From: Sean Gabb <cea01sig@gold.ac.uk>
Date: Tue, 20 Feb 1996 06:11:18 +0800
To: Alan Horowitz <alanh@infi.net>
Subject: Re: Online Zakat Payment: Religious tithe.
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SV4.3.91.960219004945.7650A-100000@larry.infi.net>
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.960219203150.24154F-100000@scorpio.gold.ac.uk>
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Alan,

I agree that I was looking at *Arabic* Islam, in which specific bad
features of Arabic culture have congealed with the religion.  It is as if
I were to judge Christianity solely by reference to the Spanish Inquisition.

However, this being said, it is presently true that Arab Islam is the 
most important single strand.  It may be that the softer oriental 
versions will gradually take over.  If so, this is to be desired.  
Indeed, so far as we can, we should even encourage this.  In the 
meantime, though, I think it wise to be aware of the nastiness of much 
actually existing Islam, and to challenge any claims that its devotees 
may make to moral superiority over our own civilisation.  I think I was 
too harsh in my postings of last week.  But I stand by my dislike of the 
Islam that I most often see.

Yours ever,

Sean.

PS	I seem to be breaking my self-denying ordinance about postings on 
Islam to the list.  But this I suppose only confirms Tallpaul's doubts 
regarding the honour and consistency of libertarians!

On Mon, 19 Feb 1996, Alan Horowitz wrote:

> Sean,
> 
> Women's place in Islam is just fine. The problem is that _Arabs_ like to 
> define their ages-old cultural suppression of woman as Islamic. Which it is
> not.
> 
> YOu in England are dealing with an unrepresentative sample of the Islamic 
> world. May I suggest a few weeks of traveling through Java and Mindanao, 
> to see another side of the coin.
> 
> The crusaders liked to define their thuggery and thievery in the Balkans 
> and middle East as being driven by Christian imperatives. Should we say 
> that the Crusader's *actions* were a good definition of "christian 
> principles"?
> 
> Alan Horowitz
> alanh@norfolk.infi.net
> 
>