69 million page views

Mohammed must come to the mountain

Reader comment on item: Articulating American Ideals to Muslims

Submitted by Brooks Imperial (United States), Jan 18, 2006 at 18:35

But Dr. Pipes, wouldn't an effort to bring Muslims into modernity through education tend to suffer from the same flaw that dooms the welfare state to failure? Namely, an imposed set of ideals will probably have no more lasting effect than an imposed set of conditions.

My inclination is to disagree with you and propose that people who avow western ideals should boldly live them with conviction and confidence in their proven success in bettering the human condition. Muslims will catch on or they won't, but I suspect their awakening will have to be something they initiate. Chasing our tails to make modernity relevant to a medieval cult seems pointless.
Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Daniel Pipes replies:

I think a better analogy would be the imposition of American ideals in Germany and Japan post-World War II. It can work.

Submit a comment on this item

<< Previous Comment      Next Comment >>

Reader comments (21) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Education is key [125 words]Chuck HorseMar 25, 2006 16:0041357
Soon a new world war will engulf the world [372 words]Richard WingJan 24, 2006 10:2832303
The Muslim media and Muslims in the West [241 words]David MatthewsJan 21, 2006 15:4832130
1Regarding bush's words [402 words]maryam kim martinJan 19, 2006 02:2631964
The shift key is on the bottom left! [88 words]John GiannascaJan 19, 2006 19:0031964
Priorities [547 words]Art DecoJan 20, 2006 18:5131964
Mohammed must come to the mountain [110 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Brooks ImperialJan 18, 2006 18:3531946
Sharia in America [405 words]RichardJan 14, 2006 11:2031608
Leave them be... [304 words]Justin H.Jan 13, 2006 09:1131564
Justin you sound just like them! [369 words]John GiannascaJan 17, 2006 20:1731564
Yes, Saddam WAS a brutal tyrant, But... [658 words]Justin H.Jan 20, 2006 16:5431564
To John on the challenge of Iran [805 words]Justin H.Jan 20, 2006 17:5531564
Justin H. [116 words]DaisyJan 22, 2006 13:3231564
Does anyone read the news or even think for themselves [173 words]FrankMay 28, 2008 02:3931564
A little sensitivity here [73 words]John GiannascaJan 10, 2006 17:1131427
Democracy in the Middle East [580 words]Taha Abdulla BaharonJan 8, 2006 10:3431272
TA Baharon [69 words]DaisyJan 22, 2006 13:4631272
Responding to Ms.Daisy [209 words]Taha Abdulla BaharoonJan 23, 2006 12:4231272
Mr. TA Baharon [215 words]DaisyJan 24, 2006 09:5831272
Thanks Taha [34 words]MaxstudioFeb 11, 2007 05:1131272
We'll Just Call it Democracy [12 words]The Other AlanJan 6, 2006 21:1431209

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)