Today's Random News

[Doc Holliday]

I guess it's time to bust this shirt out in Texas, again.

[kedawa]

What bothers me is that you guys have an army over there and they aren't even trying to exterminate these backwards cultures.

[Type Ryan]

Sharia Law is just a legal system. It has nothing to do with worshipping Muhammed. Jews and Christians both have developed legal systems based on their religion.

You seem to forget that the Muslims don't separate church from state. While some legal systems may be founded on judeochristian beliefs, there's a separation. There's none of that in the Muslim world. The Quran is law and Mohammed's interpretation of the Quran is what these crazies follow in Sharia Law.

[Diff-chan]

You seem to forget that the Muslims don't separate church from state. While some legal systems may be founded on judeochristian beliefs, there's a separation. There's none of that in the Muslim world. The Quran is law and Mohammed's interpretation of the Quran is what these crazies follow in Sharia Law.

I forgot it because it's not true. Of course there is a separation, more often than not. Many Muslim countries have a secular system influenced by sharia law - including Indonesia*, Egypt, Pakistan, etc. These are countries with elections and parliaments and a secular rule of law. Some others that don't use it at all, like Turkey. Only a few states use an old-school theocratic Sharia system - Saudi Arabia is the biggest, and Iran too, although it cloaks that in some not-too-convincing ways.

Obviously within every country there are people more or less extremist and the debate on how much of the legal system should be Sharia-based. That's not surprising or damning.

There's a lot of people in the good ol' USA who seem to believe the founding fathers were raging fundies like themselves and think the Bible should be the rule of law.

*the most populous Muslim country, which I always thought was a weird fact.

[kedawa]

Our legal system certanly isn't based on any judeochristian silliness. Some of the individual laws might, but the institutions themselves come from Roman tradition.

[Anthony]

Indonesia is a very large country.

[Type Ryan]

Obviously within every country there are people more or less extremist and the debate on how much of the legal system should be Sharia-based. That's not surprising or damning.

There's a lot of people in the good ol' USA who seem to believe the founding fathers were raging fundies like themselves and think the Bible should be the rule of law.

See, this is where I think we're in disagreement. While the USA was certainly founded on religious beliefs, the Bible does not dictate policy in this country. Certain fundies may be trying to make that happen, but it won't. We have a democratic process that supercedes the church. In the Muslim world, more so with Arabs, even though they may have parliments and elections, that doesn't mean that their policies aren't shaped by the Quran or by religious leaders who have complete control.

Case in point, Iran. Who's really in charge? The *coughelectedcough* president or the Supreme Leader? In Egypt, the MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD is the ruling party. Do you think they'll shape policies based on what people want or from what the Quran says? That's what I mean by separation from church and state. While we are capable of shaping policy without the influence of the Bible, Arab countries cannot without the influence of the Quran or religious leaders.

[Fe 26]

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen,—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries." ~ U.S. Treaty with Tripolitania (now Libya), 1797

[Diff-chan]

In the Muslim world, more so with Arabs, even though they may have parliments and elections, that doesn't mean that their policies aren't shaped by the Quran or by religious leaders who have complete control.

I said it before - it depends on the country. Every country is different. The Gulf states tend to be more theocratic but there really is a huge range within the "Muslim world."

Case in point, Iran. Who's really in charge?

Well, the Supreme Leader. Like I said, Iran is one of those old-school theocratic states.

In Egypt, the MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD is the ruling party. Do you think they'll shape policies based on what people want or from what the Quran says?

The Muslim Brotherhood won a fair democratic election. As for how policies will go... too soon to tell. Egypt was a secular (US-backed) dictatorship for a long time. The country has a strong secular tradition as well as secular/moderate/liberal parties.

[Type Ryan]

"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen,—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries." ~ U.S. Treaty with Tripolitania (now Libya), 1797

Suuuure. I say the the proof is in the pudding...

In God We Trust

One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

God Bless America

And on what does the president complete his oath of office during inauguration day?

Nope, no religious influences in our country. No, sir.