I Disagree
Reader comment on item: The Jewish-Muslim Connection: Traditional Ways of Life
in response to reader comment: Islam/Judaism views

Submitted by Raihan Jangi (Canada), Jul 10, 2007 at 03:40

I disagree that modern western civilization is a consequence of the Christian notion of enlightenment which is implicated in Mr.Pipes' article. Just go few hundred years back--when the church and state were not separated in Europe. Consider the inquisitions,witch hunting, massacres of Jews and even rival Christian Sects. While most MODERN Chrisitians just ignore the laws and put stress on faith without actions(laws persec)--there forefathers had lots of zeal of witch-hunting, inquisition and sodomy was punishable by death. Voltaire or Schopenhauer or Nietze or Marx were neither Jewish nor Christian--were atheists and agnostics--although definitely the Christian notion of replacement of law might have some effect on them. The French Revulationaries were not merciful Christians. The Muslims definitely put great stress on laws but faith is just as important and even Christian Bible(NT)--teaches that faith without action is useless. The mediaval Christians were beheading adulterors because they believed that Jesus saved the adulteress because he had that authority(Because according them He was God)--but as men they need to be even more righteous than those Pharisees and have no authority to ignore even a jolt of the laws(see NT).

The best thing for Muslims is to hold fast the divine laws and the Jews must also come back to their roots and save themselves from modern distorted so-called lawless western civilization.

---

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 for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.