Well it looks like the debate “Islam is incompatible with democracy” was quite a success last night. So who won?
1200 people packed the City Hall last night, and after arguments from both sides, got to choose which side won. The verdict – the proposition went down by a narrow margin of 52 to 48 per cent.
Interestingly enough, in the on-line poll attached to today’s SMH article, the affirmative currently have it with a narrow margin of 54 to 46 per cent.
So perhaps, when people actually get to hear both sides of the argument they can make a more informed decision, and realise Islam may be compatible with democracy? Only time will tell.
Have a read of the SMH article, vote in the poll, and have your say here.
17 April 2008 at 1:16 am
In the SMH article there’s a great quote by Samina Yasmeen:
“How is it, though, that Muslims in non-Muslim societies are able to get on so well when Islam is incompatible? I would argue that Muslim majority states do show a lot of tolerance, not only of the Muslim community, but also of the non-Muslim community.”
Now I’ll gladly be wrong about this, but where on Earth is this actually happening? Not to the Christians in the Middle East certainly, nor here in Australia if we held a debate on the subject.
Any monotheistic religion by default will always be “incompatible” with the rest of the world. And don’t even get me started on tolerance.
17 April 2008 at 10:06 am
An article printed in the Skeptic and available on-line here is very critical of Shari’a law and the way it is used to suppress the people.
The article discusses the case of Shehu Sani, the author of a book and play titled Phantom Crescent, who was taken to court in Kaduna-Northern Nigeria to have his book and play banned.
Interestingly Shehu (a Muslim himself) is interviewed at this site and has some good things to say about some countries under the rule of Shari’a law.
So what is one to think? Is Islam compatible with Democracy? Can a country ruled under Shari’a law treat everyone, Muslim and non-Muslim, fairly and equitably?
17 April 2008 at 10:17 am
“In all these places what you see hand in hand with Shari’a is that people are comfortable; they have good roads, electricity, a bright future, their children are in the best of schools and they have the best medical care system and everybody is living up to his own responsibility.”
And Mussolini made the trains run on time.