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Submitted by Homefront (Australia), Aug 24, 2011 at 04:22

Dr Pipes,

I am interested in whether you were suprised by the hostile reception on the ABC?

On a related front doesn't this issue of Islam and democracy come down to freedom of conscience which is largely absent in Islamic society even the so called "moderate" societies?

You can't have a democracy without freedom of conscience, rule of law and least some inalienable rights that give our western systems the character of a republic rather than pure democracy per se.

I'd ask whether that level of complexity is capable of being generated in Islamic societies to appreciable extent?

Homefront.

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