the goal for the 21st Century, should be to bring the level of civilization everywhere up to 18th Century Enlightenment standards
That is a noble goal and I would urge you to think seriously about how it can best be effected. Cultural change is a most delicate matter, and if done improperly it simply leads to intransigence, xenophobia and violence. If a father would willingly sacrifice his daughter to maintain the perceived honor or status of his family, how readily do you think would he go to war against a foreign infidel that seeks to change his cherished traditions and beliefs by force?
There are many who seem to think that we in the "enlightened" West should lead the charge for humanitarian reform in the Middle East. Some would say we are already engaged in such a noble mission right now in proactively moving Afghanistan beyond the Taliban and Iraq beyond Saddam. Others pursue more peaceful means of cultural change through missionary work, while others do so through secular multinational organizations and NGOs. I would argue that most such attempts at cultural imperialism are doomed to fail and that the most successful examples of reform are those that boil up from within the indigenous culture, instead of being imposed from without.
A good example of genuine cultural reform from within was the work in India during the 1820s by Ram Mohan Roy, who many refer to as the father of Modern Hinduism. Among other notable reforms, Roy is credited with success in abolishing the ancient Indian custom of suttee, where Hindu widows believed they were honoring their dead husbands by throwing themselves on his funeral pyre. Although the British had attempted to put an end to this barbaric practice by force of law, the law had little effect until Roy himself convinced Hindus that suttee was not a necessary part of the religion. You can read more about Ram Mohan Roy here: chanda.freeserve.co.uk
I do not know who will be the father (or mother) of modern Islam, but if he is anything like Ram Mohan Roy or Mahatma Gandhi, he will need to be well grounded in the traditions of Islam so that he can carefully distinguish between the religion and the customary subjugation of women. He will need to be educated to have a respect for the traditions of his country AND the traditions of the West. He (or she) will need credibility, passion, patience, and a kevlar burnoose, just in case.
Sam |
