagbakSep 13, 2007 07:12108754
Verbal obfuscation [87 words]VijaySep 26, 2006 10:4157647

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