Jimmyj,

Shariah law can co-exist as a personal law. Yes and let me confirm that from own life in Australia for 10 years: I don not gamble, drink or do drugs; my savings account is a cheque account (no interest). I pay the poor due from my net income. I don’t harm others by word or act. My will to my wife when I die is to divide my assets as the Holybook tells me.

As far as I can tell, none of the above conflicts with the Australian laws.

Boaz and the Mosque-teers,

“By their postings and lack of responses (like Coachy boy) you shall know them!”
So, the Bible story of a chosen prophet getting drunk, sleeping with his 2 daughters and getting them pregnant is true...untrue...good...bad...ugly?
Boaz, when are you going to engage in a real dialogue about accepting each other?

Coachy,

One of my greatest puzzles is your 'Judeo-Christianity' thingy.

Judeo = the saviour is not here yet..its all hoax folks!.
Christianity = the saviour came and left...its all done..Jews missed the boat.
The first part proves that the second is wrong! Is this another puzzle like God have forms stuff?
There is a lot more in common Judeo-Islam (Commandments).
and Christianity-Islam (Jesus prophethood).

Can you put the sword down and have an acceptance dialogue?

Peace,

Well I never!

What a marvellous stream of invective this essay has provoked!

Middle Eastern Islamic societies are still essentially feudal and have yet to undergo the type of reformation which hit Christianity after Martin Luther nailed his "95 theses" to the door of a Wittenburg church in 1517. (Reformation is relative of course. Protestantism did not save the lives of the Salem "witches" 200 years later.)

These Islamic countries' concept of Sharia law is best compared with that of Christian countries in the 13th and 14th centuries, not the present day.

Ziauddin Sardar is a UK-based Muslim writer and author of the book, "Desperately Seeking Paradise: journeys of a sceptical Muslim". His interesting essay, "Can Islam change?" is at http://www.perfect.co.uk/2004/09/can-islam-change

His answer?

Yes. It already is.

Redneck,

We fought all major “ISMs” but Islam is a different beast. Somehow history must always repeat for people to wake up and acknowledge a new menace.

R0bert,

What you don’t realise is that islam claims to be an extension to Judaism and Christianity – plus they made it their business to attack those two faiths - mentioned by name in the Qur’an.

So if someone assaults your family would you just sit back and watch them do it?

It is not as simple as you think. Accepting islam as a religion is espousing the whole package deal: social, political, cultural, ideological, judicial, etc…Most of which is incompatible to our values.

Islam will NOT compromise to suit us – but sure as hell they will make us believe they are.

To accept islam is to play with fire – one must get burnt. Just watch that Joseph Thomas guy …

Which leads me to Fellow_Human...

Sorry I don’t get what you are talking about; but I’m guessing you are denigrating my beliefs which is SO MUCH NOT LIKE YOU of course…

The only way we could have a productive dialogue is if you prove to me that your religion is worth dialoguing with.

So far all you have is a self proclaimed prophet who hijacked someone else’s religion to pursue his trading business empire. In the process he broke every rule of decency using a fictitious god as his stamp of approval for his hideous acts. Wrote a book about it and made it the new law for his victims err…I mean followers.

Now how can you entertain the notion that you can even remotely consider – let alone vaguely imagine - to approximate Mohammad to Jesus?

Where would you begin to pencil your doted lines?

Islam is not just dead as I once said – it has never lived. There is NO LIFE outside of Jesus the son of God – (not the Isa ebn Mariam travesty version of the Qur’an.)

Sorry mate – but I really pity you - your tall tale will never wash against the Bilble.

Fellow_Human (and Jamila),

You're a disgrace due to poor reasoning plus the way you both deceive yourself and others.

FH wrote: "... personal law... in Australia... I do not gamble, drink or do drugs... ... as the Holybook tells me."

That's your prerogative in accordance with your belief, nothing to do with laws, least of all Australian Law.

Tell us, if you knowingly or un-knowingly break your Shariah 'personal' laws, like going to the pub for a drink or steal something, who is going to come and arrest you for breaking your laws? Will you pay a fine (to whom)? Will you voluntarily chop off one of your hands? If not, doesn't that make you a hypocrite?

'Personal' laws... is like saying a death penalty is acceptable (and actually already implemented) in Australia simply because no-one commits a crime that warrants a death sentence in the first place.

Australian laws are not just about what you shouldn't do but also what happens if you break the law. Hence your Shariah 'personal' laws are just deceptive bulls*it.

Like I suspected, there is no such thing as a Muslim intellect, which is a contradiction in terms. Muslims are at best PSEUDO-intellect, something that's proven again and again.

I expect Jamila Hussain to RESIGN from her lecturer post, a position of influence if she can't even show up to defend her pseudo-intellect views.

Response to Fellow_Human

As always, good to hear from you.

From your description, you have found a solid accommodation within our legal system to practice civil sharia law. If you can find a balance without changing Australian law I am pleased and heartened. This is the way forward on this matter and it is good to see somebody taking a rational and pragmatic approach.

Legal changes to suit Sharia law are not going to happen so it is up to Muslims in Australia work within the parameters. If an accommodation is reached within our current legal system, the practice of Sharia law is none of my business (nor anyone elses). Any changes to our legal systems would unacceptable and recognized by most Australians as nothing less than the “thin end of the wedge”.

If this is the case I am still extremely confused one a final point. If the Australian legal system and Sharia law are compatible – why is the Islamic leadership constantly stating that it is lobbying for legal changes to suit Sharia?

Jimmyj,

Good to read from you too.
The example I gave you is a practical example that I live by and apply in day today life and there is no conflict what so ever between my Australian value and being a Muslim. In all honesty I don’t know who is asking for Shariah law that scares Peter Costello every two weeks apart from a Melbourne Imam with a 100 audience.

My position is this:

Australia is a secular society and should be kept this way.
A secular system works on precedents. P Costello should rather ensure no religious-based exceptions is/were given to any minorities because if we open the exceptions door…it can’t be closed.

Coach,

“Now how can you entertain the notion that you can even remotely consider – let alone vaguely imagine - to approximate Mohammad to Jesus?”

You are right I can’t entertain that since all prophets are equal in my faith. The luxury of comparing and favouring one human over the other is all yours!
I also don’t use ‘Old testament’ & ‘New Testament’ but rather use the Torah and the Bible. Its arrogance only you can afford.

I can only answer your questions about Islam & modernisation:

http://www.freemuslims.org/

GZ Tan,

The philosophy of Shariah law is around prevention to protect individuals, families and societies and hence its starts from one's choice.
Here is an example: if myself, my wife and my kids agree on our wills being according to our Holy scripture; there will be no need to take it one day to court even after my death; or is there?

“Pseudo-intellects” indeed!