I regret that I've forgotten till now to welcome one of our newest Beliefnet bloggers, Aziz Poonawalla, who writes the Islamic blog City of Brass -- at which he discusses most recently the establishment of sharia courts in the UK. Aziz points out that Jews in the UK have had recourse to Beth Din courts to resolve civil matters, so why deny the Islamic equivalent to Muslims? It's a good question, and I would rather see no civil status granted religious tribunals of any sort, though I admit I haven't much thought about it.
Aziz takes issue with my use of the term "dhimmitude" to describe things like the advance of sharia courts in Britain, saying that this kind of term is inflammatory and obscures the discussion rather than clarifies it. The word was coined by Bat Ye'or to describe the historical legal conditions of Jews and Christians living under sharia. I use it in a political/polemical sense to describe what I believe is a state of mind in which non-Islamic Westerners kowtow or defer unreasonably to demands of Muslims living among them, out of fear of appearing bigoted or politically incorrect. I hasten to add that I don't see every accomodation made for Muslims living in the West amounts to dhimmitude, at least as I use the term. I'm mostly talking about stuff like a British government panel finding the classic fairy tale "The Three LIttle Pigs" unsuitable for British schoolchildren because it might offend Muslims.
But I take Aziz's point. Let me ask the room: is "dhimmitude" more often a term of clarification or obfuscation? As you answer, please be respectful of those who disagree. Posts that engage in abuse will be unpublished.
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Rod,
My post in reply to JPL is "awaiting approval". Not sure what happened.
JPL,
If I can retrieve my post from the bowels of my browser or network cache I will post it, otherwise I must concede the last word on this subject to you.
Sincerely,
Roland
As I stated prior to my lengthy missive above, I've clearly accomplished little but to fill more blog space for Beliefnet.
Roland, as much as I admire your verbal legerdemain, arguing with you is like debating Kant with a penguin...it's amusing for awhile to a person with a certain turn of mind, but it doesn't really accomplish anything.
I recognize the threat of Islam, and its promise. I recognize the threat of Christianity, and its promise. You seem to recognize only the threat of Islam, and only the promise of Christianity. From my perspective, this gives me a freedom that you seem to lack, although I'm sure you see it otherwise. C'est la vie.
Perhaps you would consider reading "The Illuminated Prayer: The Five Times Prayer of the Sufis" by Coleman Barks. Even with your immense distate for Islam, it's a beautiful explanation of prayer as practiced by the mystics of Sufism. I would find it hard to believe that you wouldn't like it, with your taste for classics and poetry. And it presents a version of Islam that is no more bloodthirsty than St. Teresa's Interior Castle.
Anyway, our differences aside, be well. May you find plenty of fish, avoid the deadly harp seals, and find one of the few remaining blocks of Antarctic Ice on which to hold your egg. :)
The uses of Batei Din (proper plural in Hebrew) in the US are essentially a matter of private arbitration, which is perfectly legal under any auspices. The parties agree beforehand to take their dispute to the Bet Din and to accept its decision. A sharia court could conceivably function in the same way. For all I know, there may already be sharia courts in the US functioning that way.
"The uses of Batei Din (proper plural in Hebrew) in the US are essentially a matter of private arbitration, which is perfectly legal under any auspices. The parties agree beforehand to take their dispute to the Bet Din and to accept its decision. A sharia court could conceivably function in the same way."
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Personally, I think access to voluntary courts should be limited to voluntary religions.
The Bishop of Rochester, making sense:
http://ibloga.blogspot.com/2008/09/anglican-bishop-nazir-ali-on-sharia-law.html
And a recent lesson on apostasy from Jordan:
"Jordan: Father repeatedly stabs daughter, crushes her head with Rock"
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/022787.php
(Note especially the "call-in" responses to this story on a local M.E. television station.)
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