BOAZ

The Economist's European correspondents are better informed as to what is happening in the European Islamic communities than you are. I give more credence to their reports than to your fact-free conspiracy theories.

Sharia law won't come to Australia because as the writer says there are many differing degrees of so-called "Sharia law.

Like all legal systems it may have some good ideas. The one thing our laws have moved away from is barbarism. Sharia Law in many cases hasn't ... nor has western law that allows the death penalty.

But of course there are degrees of barbarism. Recently the USA govt seemed to be justifying torture. Is torture barbarism? It also justified taking alleged "enemy combatitants" outside International Law and the US justice system. This was a dangerous development "under law" as it opens the door to misuse of the legal system. Hardly a big tick for a democratic country.

The extension of this could be to take ordinary citizens off-shore for interrogation purposes to by-pass a countries laws... dangerous stuff!

Sharia Law if practised in it's moderate form may have some attributes to it but like all law it is in the interpretation of those laws where the problems lie. If you cut off someones hand for stealing you are back to barbarism.

Islam and Judaism are eye for an eye religions and Christianity is a turn the other cheek religion. The USA is confused in this area. It calls itself a Christian and yet carries out the death penalty (an eye for an eye)in many states. From my reading of the bible you can't have it both ways without defying Jesus' teachings.

Our legal system has developed over 1000's of years also and it is continually moderating itself to be fair & just for all. On occassion it appears to fail but there are mechanisms in place to appeal judgements.

Try appealing a missing hand or a stretched neck after the event. Sharia law will never come to Australia either will USA law. That is one area where I must commend the majority of our pollies... they won't accept the reintroduction for the death penalty and neither they should.

The alchemist: Christianity not a bad "myth?" eh? the largest and most free of the religions of the world. The religion of the nations where most of the humanitarian, social, inventive advances have taken place - not perfect but not bad for a myth eh?
You are living under Judaic/Christian law, in the main, in this free democratic nation. Pray tell oh gem of wisdom under what other religion in what other country would you settle in? numbat

Islam is getting such a bad press and seems to have little to offer apart from generating and attracting fanatics. I fail to see what there is to gain by adopting any form of sharia law. All you would accomplish is credibility for a backward system that has no place in a modern democratic society. What would such an infusian do to the abortion debate and stem cell research? let alone foster shares!

Alchemist,
Most of my beliefs have come by observing people and things that work best for society, humanity, environment and human relationships. During my teenage years I rebelled for a while until I realised there was some wisdom in Christianity that I needed to learn. I have read and studied the evolving revelation of spiritual truth found in the Scripture and the writings contemporary. Beside reading the life of Jesus and the writings of the apostles initiated in me respect for the message they gave. I have former ministers of several different Christian denominations in my siblings and their childern including Orthodox Jews, including Jerusalem trained Rabbi.

I grew up in the bush on the far north coast of NSW [1940 - 1952] near Coffs Harbour and Bellingen and came to appreciate the natural Creation. Much of my beliefs come from a love of the natural Creation. I have seen native plants and animals few will ever see as I lived and then played in unspoiled creeks and virgin forest. I was a highly productive farmer for 36 years and an active protestor to unsafe developments polluting watertables, destroying natural ecosystems, and productive environments, [and in fact still am, including recent plantings of over 60 hectare reaforestation on the Johns River farm].

I have often thought that there would be less people from Muslim countries seeking to come to Australia if they were shown videos of what life is really like here, how difficult it will be to raise children in a society where social norms and mores are in such stark juxatoposition to Islam. "Your sons will be lead into temptation"