Modernizing Islam

[Michael]

Is Islam compatible with modern proclivity?

Modernism includes an emphasis on the individual, intellect and scientific enquiry, on freedom of/from belief, the separation of church with state and the consequence of adopting these features as starting points.

However, Islamic countries can not allow any of these.

1) The individual is a Muslim before anything else. To state otherwise could see one jailed or much worse - dead.

2) Intellect and Scientific enquiry are fine, until they inevitably bump up against the Qur’an. At which point, they must take a backseat and the Qur’an be given president [or more importantly the person interpreting the Qur’ans cryptic verse].

3) It is impossible to allow another proselytizing religion to convert Muslims [although I suppose via the internet they inadvertently have]. Islam can not allow a Muslim to make his/her personal choice in religious matters. Which is quite odd, really.

4) To enforce #3 and to ensure that Islamic countries remain exactly that, religion must be enforced via the State.

Two ways to look at these ideas are history and comparison

To see that the above is true is to look at the history of Islam.

There certainly is no denying history. One example is how the heinous institution of Slavery was keenly practiced by Muslims for over a millennia and the entire time Slavery was mindfully accepted by those interpting the Qur’an, which has set-rules for Slavery's practice – it was only after the Europeans conquored the Muslims and then banned Slavery was it at last abolished.

For comparison we can look to the East.

- See how quickly Japan modernized.
- Then there is the 1980s Korean example.
- Taiwan and Hong Kong quickly modernized as well, while China restricted the above and languished in the dust.

Summary

So, I really do not see how Islam is compatible with modern proclivity?
Really, it isn’t is it?

[vincent]

islamic slavery is still going on in saudia arabia an other gulf states

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/341982.stm


World: South Asia
Bangladeshi child traffickers arrested
Camel-racing is a highly-lucrative sport
Police in the Indian state of West Bengal have arrested a group of Bangladeshi nationals who were taking their children to the Middle East to sell them as jockeys for camel racing.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4538253.stm
UAE to repatriate child jockeys



All Gulf countries are under pressure to stop using child jockeys

The United Arab Emirates has agreed with the United Nations on a plan to repatriate some 3,000 child camel jockeys from poorer countries.

Help and protection will be offered to boys until they are sent back to their homelands, mainly in Africa and Asia, where they will get further UAE aid.

The UAE banned jockeys aged under 16 and weighing less than 45kg (100lb) nearly a month ago.

A UN official said the plan should be a model for other camel-racing states.



boys as young as 3 years old from indonesia and pakistan
now repatriated back to there homelands they dont even know who there parents are

Working for arab shieks for cheap thrills
while the world turned a blind eye to it

I wonder if the koran promotes this kiddy slavery

After all there prophet had a 8year old child bride
so the koran obviously promotes kiddy sex