Here's an article from High Court Judge Michael Kirby that gets about 80% right but the 20% it gets wrong, it does so spectacular.
My point is that it is not good enough for Christians, or people of the Christian tradition, to be selective about tolerance and acceptance. We cannot selectively denounce Islam for its views on apostasy but then do equally nasty and cruel things to others by invoking imperfect understandings of our own religious tradition.
No, no, No!. Both problems, Islam's stance on apostasy and Christianity's on homosexuality don't come from "imperfect understandings of their own religious tradition", in fact said religions are quite definite on both points. The religions, at least in those matters, are just plain wrong..
I notice Kirby also throws up the "No compulsion in religion" verse. You see, that's nice and all, but said verse was written in the Medina period, and abrogated by the following verse promulgated later:
Then when the Sacred Months (the 1st, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikun {unbelievers} wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat {the Islamic ritual prayers}), and give alms, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Which is not so inclusive.
And herein lies the problem most moderates are always going to run into:
Fundamentalists and zealots are usually on more sound theological ground.
Posted by Quentin George at November 19, 2007 06:32 PM