Will Islamic Absolutism defeat Western Relativism

Submitted by Andy (United States), Feb 9, 2006 at 10:21

Your article is excellent. It expresses clearly the issues of "Islamic Imperialism". However, it is one thing to identify the problem; it's quite another to have the fortitude and conviction to stand.

As seen by the different responses from different countries, the West's problem in dealing with Islamic Imperialism is Islamic "Absolutism". We can all see the extremism in the Absolutes of radical Islamic thinking but Absolutism of any kind will always be victorious over the Relativistic thinking of the West (ie. not sure what's right or wrong - whatever you think). Do we stand for freedom of speech as a preference or a conviction?

You can see conflict amongst our politicians everytime President Bush talks strongly about the need to defeat terrorism. His absolute language repulses the liberal relativism of much of our political structure

I am not advocating in any way an Absolute extremism (ie. the Crusades, the Inquisition) but a return to the social and moral values that have kept Western cultures strong and sustainable in the midst of cultural fires.

Without some clear absolutes that a nation or society agree on, we cannot determine what is right or wrong about Islamic absolutism and therefore fall prey to its advance.

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