Daniel J. Pipes

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Why shouldn't Islam's transition be smoother or easier?

Reader comment on item: A Democratic Islam?

Submitted by gfmucci (United States), May 12, 2008 at 21:28

"Such evolution is not easy for any religion. In the Christian case, the battle to limit the Catholic Church's political role lasted painfully long. If the transition began when Marsiglio of Padua published Defensor pacis in the year 1324, it took another six centuries for the Church fully to reconcile itself to democracy.

Why should Islam's transition be smoother or easier?"

Because the Christian Scripture, principally the New Testament, teaches freedom and forgiveness, and obedience to government authorities that are acknowledged as being separate from the church

while the Islamic Scripture, particularly the later "new testament equivalent" teaches conquest, domination, and the supremacy of Islamci law over apostate civil authority.

The domination of the Catholoc Church in civil affairs was seen as an anomalie, an apostacy while the more recent teachings of Islamic (e.g. Wahabbi) government is taught as faithful to Islamic scripture.

At least that is the perception of many.


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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".

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