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Secularism and Democracy: The only discussion we should be having

Reader comment on item: Secularism - Will It Survive?

Submitted by Victor Purinton (United States), Oct 13, 2005 at 17:09

Dr. Pipes

I am now more than ever convinced that any program for peace in the world will have to include very specific global discussions of both democracy and secularism. And they're going to have to include Arab Muslims. If they don't participate, then it's a waste of time.

It's time to start publicly querying individuals on how they feel about both issues - especially secular versus religious law and the prospect of Islam having a permanent place in the permanently secular societies of the west. And, yes, I believe that the phrase "permanently secular" should be heard from Bush, Blair, and all the other leaders of western nations. It plants a stake in the ground that will be impossible to miss.

You can always find Muslims debating the "should"s and "shouldn't"s of Islam. But they universally shy away from bringing up the hardest and most important question: "Yes, I agree that [such-and-such] is proscribed in Islam. But do you think this must be enforced by the state?" This question makes a lot of Muslims extraordinarily uncomfortable, especially when one Muslim asks another. Just asking is seen by some as an act of treachery.

My goal is not to make Muslims uncomfortable, but this is an issue that simply will not go away, and a discussion that has to happen in the Muslim world.

As they say, the sooner the better.

Victor

My placard for the day:

YES - to religious freedom
NO - to religious law
Submitting....

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Reader comments (28) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
have some respect please [64 words]readerOct 23, 2011 10:01190308
1Why secularism fails in Muslim world? [564 words]Syed KasimDec 25, 2006 02:5170466
Thanks for your analysis [27 words]Rasha JammalMay 16, 2007 19:1370466
Albania- poor [17 words]GooieAug 16, 2007 01:4970466
Think harder, dig deeper, go higher [441 words]Hani BahnamAug 8, 2008 21:5570466
take it on [456 words]Hani BahnamAug 22, 2008 18:0570466
no muslim majority country could be secular [98 words]anmolJan 13, 2015 01:3370466
6 [20 words]islam_indiaJan 13, 2016 13:1970466
Origins of secularism [196 words]Roger D. McKinneyOct 18, 2005 11:2027042
2Roger D. McKinney, You Are Misinformed [70 words]John M. DagdelenAug 16, 2010 22:2127042
1A secular state, the ONLY way to freedom of and freedom from religion [304 words]Nick (South Africa)Oct 18, 2005 07:0327037
Secularism foredooms itself. [432 words]Peter HerzOct 16, 2005 00:2426982
1Protestantism-Mr. Hertz [390 words]Tom MartinezMar 21, 2006 11:2126982
Roger Williams [969 words]djlOct 15, 2005 10:5926975
impressive [8 words]Dale EhrgottOct 13, 2005 23:4926930
Secularism equals political correctness [28 words]John GiannascasOct 13, 2005 21:0026923
Secularism and Democracy: The only discussion we should be having [238 words]Victor PurintonOct 13, 2005 17:0926917
Secularism - past, present and future [1056 words]John BastileOct 13, 2005 13:5826906
Response to John Bastile: Islam and Secularism can co-exist - and in fact do. [360 words]Kane GoughJun 30, 2006 06:5526906
Muslims... [315 words]Hadia ToorOct 31, 2008 04:1926906
Reply to article [68 words]Emaan AslamiJun 9, 2009 05:2526906
a simple question [104 words]M. UMAIR (Poltical scienteit)Apr 25, 2010 07:2526906
2you are wrong [292 words]ali omerJun 13, 2010 09:4226906
2India and Indonesia [103 words]SanjeevOct 2, 2010 09:2826906
secularism past and present [135 words]sughra malikMar 31, 2013 10:2826906
Is this real? [66 words]AnnaAug 2, 2014 21:2226906
2weakness of secularism [386 words]roger wilkinsonOct 13, 2005 01:2026893
1Genuine Secularism Versus 'Converted Secularism' [783 words]Swahili DinazOct 12, 2005 10:5226861

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