Promulgating Freedom
Reader comment on item: Defending and Advancing Freedom

Submitted by Jerry (United States), Nov 8, 2005 at 12:26

Dr. Pipes

Your analysis is right on the denar. Human nature being one of habit, calls for a long view for helping to build democratic institutions in the Middle East and Islamic nations. We cannot expect Islamic cultures rooted for centuries in non democratic religious autocracies, theocracies and Islamic dictators (even those like Saddam who is said to have been a secularist albiet never abandoned Islam), to instantly embrase constitutional republicanism which is committed to human rights and the rule of law based upon the natural law.

At times I am not as sanguine as you are about the possible outcomes for the future of Islam and democratic reforms. I don't see how the muslems can get past abandoning the Sharia as either a source or the source of law. And this is not even addressing the socialization process, which colors a peoples worldview. As long as this is the case, freedom (including the freedom to choose one's religion) will not prevail because as you know quite well, a society's norms, values and laws that are derived from the Koran, violates the natural law and rights of humanity.

Jerry

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