Is Islam incompatible with freedom of speech and Democracy?

Question

Islam vs. Free Speech by Jed Babbin
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=24176

Under assault by Muslims and multiculturalists, free speech and freedom of the press are dead in Britain. The same sorts of people who killed them in Britain are killing them in Canada. They and their allies are using the British and Canadian courts and tribunals to bury our First Amendment rights in America.
Muslims -- individually and in pressure groups -- are using British libel laws and Canadian "human rights" laws to limit what is said about Islam, terrorists and the people in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere who are funding groups such as al-Queda. The cases of Rachel Ehrenfeld and Mark Steyn prove the point.

It seems to me that Christian dominated countires like the USA and most European countries have more freedom of speech than Islamic countries, don't they? Read the entire article, it is chilling.

Answer 1

Islam is certainly incompatible with freedom of speech, though it's slightly less incompatible with Democracy. You draw a cartoon of a certain someone, it gets you killed, you name a teddy bear after a certain someone, religious leaders want your head on a platter. People claim this is all the work of extemist Muslims, but I don't see any 'rational' Muslims coming to the aide of these people.

For Democracy, democracy and Islam only works, when the democracy fits the narrow Islamic guidelines.

Answer 2

people need to learn to differentiate a religion from a culture. For example there are certain cultures that have traditionally had the legal tradition of england and western europe of innocent until proven guilty and in a lot of places in the world that method is foreign and new. A legal tradition is a great factor on government function and not just religion. You also have other factors like tribal and ethnic rule that determines that type of values passed down to the next generation. There are also nations that are traditionally Christian like the former soviet satellites in eastern europe but they have incredible difficulties in being democracies not because they are Christian or Eastern Orthodox, but because of the former Communist party system they were used to and also because they went from being an agrarian society before communism took hold to trying to be a fully industrialized nation in modern times, and that is a process that takes hundreds of years and not 50 years for some nations. So don't say Islam is incompatible with Democracy because there are many other factors involved when it comes to democracy having synergy with people. But Islam is completely incompatible with Communism since Marx abhors religion and it is incompatible with Capitalism since capitalism is based on pure profits and interests, which usury is something forbidden in Islam. But then again economic systems is another factor that makes a difference. Hope all of this helps some of you folks understand that isn't just one cause to every problem/solution.

Answer 3

No Islam is not compatible with any democratic country. They are not compatible with secular society. Anyone that feels that it is, is politically correct to the point where as they're being stoned to death, they will repeat "I'm sorry I'm sorry, I'm sorry"a until their last breath. Just look at the Middle East. They have been at war amongst themselves since at least 3500 BC, which is the first written record of war. They've been at war to some degree ever since. They'll fight amongst themselves for centuries, until a new foe emerges. Look at the situations in London, England, and Deerbourne Michigan. Large Muslim populations have taken over, and terrorize the non Muslim population. Does the name Lee Rigby mean anything to you? Muslims, are better off fighting for their honour in their own homelands. The West, has so far demonstrated no inclination to attack the Middle East with the sole intent of terror. Over 3000 killed on American soil on 9/11. When has the west ever racked up that kind of body count in one day?

Answer 4

Any extreme interpretation of religious text, can erode and weaken a democratic state.

This is why it is so important to keep religion separated from the state, because religion and free thought, are often at odds with one another.

This is not isolated to extremist Muslims either. Christians here in the US work feverishly to ban any teaching in our public schools that contradict the Old Testament, (and in US history even imprisoned teachers for teaching lessons that violated Christian doctrine); Israel will often squash discussion in its media that contradict its interests and even the Hindu demanded that many Muslim people in India flee northward to Pakistan shortly after India gained inpendence.

While faith is an important aspect to humanity, and all religions have provided great faith, comfort and enlightenment to various nations and cultures, it can be a dangerous tool when wielded by intolerant minds.

That said, libel laws are very important. They allow private citizens to defend themselves against institutional abuse and character assasination. We need strong libel laws, otherwise one powerful person can destroy your career, simply because you do not comply with their goals, or are an obstacle to one of their goals.

Libel laws are an important civil right, that must be protected, and indeed you cannot have a truly free press without them.

So it is a careful and delicate balance, just like most things in a true democracy are.

So while we must vigilant of extreme religion weakening our democracy, we must also be careful not to become so paranoid over terrorism that we weaken the rights of private citizens.

True democracy empowers individuals to defend themselves against the state, and libel laws are an important tool to accomplish this.

So as I said before, it is a delicate balance, and like all democratic balance, it is a complicated issue that can't be encapsulated with one editorial from a highly partisan website.

Answer 5

Yes. The countries with fundamental Islam are intolerant to the freedom of religion which in itself is freedom of speech.

Answer 6

Yes, the only majority Islamic country that's remotley democratic, that's Turkey, has to totally separate the religion from secular life.

Answer 7

This is an interesting question; it would be nice to see more about the area of the world where Americans have been for the last six years.

Answer 8

The simple and honest answer to this question is Yes. Islam as practiced by the fundamentalist governments in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan lead to this conclusion.. They cower their women, treating them as second class citizens and because the religion permeates all aspect of living and life, it does not lend itself to free thinkers and thinking.

Rev Ron actually has the perfect answer to this question of Religion.

Answer 9

Their actions certainly speak louder than word, that is for sure.

Don't forget about the US funding Al Qeda also and that Bin Laden is on the CIA pay roll.

Answer 10

No actually there is this misunderstanding about Islam, actually its the people (some of the extremists) who spread Islam this way that it looks like a very strict religion. Islam give you all kind of freedom, including freedom of speech. Islam tells us to be Muslim it doesn't FORCE us to be one. Yes in some couturiers like Saudi Arabia they forcibly implement Islamic rules, Its the PEOPLE whether its government or any Muslim who do things forcibly etc. Its the people who misinterpret Islam. If you look into the history of Islam our prophet Muhammad (SAW) never forced Islam on anybody, He preached Islam but didn't force on anybody. This is what Islam is but what extremist people doing today i being a Muslim condemn this. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) would always talk to other very politely whether the other person is a Muslim or non-Muslim , He only fought (JIHAD) when it was REALLY REALLY needed and He preached not to kill innocent people. We being a Muslim are supposed to follow his foot steps, but unfortunately we (a lot of Muslim like extremists) are not doing that , if we would then you will see Islam as a peaceful religion which tells you to respect other religion likewise. Thanks for your question and God bless you. (Sorry for my English as its not my mother tongue)