"I find particularly disquieting the archbishop’s implied thesis that society cannot create a secular justice system that respects religious plurality and the rights of all of its citizens. It would seem the archbishop gives his blessing to the idea that a Western state is incapable of creating just laws applicable also to Muslims."
I think Father Jonathan misunderstands exactly what the Archbishop is getting at. The Archbishop is not saying that the UK's system doesn't apply for Muslims; the fundamental problem is that extreme Muslim groups don't like the UK's system. Moderate Muslims function under the UK's system, as well as the system here (which is why Al-Qaeda and the like call them unbelievers as well!). So, in his conclusion, I think Father Jonathan is entirely correct when he says that "[m]oderate Muslim scholars should be the first and loudest voices to reject the Anglican archbishop’s proposal as bad for Islam, bad for the United Kingdom and as a terrible precedent for the prospects of cultural integration worldwide."
In addition, I think that Christians need to be dialoguing more freely with moderate Muslims, developing friendships not for the intent purpose of evangelism, but so that we can break down a lot of the prejudices that we have built up around the concept of the "Muslim."
2 comments:
Who knew that Roman Williams was a proponent of Shari'ah law? How's this gonna affect Community Church? LOL...
OK. Here's an actual comment:
"I find particularly disquieting the archbishop’s implied thesis that society cannot create a secular justice system that respects religious plurality and the rights of all of its citizens. It would seem the archbishop gives his blessing to the idea that a Western state is incapable of creating just laws applicable also to Muslims."
I think Father Jonathan misunderstands exactly what the Archbishop is getting at. The Archbishop is not saying that the UK's system doesn't apply for Muslims; the fundamental problem is that extreme Muslim groups don't like the UK's system. Moderate Muslims function under the UK's system, as well as the system here (which is why Al-Qaeda and the like call them unbelievers as well!). So, in his conclusion, I think Father Jonathan is entirely correct when he says that "[m]oderate Muslim scholars should be the first and loudest voices to reject the Anglican archbishop’s proposal as bad for Islam, bad for the United Kingdom and as a terrible precedent for the prospects of cultural integration worldwide."
In addition, I think that Christians need to be dialoguing more freely with moderate Muslims, developing friendships not for the intent purpose of evangelism, but so that we can break down a lot of the prejudices that we have built up around the concept of the "Muslim."
What do y'all think?
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