Quote:
Originally Posted by Nage Waza
I don't doubt that some people simply hate all Muslims, every group seems to have those that are dedicated to hating them - not just Muslims. I don't see much in the way of people supporting that view. The racists seem to be outcasts.
I don't see any people claiming they are pro nazis in order to call out the negatives of Sharia...what you posted was pretty awful. Sharia is very harmful. Can you justify the positives?
Muslims also have their share of racism, or whatever you want to call it. In fact, institutionalized racism is a big problem in much of the Muslim world. How do you propose that issue is dealt with? How should we see that from the outside looking in?
|
One your first point, that is mainly directed to the person I had quoted, as they've happily posted and defended propaganda content from white nationalist organisations (specifically Britain First, which is a runoff from the neo-Nazi BNP and has links to NI terrorist groups). I just don't think it's appropriate for someone who posts content taken directly from neo-nazis and terrorists to make objective comments on the moral standards of anyone else, period. Brietbart gets laughed out of most political circles here, so I think most of would agree spreading neo-Nazi propaganda and defending it is many categories worse.
I can't "justify the positives" of Sharia, as I can only justify the positive interpretations of any religion. My first inclination is that religion is problematic and can lead to some fairly toxic beliefs (and justifications for those beliefs). Islam is no different. But, without the ability to eradicate religion, I believe the best possible path is to celebrate and support those who are progressive, and who are liberal, rather than blanket condemnation.
There are gay Muslims, feminist Muslims, but they are still Muslims who follow Sharia. Sharia is really no different than the teachings of the Bible in the sense that people can take some pretty horrible things from it, but there's a lot of light to be had. From the conversations I've had and the people I've been around, (for progressive Muslims at least) Sharia teaches self control, being at peace with your neighbor, respecting your own body, being honest, etc. I know Muslims who don't drink or smoke because of Sharia, those who observe Ramadan do so because of Sharia, it's just used as a tool to inspire good people to be better.
Does it allow the exact opposite? It does, and that's a huge problem. As you said, there is an issue with institutionalised racism in parts of the Muslim world and while we have our own problems, we can still act as an imperfect leap in the right direction.
Progressive, liberal Muslims should be held up as the example and championed because those are the people that can affect the most change in Islam worldwide. That doesn't mean we stop criticising the bad parts of Islam or shouting down things like extremism and those who wish to override secular laws with religious ones, but those people are far fewer than the dramatic presence they seem to have to conservative westerners.
I think the best thing we can do is talk about Islam with some nuance. Not as some concretely good or bad thing. I don't believe there's anything but ignorance to saying there's no problem with Islam, just as I don't believe there's anything but ignorance to saying Sharia is an evil perversion.
This man seems to be a great example, not only for other leaders but to British youth as well:
https://www.google.ca/amp/www.mirror...l-10560509.amp
Instead of shovelling hate on him as some have indirectly done in this thread, we should be holding him up and making sure his words are heard by those who need the message. Change comes from within, and all that.