Atheists can break out the champagne: there really are some wacky religious people out there. One of them seems to be Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury. In a recent speech Williams ruffled a lot of feathers--it is not Anglican custom to ruffle a lot of feathers--when he said it "seems unavoidable" that Muslim holy law or sharia is coming to Britain. Not only that, but our bearded, bespectacled cleric even thought that this would be a good thing because it would foster social cohesion.
While conceding that "nobody in their right mind would want to see in this country" some of the "extreme punishments" and "attitudes toward women" that prevail in certain Muslim countries, Williams called for a "constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law." So: no chopping off limbs and no honor killings. Williams argued, however, that other issues such as marital disputes and financial matters could be handled not by the British legal system but by Muslim sharia courts. All of this would have the beneficial result, in Williams' view, of meeting the distinctive needs of Muslims. Williams argued that Muslims should not have to choose between "the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty."
Now if this sounds absurd to you, and a little dangerous to boot, ask yourself: where have I heard this before? What we are getting from Williams is not religious craziness but liberal craziness, not theological error but multicultural reductio ad absurdum. The multicultural premise is that classical liberal rules that apply equally to everyone nevertheless discriminate against racial and cultural minorities that don't want to play by those rules. Consequently equality of rights for individuals must give way to equality of consideration for groups. Otherwise minorities will feel disenfranchised even in a society where there is equal treatment for individuals under the law. This is what Williams means when he says that Muslims should not have to sacrifice cultural loyalty in order to be loyal to Britain.
So what is our woolly-headed archbishop suggesting: office breaks for Muslims to pray five times a day? Jihadist history month? Overlooking the occasional polygamous marriage in the Muslim community? No one really knows because Williams didn't really say. And when several people expressed shock at Williams' words and called for his resignation, Williams finally acknowledged that he had spoken "clumsily" and with a "misleading choice of words." Even so, he added that while he did not favor creating "parallel jurisdictions" for sharia and secular courts, he thought that "additional choices" could be opened to Muslims. On what precisely those choices might be, Williams maintained a Sphinx-like silence.
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Anglican Archbishop Embraces Sharia Law
Posted Feb 15th 2008 1:09AM by Dinesh D'Souza
Filed under: Islam, Christianity, Bizarre, Atheism
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Reader Comments ( Page 6 of 25)
76. Strados, Observant is incapable of independent thought. He is a Christian Automaton.
His language is biblespeak and he is monolingual.
That's all I can say about him that I know to be true.
Linda at 2:16PM on Feb 15th 2008
77. Hi Observant, Linda,
First, thax Linda for the compliment earlier.
Now I have to ask, are we splitting hairs on Jerry's experience? (And maybe we should let Jerry reiterate what exactly happened)?
I know people who have not believed in God in any way shape or form their entire lives and then one day had the born-again experience and became a believer. The belief in God happened at the same time as the experience.
Then I know others (I myself fall into this category) who were raised in church but did not have the born-again experience until I was an adult. I knew all about God growing up, but the experience was what solidified my belief. There is great difference between knowledge and belief.
Guy at 2:19PM on Feb 15th 2008
78. thax=thx lousy typos :)
Guy at 2:20PM on Feb 15th 2008
79. As far as the threating people with fire and brimestone, You tell me. Does the bible teach that unbelievers go to this place, or does it not?
If it does, I would not be makeing a threat, but simply stateing a biblical fact.
Is this not true?
Observant at 2:06PM on Feb 15th 2008
__________________________________________________
Biblical fact = oxymoron
TJ at 2:23PM on Feb 15th 2008
80. 74. Otherwise I'm going to start quoting L. Ron Hubbard at you and really piss people off.
Strados at 2:15PM on Feb 15th 2008
--------------------------
Have at it.
Observant at 2:24PM on Feb 15th 2008
81. "There is great difference between knowledge and belief." Guy
I have been saying that since day one on this Blog. Finally nice to see someone else say it.
Observant,
Jerry never said he doesn't believe in God. I don't know where you got that idea. He told you what he believes and what he knows. He was clear.
Botts at 2:25PM on Feb 15th 2008
82. Jerry never said he doesn't believe in God. I don't know where you got that idea. He told you what he believes and what he knows. He was clear.
Botts at 2:25PM on Feb
-------------------------------
Maybe you might try reading his experience over again. HE made the statement he did not believe in God. And then one day he was at home and suddenly he was bornagain.
Observant at 2:31PM on Feb 15th 2008
83. See, Botts, Observant has the play book on how you can be a christian, and you and Jerry don't play by that book. He has tunnel vision. You play by his rules, or you are not in the "true christian" game.
He says you cannot be "born again" and discover god at the same time.
Linda at 2:41PM on Feb 15th 2008
84. Observant, says,
That may be true. But the biblical fact is a man must FIRST believe that God IS, NOT after the fact.
I realize you don't believe the bible to be true, but just the same this is a debate over scripture.That may be true. But the biblical fact is a man must FIRST believe that God IS, NOT after the fact.
I realize you don't believe the bible to be true, but just the same this is a debate over scripture.
The only one believing there is a debate over scripture is you. I feel mostly sure that by removing the possibility of the biblical God taught by Christianity from my mind allowed the living God to enter my life. You are stuck in the box that is the bible, and until you allow your box to be enlarged you are stuck with the belief system of our ancestors. You said I was lying in a comment some time ago because you disagree with my being born again which flies in the face of what you believe. The truth of the matter is you are a bigot.
Jerry Brown at 2:42PM on Feb 15th 2008
85. Hi Observant,
I just re-read Jerry's post.
Quote: "As a child, and into my teens I went to quite a few church services. I found many things the preachers said to be appealing, but then they would say things I found repugnant. I ended up leaving religion for many years."
Jerry had exposure to Scripture, theology, doctrine, etc. It wasn't like he just woke up one day and said, "Hey, I think I'll believe in a God I've never heard of." Just because he hears and doesn't believe it right away doesn't what he's heard disappears from his brain. If that's the case, then I wouldn't be a believer either. He even says (paraphrasing) later in the post he gave much thought to who and what Jesus is/was during this period of unbelief.
Knowledge about God does not equal belief in God.
Guy at 2:43PM on Feb 15th 2008
86. Observant is a heretic.
a born atheist at 2:44PM on Feb 15th 2008
87. Actually, Observant is the Inquisitor, like Tomas of Torquemada, the Grand Inquisitor.
People like that should never have power.
Linda at 2:49PM on Feb 15th 2008
88. 86. Observant is a heretic.
a born atheist at 2:44PM on Feb 15th
-------------------------------
I would rather be a heretic by your definition than born atheist.
Observant at 2:51PM on Feb 15th 2008
89. I'm still in the habit of thinking Observant is a girl. Then when he said with machismo "Have at it", I remembered that there is indeed a pair of stones hiding under that skirt. There's an opinion of yours that I'm interested in finding out. I suppose you were taught that those who do not accept the Christ condemn themselves to a hellish fate. This doesn't make you judgmental. What I want to know is if you believe they DESERVE it.
Mokele-Mobembe at 2:52PM on Feb 15th 2008
90. Jerry said,
I feel mostly sure that by removing the possibility of the biblical God taught by Christianity from my mind allowed the living God to enter my life.
-------------------------
Removing the biblical God taught by christianity from my mind.
The proof is here in his own words Guy.
There is NO salvation offered by any other God but by the christian GOD.
Observant at 2:59PM on Feb 15th 2008