Saturday, April 19, 2008
Can Islam be reformed?
Can Islam be reformed? Many commentators have suggested that what Islam needs is a Reformation akin to the protestant reformation of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Others have suggested that it really needs a large dose of Enlightenment. How might it be reformed? Can you do a scissors and paste job on the Koran? Is it possible to reinterpret the verses of the Koran metaphorically or to 'spiritualize' them? Or is the Koran unreformable? Is the violence and mayhem integral to its message? For a fascinating debate on the subject go to Front Page.
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3 comments:
A passionless debate on these matters is impossible. I will tell you that I was offered a job in a department headed up by a devout Muslim. I turned down the job because I didn't feel comfortable working with someone who has radical views (and I found that out via the 'grapevine').
Modern Islam is so driven by Saudi money that has bought a truce with the radicals by teaching radicalism around the world, including England and the US.
You might like to read an article on the BBC website entitled:-
"When Muslims become Christians"
it can be found at:-
http://tinyurl.com/4h8xle
Richard,
Thanks for the link. The BBC will put the best gloss on it that they can, but the article says, "A poll conducted by the Policy Exchange last year suggested that over a third of young British Muslims believe that the death penalty should apply for apostasy." That is a frightening prospect.
I am afraid that I have never read the Koran - I tried, but it seemed to me unreadable. However, my researches suggest that there are apparently contradictory verses, and that those written in Mecca, where the prophet was in a minority are much more accomodating to other faiths than those written at Medina, where he effectively ruled.
The debate in Front Page does nothing to quell our fears.
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