The political leaders of the West would do well to subscribe to what you have written and advocate it in public, instead of falsely saying that Islam is a religion of peace. The historical and contemporary record says the opposite and you are right to say that Muslims who wish to live in an open society should subscribe to these principles. But in Canada Mark Carney says Muslim values are Canadian values and his government consistently takes an anti-Israel stand, with little pushback from Canadians. The Open Society's enemies also come from its own citizens who do not appreciate what they have and do not defend it. That's what Jews mean when they say what starts with the Jews does not end with them. As you well know from the disgraceful way you were treated by University of Guelph-Humber College, an institution that still has not been reprimanded in any way by responsible public bodies nor suffered from public condemnation by ordinary Canadians.
Thank you. Very fine wish list but even the dhimmis don't put up a fight. 21 shot dead at Charlie Hebdo for mocking the prophet. 1200 killed on 10/7 for being Jewish and/or dancing in Israel. Hannukah massacre at Bondi. Obviously that barely scratches the surface. The western mind is still able to whitwash and sidestep this ongoing deadly lunacy. Meanwhile a pedophilic amoral hate driven cult gets to colonize our universities and live among us without any pressure to conform to basic western standards of right and wrong. Apology to those who do not live by revenge.
There are Muslims and there is Islam. Muslims have various ethnicities, languages, and histories. Islam is a religion and a specific set of standards for living a proper life.
The triumph of Islamophobia has been to make BOTH Muslims and Islam immune to criticism. People with Arab surnames burn Jewish ambulances in the UK and Jeremy Corbin says, “let’s not rush to conclusions.” An artist is beheaded for drawing Mohammad and, while regrettable, who are to question the ways of Islam.
The progressive west has marinated for so long in the self-hate waters of total forgiveness for its ostensible victims, it literally has lost the ability to critique anyone who isn’t White and western. And the Muslim community’s worst angels have taken note as demonstrated in Sinwar’s texts about the excellent western response as he willfully sacrificed thousands of Gazans to the greater cause of Israel’s destruction.
Do many Muslims care about living in an open society and subscribing to the laws and understanding of that society? I really don’t think so. Islamophobia is the gift that keeps giving — giving the gift of immunity to discordant societal actions and Islam itself. Why subject oneself to any kind of litmus test when one need only claim Islamophobia.
I like very much the list of questions. But until we confront our obsession for forgiving anyone with the appropriate religion or skin color, I can’t see the wider Muslim community signing up for anything but leading their lives and practicing their religion exactly as they want, no matter how divergent, even antithetical, these practices may be from the western society in which they’ve chosen to live.
You left one out, although it's possibly covered in the ones about civil law taking precedence over religious law, and about the equality of women. But I do reckon it should be spelled out specifically.
"I am a Muslim, and for an adult to have sexual relations with a child is wrong, despicable, inescapably harmful to the child, and not permissible or justifiable under any circumstances." Or something to that effect.
And of course that means denouncing the documented behaviour of the prophet whose behaviour must not be questioned, so I can't see it going down well.
Multiculturalism doesn't necessarily divide us. I'm an American. I like having Indian restaurants in my country. Often the proprietors and staff are recent immigrants, like my grandparents once were. If we have time to talk I find that these recent immigrants often have American values just like my grandparents. These Indians are Americans who will practice their religion, struggle with a new language, and cook up delicious curries. Their children will decide how much of all that they want to keep, and their grandchildren- like me- will be grateful for what little they did keep after several generations. We will be most grateful however for their decision to be come Americans.
I think if implemented the rules need some refining, such as when a democracy of a given religion purposefully creates law to make religious life of a different religion diffcult /impossible.
But my interest is when/how did Christianity reform itself from being guilty of all the above (as you hint about the middle ages) and can that be used to help Muslims today?
Islam is more political and social than religious. It was built as a blueprint for expansion None of these would be contentious for anyone who wants to follow biblical scripture.
I don’t think Islam can because it says their scripture is the literal word of God. The bible says inspired but not the exact voice of God. The bible was always more flexible.
I think many believe the 5 books of moses (and if not that, then the 10 Commandments) are literal word of G-d.
This does not stop the same people believing the law of the land takes precedence or that not everything done by a holy person in the bible is a good or legitimate thing to do.
Timely article. I'm going to share it with El-Shayad on X and ask him to sign on. I doubt he will. He's so talk and no action. I think it's Tommy Robinson who said the silent majority of Muslims that don't speak up are irrelevant even if they are peaceful. Those silent majority must step up and except what you have suggested in the 11 statements. I fear we are heading towards a major religious war of they don't
Excellent code. Islam unable has been unable to discard its shackles. Extremist adherents of which there are many, violently threaten whoever they wish in the name of Islam. What is the antidote for this behavior?
The LLM takes my dictation and adds commas, periods and paragraph breaks. By your way of thinking, even the use of Grammarly is illegitimate and is plagiarism.
What Muslim will respond? I have no idea how many of my subscribers or readers are Muslim; I am not a politician or a community leader with ties to so-called Muslim leaders. I suspect no Muslim will respond. Writing for a few hundred, or perhaps a few thousand, readers on Substack and expecting to create change or meaningful impact is delusional. If someone important reads something and it’s helpful to them, so be it, but with all the media noise, it is very difficult to stand out.
The political leaders of the West would do well to subscribe to what you have written and advocate it in public, instead of falsely saying that Islam is a religion of peace. The historical and contemporary record says the opposite and you are right to say that Muslims who wish to live in an open society should subscribe to these principles. But in Canada Mark Carney says Muslim values are Canadian values and his government consistently takes an anti-Israel stand, with little pushback from Canadians. The Open Society's enemies also come from its own citizens who do not appreciate what they have and do not defend it. That's what Jews mean when they say what starts with the Jews does not end with them. As you well know from the disgraceful way you were treated by University of Guelph-Humber College, an institution that still has not been reprimanded in any way by responsible public bodies nor suffered from public condemnation by ordinary Canadians.
Your second point is very good. It’s amazing how some supporters of radical Islam seem to not be able to act in their best interests.
Thank you. Very fine wish list but even the dhimmis don't put up a fight. 21 shot dead at Charlie Hebdo for mocking the prophet. 1200 killed on 10/7 for being Jewish and/or dancing in Israel. Hannukah massacre at Bondi. Obviously that barely scratches the surface. The western mind is still able to whitwash and sidestep this ongoing deadly lunacy. Meanwhile a pedophilic amoral hate driven cult gets to colonize our universities and live among us without any pressure to conform to basic western standards of right and wrong. Apology to those who do not live by revenge.
100%
There are Muslims and there is Islam. Muslims have various ethnicities, languages, and histories. Islam is a religion and a specific set of standards for living a proper life.
The triumph of Islamophobia has been to make BOTH Muslims and Islam immune to criticism. People with Arab surnames burn Jewish ambulances in the UK and Jeremy Corbin says, “let’s not rush to conclusions.” An artist is beheaded for drawing Mohammad and, while regrettable, who are to question the ways of Islam.
The progressive west has marinated for so long in the self-hate waters of total forgiveness for its ostensible victims, it literally has lost the ability to critique anyone who isn’t White and western. And the Muslim community’s worst angels have taken note as demonstrated in Sinwar’s texts about the excellent western response as he willfully sacrificed thousands of Gazans to the greater cause of Israel’s destruction.
Do many Muslims care about living in an open society and subscribing to the laws and understanding of that society? I really don’t think so. Islamophobia is the gift that keeps giving — giving the gift of immunity to discordant societal actions and Islam itself. Why subject oneself to any kind of litmus test when one need only claim Islamophobia.
I like very much the list of questions. But until we confront our obsession for forgiving anyone with the appropriate religion or skin color, I can’t see the wider Muslim community signing up for anything but leading their lives and practicing their religion exactly as they want, no matter how divergent, even antithetical, these practices may be from the western society in which they’ve chosen to live.
You left one out, although it's possibly covered in the ones about civil law taking precedence over religious law, and about the equality of women. But I do reckon it should be spelled out specifically.
"I am a Muslim, and for an adult to have sexual relations with a child is wrong, despicable, inescapably harmful to the child, and not permissible or justifiable under any circumstances." Or something to that effect.
And of course that means denouncing the documented behaviour of the prophet whose behaviour must not be questioned, so I can't see it going down well.
Yes the grooming gang issues.
Timely, and well written.
It’ll be interesting to see how this essay is received in the Muslim world.
Assimilation is the key. Multiculturalism divides us.
I’m too small to be heard in their world.
Don’t count on it.
Multiculturalism doesn't necessarily divide us. I'm an American. I like having Indian restaurants in my country. Often the proprietors and staff are recent immigrants, like my grandparents once were. If we have time to talk I find that these recent immigrants often have American values just like my grandparents. These Indians are Americans who will practice their religion, struggle with a new language, and cook up delicious curries. Their children will decide how much of all that they want to keep, and their grandchildren- like me- will be grateful for what little they did keep after several generations. We will be most grateful however for their decision to be come Americans.
That kind of multiculturalism doesn't divide us.
The article didn’t talk about this.
Multiculturalism isn’t about restaurants. Foreign restaurants existed long before multiculturalism.
It’s about separation from society in general. It’s the opposite of assimilation.
Excellent.
Where does the Open Society Foundation stand on this.
Popper - at what point does a tolerant society tolerate the intoldrable?
Here, in the UK that moment long passed...
I think if implemented the rules need some refining, such as when a democracy of a given religion purposefully creates law to make religious life of a different religion diffcult /impossible.
But my interest is when/how did Christianity reform itself from being guilty of all the above (as you hint about the middle ages) and can that be used to help Muslims today?
I think that this could easily be applied to people of any religion.
As a Christian, I would be more than happy to sign up to an equivalent set of principles with the terms altered appropriately.
Islam is more political and social than religious. It was built as a blueprint for expansion None of these would be contentious for anyone who wants to follow biblical scripture.
I don’t think Islam can because it says their scripture is the literal word of God. The bible says inspired but not the exact voice of God. The bible was always more flexible.
I think many believe the 5 books of moses (and if not that, then the 10 Commandments) are literal word of G-d.
This does not stop the same people believing the law of the land takes precedence or that not everything done by a holy person in the bible is a good or legitimate thing to do.
Timely article. I'm going to share it with El-Shayad on X and ask him to sign on. I doubt he will. He's so talk and no action. I think it's Tommy Robinson who said the silent majority of Muslims that don't speak up are irrelevant even if they are peaceful. Those silent majority must step up and except what you have suggested in the 11 statements. I fear we are heading towards a major religious war of they don't
Sure whatever you think best. I’m not well connected. I pass most of my time with two Westies.
It’s the wonderful Brigitte Gabriel who says the peaceful (and sadly silent) majority of Muslims are irrelevant. She has been saying this for decades.
Excellent code. Islam unable has been unable to discard its shackles. Extremist adherents of which there are many, violently threaten whoever they wish in the name of Islam. What is the antidote for this behavior?
If they reform and go back to their roots it means they will be more violent so perhaps reforming isn’t the best.
Here as a Canadian who loves this country
I can only quote YOU....The compact is simple: one law, publicly made, equally applied.
Do you want to see my raw notes and my dictation? I put my final piece into AI for formatting.
The LLM takes my dictation and adds commas, periods and paragraph breaks. By your way of thinking, even the use of Grammarly is illegitimate and is plagiarism.
What Muslim will respond? I have no idea how many of my subscribers or readers are Muslim; I am not a politician or a community leader with ties to so-called Muslim leaders. I suspect no Muslim will respond. Writing for a few hundred, or perhaps a few thousand, readers on Substack and expecting to create change or meaningful impact is delusional. If someone important reads something and it’s helpful to them, so be it, but with all the media noise, it is very difficult to stand out.