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GTB
Harris's Sausage Supremo
Joined: 05 Jun 2007
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 Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:14 am Post subject: Sharia Law |
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This was an article written by Simon Heffer in yesterdays Daily Telegraph.
| Quote: | Clergymen inevitably spend much time on their knees. They are supposed to be there in prayer. However, as Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has demonstrated, the Church of England, in particular, loves to genuflect not just to God, but to any threat to the culture of which we all thought it was a central part. You’re supposed to defend Christianity
Although we are a secular society - and I stress I write this as an unbeliever myself - the culture of our nation is fundamentally Christian. It cannot but be so when our head of state is also Supreme Governor of the established Church. No one chose that our society should be this way: it is how it has evolved. It has evolved through general consent, under a rule of law, and (for the last 200 years at any rate) via the democratic process. And, as a result, our culture and way of life are accepted to be a sensible basis for our all living together reasonably contentedly.
Why, then, has this idiotic man suggested that some elements of Islam's sharia law should be recognised in Britain? There is no call for it among the majority of Britons, who are quite satisfied with us all being subject to the same laws, and certainly no call for it among his flock. He is doing it for the traditional, British liberal reason: he seeks to capitulate to anyone who offers to challenge the status quo.
All appeasement of those who threaten a settlement - whether it be political, religious, cultural, legal or a mixture of all four - is dangerous and stupid. It is the thin end of the wedge to the overthrow of that settlement. The archbishop argues that Muslims should not be forced to choose between their culture and their country of adoption. I'm sorry, but that is precisely what they - and anybody from any different culture who comes here - must do.
It is not just that having one law for Muslims and another for everyone else would be fatal to the rule of law, to the coherence of our society, and to any sense of nationhood. It is not even just that it would fuel anti-Muslim extremism, as the opportunist, grandstanding race-relations commissar Trevor Phillips has said. It would fuel pro-Muslim extremism too and, frankly, that it is even more dangerous. It would make a minority of Muslims believe that this country was theirs for the taking, whether the majority liked it or not: and what sort of society would that lead to?
If Muslim nations wish to have sharia law, then so be it. However, just as we are always being warned about features of our culture that might offend Muslims, let Muslims - and Dr Williams - be in no doubt that there are aspects of sharia law that offend us. The subjection of women, which degrades and humiliates them, is the most notable. The archbishop seems to imagine that sharia law's adoption could be confined to matters such as financial transactions and divorce. But why should it stop there? Indeed, how could it? The Church of England has long dined à la carte from the menu of Christian doctrine. The Ten Commandments have become mostly optional. Homosexuality, divorce and abortion are demanded as rights by certain sections of the Anglican communion, and no prelate seems to dare to contradict them. The Church has brought itself into contempt by acting in this way. Now, though, perhaps Dr Williams imagines Muslims will dine à la carte from the Koran. He must be mad.
A man in his position should defend our way of life and, above all, defend the unity of our society. That unity is already fragile: and this disgraceful act of appeasement, as well as showing the archbishop is unfit to occupy St Augustine's Throne, threatens to shatter it. If the Church of England has any point, it is to stand up for the prevalence of English and Christian values. We like our country as it is. For God's sake, Williams, get off your knees. |
I think Mr Heffer makes some very valid points in his observations on Dr Rowan Williams. A few hundred years ago the Arch Bishop would have been burnt at the stake for what he said. Luckily, in these enlightened times, we don't burn heretics anymore.
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rosco
Born and Bred Local
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| Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 10:48 am Post subject: Re: Sharia Law |
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| GTB wrote: |
I think Mr Heffer makes some very valid points in his observations on Dr Rowan Williams. A few hundred years ago the Arch Bishop would have been burnt at the stake for what he said. Luckily, in these enlightened times, we don't burn heretics anymore. |
I don't think that it is a fair criticism really - after all, it's not as if Dr. Williams is the leading cleric in the State religion (which I think has the British Monarch as its head ever since Henry VIII), nor as if there was a body already to represent the Muslim faith in the UK and make such suggestions (say called something like the Muslim Council of Britain) - I really don't see what all the fuss is about!  |
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GTB
Harris's Sausage Supremo
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| Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:44 pm Post subject: |
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Dr Rowan Williams is the spiritual head of 77 million anglicans world wide and for him to suggest adopting another religeons' doctrine in a predominantly Christian country is, to say the least, very offensive towards Christian followers who look to him for guidance. This man has bent over backwards (excuse the pun) to appease the homosexuals in the church now he talking about an opt out scheme for followers of the Muslim faith. I'm all for integration but not on this sort of scale - if people want to come to Great Britain they should adopt our rules and any appeasement should be towards us not them.
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Bear
Harris's Sausage Supremo
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| Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 3:56 am Post subject: |
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I cant believe we are having this debate the law is the law for all men and women in this country regardless of race or religion if you wish to change the law then you doit through the democratic process. in other words only when the majority in this country vote for a Muslim party to be in power will this be able to happen. We are currently on course for it to take place in about 2080 thankfully I will be dead by then.
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Geddi
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| Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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I think the bits of Sharia law which Rev Williams meant should be considered for inclusion into British law are pretty minor bits. There are roughly five times more Muslims in this country than there are Jews, yet Jews can legally marry in synagogues but Muslims can not legally marry in mosques! That to me is quite simply unfair and uneven. If we intend to have a proper representation of our population here in Britain, we should have some equality across the board of monotheistic religions.
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GTB
Harris's Sausage Supremo
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| Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Geddi wrote: | | Jews can legally marry in synagogues but Muslims can not legally marry in mosques! |
I didn't know that, Geddi.
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Geddi
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| Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 10:23 am Post subject: |
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GTB:
I think a lot of people didn't know that. I didn't until recently, now I am aware and I think it needs addressing. Evidently, Rev Williams thought the same.
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