Muslim World Needs Secularism More than Ever

Submitted by Turk in DC (United States), May 22, 2007 at 15:53

>Why secularism fails in Muslim world?

It hasn't failed in Turkey.

>The West won the East/Islam/Muslims technologically, economically, politically but not spiritually(by >winning over communities from Islamic lands thru conversion to secularism or Christianity).

I know many Iranians, Turks, etc.. who have become Christians or changed/rejected their religion. This has usually happened after contact with westerners or western writings.

> Only muslim majority country Albania has been left the poorest country of Europe for the last 6-7 decades

That's the Albanians' fault. I don't believe there is a conspiracy to keep muslims down.

Muslims are able to keep themselves poor and ignorant just fine!

> At the same time, Australia which is 14000 kms away from Europe has been promoted as a developed country.

Well, isn't it?

>There are scores of Muslim majority countries outside the Europe having double the per capita income of >Albania.

Mostly oil sheikdoms made rich by western technology and know-how.

>All the World war 1/2 powers, whether they won the wars or lost the wars, allowed to become >developed/industrialised countries except Turkey

Nobody prevented Turkey from being developed. Turkish companies like Beko, Arcelik, Vestel are players in the technology field and there are many more Turkish companies that are growing and expanding their horizons. Give it some time.

> Now for Iran it denies its legal right for peaceful nuclear technology.

As a Turk, I am cautious about the mullahs getting their hands on a nuclear weapon too. They can't be trusted.

>Wherever democracy is accepted by muslims, the successful muslim leaders are not accepted by the west >- Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Algeria, etc.

Democracy doesn't just mean going to the poles. It means freedom of speech, freedom of religion, equality under law. As such, none of those Islamist groups you mention are for real democracy. In fact they are as anti-democratic as they come. How can they work to bring about sharia and then pass themselves off as democrats?

>So, for the Muslim world liberal secularism is nothing more than wearing skimpy clothing, being prone to >alcoholism, ignoring family life, etc.

As if those problems don't /didn't exist in muslim countries. What about the rampant homosexuality in Saudi Arabia, due to lack of contact with opposite sex ? Just last month, there was an article in the Atlantic Monthly about homosexuality in SA, and how widespread it is. I have heard the same from many Turks who have lived in SA. Gays from all over the world are flocking to SA!

>It really won people's hearts and minds in the last 14 centuries by winning over people from all major faiths >including Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.

Yes, we all know how Islam was spread so "peacefully".

>Other religions lose memberships to Islam but not vice versa. It has been proved over time for 14 >centuries.

There are many ex-muslims out there now. And have been in the past too. They don't want to be killed so they might not exactly throw a party and let everyone know when they leave Islam!

>This proves that Islam finally will win the whole world thru its comparatively good ideals - family life, >morality seriousness, etc.

Yes, those are the first qualities that come to my mind when I think of Arabs. Moral and serious. :)

You've got Shiites and Sunnis killing each other in Iraq, Pakistan, etc.. if these countries were secular, meaning they did not mix politics with religion and respected each others' religious views, then they would not be in such a mess.

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