I would have thought, that was the point, Christianity, Anglo sphere had undergone the Reformation period, separation of Church and state, Turkey is the only other Islamic state to have attempted this move from a political stance, it can not alter the philosophical stance of Islam, as it is it self a doctrine of a the none existence of intellectual Pragmatism and that being the case and point regarding the Islamic issue. Theocratic Ideologies are that Ideology, not a philosophical positioning suitable for a guideline of reality, there is no definition of metaphysics, and a third point is Common law practice.
Seemingly, for those reasons appears why many on the left are attracted to Islamic movements, it is the Existing Prima of all anti theistic philosophies that consistent of primitive control and of no Objective Reason, The conjecture in rhetoric is not so dissimilar as Marxism’s integrated attempt to redefine Universalism, as does Kant or Spinoza etc.They can not handle reality, just invent ways to train the mind to avoid it and then reinvent it in a form more palatable to them, that is the intellectual contribution to explain the non existence of existence, hmmm, more reform please. Evolutionary doctrine and Civilizations have all come apart by anti theistic insurgencies, that is history, you can only advance people up to meet Civilization, not civilization wind back to meet others, the Roman Empire did that , and all was lost in only a few years.

Bye bye Hamlet. Don't bother crossing swords with me again until you have done your homework and have a bit of a clue what you are talking about. Of course, if you did just that instead of just parroting fashionable slogans, you wouldn't need me to straiten you out.

Hamlet,
I recognise your attempt to state women under Christianity are the posession of men. I ask what Christian Church, or nation oppresses women as second class citizens and practises honour killings? I suggest you read John chapter 4 and 8, on Jesus relationship to women, both considered low class by Jews and Islam.

Quote, "I could go on, but you get the picture - Christianity and Judaism are no better, according to their sacred texts - then Islam.

Philo

I was trying to show that the sacred texts of various religions can be interpreted to show that women are oppressed and discriminated against by those religions.

In general terms, where the men of any religion have been able to let go of the cultural biases that they hold, and instead be immersed in the spirit of the religion then those biases will usually dissappear.

Paul talks about men and women, Jew and Gentile, being equal in Christ.

When Christ himself talks about loving your neighbour as yourself, it means, amongst all other meanings, that men should treat women with the respect and love that they themselves expect.

Paul does talk about men and women having different functions, but never describes any function as being less than any other - the body has many parts, and all are needed, to paraphrase him.

In fact Paul gives men more responsibility, a heavier burdern to carry, so to speak. Men are required to 'love their wives', this is the love of duty, to give up their lives if necessary, not the modern idea of love as a feeling. Women, on the other hand, are only required to 'respect' their husbands. I don't have the passage references in front of me, but I am sure you know where they are.

The Old Testament commandments regarding relationships between men and women were actually intended to improve the situation of women. The Old Testament is full of commandments to help widows and orphans and to treat women with respect, as part of the community.

Selectively quoting from any scared text can lead to wrong conclusions. My understanding, frail that it is, is that prior to the Quran the lot of women in Arabia was even worse.

http://www.isteve.com/IQ_Table.htm
Interesting, Automaton programmed intelligential, sounds left to me;

Hamlet,

Sorry but isn't that the grand scheme, whereby Sharia law will be introduced after the conquest of the south-east asian region. Personally, as a jew I am as keen to see that as I would be to see the resurgence of the Inquisition.

Face it, the coming conflict will inevitably result in the detention of all citizens and non-citizens within Australia, of Arab, persian or other islamic ethnicity. The fact is that during both world wars, Australia did do so to naturalised German citizens, Italian citizens and Japanese citizens. I think racial profiling will very soon be the least of your worries, unless efforts are made now to distance the Australian islamic communities from the activities of their contempories overseas.

Just for your information these laws have been previously deemed Constitutional, and their is very little prospect of a succesful challenge.