Friday, April 18, 2008

Developing Islam


A Democratic Islam? -Daniel Pipes

[I]t [is] tempting to conclude that the religion of Islam is itself incompatible with democracy. I disagree with that conclusion.

Today's Muslim predicament, rather, reflects historical circumstances more than innate features of Islam. [Islam] has the potential to evolve in a democratic direction.

In the Christian case, the battle to limit the Catholic Church's political role lasted painfully long.

[Radical] Islamists respond two ways to democracy. First, they denounce it as un-Islamic. Despite this scorn, Islamists are eager to use elections to attain power, and have proven themselves to be agile vote-getters... As [Turkey's elected radical Islamist] Erdoğan has revealingly explained, "Democracy is like a streetcar. When you come to your stop, you get off."
[Jerusalem Post]

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Erdogan a radical Islamist? Erdogan's government has increased rights for minorities, privatised certain government enterprises, has pushed harder for EU membership, maintained and strengthened relations with Israel and amended the constitution to limit the extent of army involvement in politics.

Pipes must be mad if he thinks Erdogan is a radical Islamist.

Bruce said...

In his writings, Dr. Pipes makes a distinction between Islamists who are actively violent and those who seek similar goals by working thru the system.

I believe that Dr. Pipes would place Erdogan in that category.