{"id":4658,"date":"2008-02-08T10:19:39","date_gmt":"2008-02-08T10:19:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/reformedchicksblabbing\/2008\/02\/archbishop-of-canterbury-shari.html"},"modified":"2008-02-08T10:19:39","modified_gmt":"2008-02-08T10:19:39","slug":"archbishop-of-canterbury-shari","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/reformedchicksblabbing\/2008\/02\/archbishop-of-canterbury-shari.html","title":{"rendered":"Archbishop of Canterbury: Sharia law in UK is ‘unavoidable’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Does he even know what is in Sharia law? Has he studied it? Doesn’t he get that this<\/a> is the camel’s nose in the tent?<\/p>\n

Dr Rowan Williams told Radio 4’s World at One that the UK has to “face up to the fact” that some of its citizens do not relate to the British legal system.
\nDr Williams argues that adopting parts of Islamic Sharia law would help maintain social cohesion.
\nFor example, Muslims could choose to have marital disputes or financial matters dealt with in a Sharia court.
\nHe says Muslims should not have to choose between “the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty”.
\n[…]
\nBut Dr Williams said an approach to law which simply said “there’s one law for everybody and that’s all there is to be said, and anything else that commands your loyalty or allegiance is completely irrelevant in the processes of the courts – I think that’s a bit of a danger”.
\n“There’s a place for finding what would be a constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law, as we already do with some other aspects of religious law.” <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So what part of Sharia law does he want? These<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Islam commands that drinkers and gamblers should be whipped.
\nIslam allows husbands to hit their wives even if the husbands merely fear highhandedness in their wives.
\nIslam allows an injured plaintiff to exact legal revenge\u2014physical eye for physical eye.
\nIslam commands that a male and female thief must have a hand cut off.
\nIslam commands that highway robbers should be crucified or mutilated.
\nIslam commands that homosexuals must be executed.
\nIslam orders unmarried fornicators to be whipped and adulterers to be stoned to death.
\nIslam orders death for Muslim and possible death for non\u2014Muslim critics of Muhammad and the Quran and even sharia itself.
\nIslam orders apostates to be killed.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

No, he doesn’t want that<\/a>:<\/p>\n

The archbishop attempted to distance himself from the extreme legal systems run in Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, where adultery can be punished by death and women who behave independently risk harsh punishments.
\n“Nobody in their right mind, I think, would want to see in this country a kind of inhumanity that sometimes appears to be associated with the practice of the law in some Islamic states – the extreme punishments, the attitudes to women as well,” he said. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

But how does he get Sharia law without Sharia law<\/a>?<\/p>\n

According to the Sharia, despite declarations of the equality of the sexes before God, women are considered inferior to men, and have fewer rights and responsibilities. A woman counts as half a man in giving evidence in a court of law, or in matters of inheritance. Her position is less advantageous than a man\u2019s with regard to marriage and divorce. A husband has the moral and religious right and duty to beat his wives for disobedience or for perceived misconduct. A woman does not have the right to choose her husband, or her place of residence, to travel freely or have freedom in her choice of clothing. Women have little or no autonomy and are deemed to need the protection of their fathers, husbands or other male relatives throughout their lives. Any conduct that undermines the idea of male supremacy will fall foul of the Sharia.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Why in the world would Williams want the Muslim women in the UK treated as second class citizens? Fortunately, Brown is not interested and has distanced himself from Williams’ remarks :<\/p>\n

The Archbishop of Canterbury caused consternation yesterday by calling for Islamic law to be recognised in Britain.
\nHe declared that sharia and Parliamentary law should be given equal legal status so the people could choose which governs their lives.
\nThis raised the prospect of Islamic courts in Britain with full legal powers to approve polygamous marriages, grant easy divorce for men and prevent finance firms from charging interest.
\nHis comments in a BBC interview and a lecture to lawyers were condemned at a time when government ministers are striving to encourage integration and stop the nation from “sleepwalking to segregation”.
\nThe Prime Minister rapidly distanced himself from Dr Williams’s view. Gordon Brown’s spokesman said: “Our general position is that sharia law cannot be used as a justification for committing breaches of English law, nor should the principles of sharia law be included in a civil court for resolving contractual disputes.
\n“The Prime Minister believes British law should apply in this country, based on British values.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Does he even know what is in Sharia law? Has he studied it? Doesn’t he get that this is the camel’s nose in the tent? 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