Re: [Time to grow up, Islam. Time to get into the 21st ccentury....] "If Islam doesn't grow up and become more tolerant of their own and others...."
EXACTLY.
That's what I have been saying for many months now.
What helped the West develop into a pluralistic, religiously tolerant region was a long series of internecine religious wars.
Out of the wars between Catholics and Protestants the Reformation emerged... and so many of the ideals of religious freedom, pluralistic states, and 'inalienable' human rights which so inspired our founding fathers.
The Islamic world never had a Reformation, never rejected Theocratic rule, never had a popular appreciation for pluralism and respect for freedom or religion. (Although they had their chances at various times in history: the Mongols were initially quite tolerant of religious expression....)
The civil war in Iraq (with Shiites, backed by Iran, on one side... and Sunnis, backed by neighboring Sunni dominated nations like Saudi Arabia and others) poses an opportunity for radical Theocrats and totalitarians on *both* sides of the Shi'a / Sunni schism to become discredited with their populations.
When the ruin that religious fundamentalism can bring to people is made clear to the people, and the only choice left that stands a chance of improving their conditions is pluralism, and respect for differing beliefs... only then can the Islamic world truly advance into the 21st. century.
We should NOT be standing in the middle of the civil war, having both sides take pot shots at us and use us to blame all their problems on, not be trying to halt the progress of historic tides. |
