[MD] Theocracy, Secularism, and Democracy

[Matt Kundert]

> When we think about why building a Muslim community center there may
> be regarded as objectionable (even though it ought not be prohibited)
> is that there doesn't seem to be moderate Islam of the sort where
> there are Muslim leaders willing to come out and say that Salmon
> Rushdie and apostates in general ought not be killed or to stop
> apologizing for those threatening the lives of cartoonists.  Most
> Muslim's understanding of Islam is actually a very real and present
> danger to religious freedom.

Really?  My sense of the world is opposite that.  Harris has a point, and saying "everyone's got extremists" too soon does tend to white-wash what real world choices we do need to make in distinguishing practically between different practices.  But my sense of the Islamic community is not that moderate Islam is a small fraction, and militaristic Islam a large one (to distinguish from your use of "militant").  I have no polls or sophisticated analysis/evidence to back up that sense, but I tend to be wary of things too close to talking points that came from an ideological-machine intent on generating fear.  I don't think you or Harris care for that, but I also can't say I'm generally impressed by lines of reasoning that find the community center objectionable.  Religion, like politics and all other social and intellectual patterns, are local, and I doubt growing up an American Muslim will make you more disposed to bombing buildings, just so long as we take care of the other "local" bits surrounding (food to eat, good education, etc.).

I'm disposed to adapting Rorty's line: "take care of freedom, and [religion] will take care of itself."  Always understanding, of course, that by "freedom" isn't just meant the negative liberty that the libertarian-esque right reduces it to.

Matt