cartoon1

cartoon1

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Strange bedfellows: Stoning and Democracy

Well this had me flummoxed.  Egyptians want democracy and stoning.  Someone should take them aside and explain to them what democracy really means, and how stoning, or any of the other wonderful punishments under sharia law just don't fit. 

Remember that how we view the concept of democracy is a polar opposite of how Islamists view democracy.  As a matter of fact, they do not view democracy in any context at all which would mean anything to the West. 

If the Egyptian people view their future as one where stoning and the cutting off of hands and feet is "democracy," how will we react when they practice this sharia-driven democracy and justify it by claiming it is their "democratic" system at work?


From The Globe and Mail Feb 2

Poll shows Egyptians favour democracy and stoning for adultery

Egyptians reject radical Islamists, but want Islam to play a large role in politics and think democracy is the best political system, according to poll data collected in Muslim countries last year. The sample group of 1,000 was surveyed in face-to-face interviews in April and May of last year for the U.S.-based Pew Research Center. These results give an idea of Egyptian public opinion before the current protests there broke out.

Democracy
59%: Say democracy is preferable to any other form of government.
22%: Say a non-democratic system can be preferable in certain circumstances

Islam in politics
95%: Say it’s good that Islam plays a large role in politics
85%: Say Islam’s influence on politics is good
48%: Say Islam currently play a large role in Egyptian politics

Islamist extremism
80%: Think suicide bombings are never or rarely justified.
20%: Think suicide bombings are sometimes or often justified
70%: Are concerned or very concerned about Islamist extremism in the world
61%: Are concerned or very concerned about Islamist extremism in the Egypt

Traditional Muslim practices
54%: Believe men and women should be segregated in the workplace
82%: Believe adulterers should be stoned
84%: Believe apostates from Islam should face the death penalty
77%: Believe thieves should be flogged or have their hands cut off

If ever there was a perfect breeding ground for a pure Islamic society, this is it.

Political Islam, or Islamism, if that is indeed what the people want, will be exactly what they get, courtesy of the Muslim Brotherhood.

No comments: