If the golden rule was understood by Muslims, Islam would not have existed it does.

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Apr 7, 2022 at 16:46

Dear Dr Pipes, To those of us who think and are able to see the value of symmetry in social conducts, it should be a no-brainer. Reader Nir presented the common sense argument about chametz in the hospitals in Israel and food in the Islamic neighborhoods during Ramadan. The common sense argument is that if we overrule Jewish sensibilities about chametz we should also overrule Islamic sensibilities regarding food during the month of Ramadan.

I have called it Islamic hypocrisy for years. Islam has no compunction about applying one standard to others and another to itself.

I have also suggested in the past that psychologists need to study the social behavior of Muslims. What psychological forces can cause the Islamic hypocrisy to persist? I think the causes of Islamic ethnocentreism and selfish confidence are built into Islam's doctrines. Muhammad either did not think deep enough. Or, he was too driven by his self-serving zeal that he completely ignored what should matter to others.

Muslims should be told that the only justification for Islamic supremacy comes from Islam. Nothing else. There is no theory outside of Islam to allow a rule to be applied to others but not to Muslims. Indeed there is none and there can be none. All Islamic arguments about mutual conduct are circular and self-serving.

The famous Islamic refrain that there is no compulsion in religion also falls flat on this ground. As long as I choose to deny the truth of Islam, no Islamic theory can apply to me. If a Muslim chooses to decry Islam, all his human rights must be protected even in an Islam-occupied land.

Muslims need to be told these simple principles until these principle's become Islam's second nature. Knee jerk liberals who apologize for Islam also need to be reminded these facts.

Islam cannot take for granted any privileges not available to others anywhere in the universe.

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