Politics in the Western world is broadly characterized by the term liberal democracy. Liberal democracy combines the right to be governed representatively. In a liberal democracy, there is universal adult suffrage, and political equality for all people. Those elected to high office are entrusted with the protection of the individual’s liberties, the individual’s freedom of speech, the individual’s freedom of assembly, the individual’s freedom to choose his religion or indeed his right not to choose one at all, the individual’s right to private property, the individual’s right to privacy, the individual’s right to self-determination, and the individual’s equality before the law, under the rule of law. Increasingly, the West has moved in the direction of giving the individual equality before the law, regardless of sexual orientation.
Politics in the Islamic world, by contrast, is very different. Muslims consider themselves to be superior to non-Muslims, or al-Kuffar, in all respects. Representative government is sadly lacking in just about all countries where Islam is the dominant religion. Turkey is but one example where there is a semblance of representative government. But even in that country, democracy is shaky at best; and often has to be guarded by the military lest the politicians overstep the mark.
Of course, there is no such thing as equality before the law for non-Muslims, and nor is there freedom of speech or freedom of assembly. Indeed, in Islamic countries, there is no freedom to choose one’s religion at all. Even in Turkey we can conclude that Christians are at best tolerated. Sexual orientation, of course, is not even discussed as an issue; in most Islamic countries, gays are often persecuted, and often times even killed.
Western politicians have got themselves into a fix with Islam because they have allowed far too many Muslims into the West for economic reasons, paying scant regard to the long-term consequences of their actions, paying little regard to the propensity of Muslims to integrate into our societies, and paying no regard to the wishes of the electorate.
Western politicians are in denial about Islam. It is my belief that most politicians know exactly how Muslims think, yet they are singularly unwilling to admit fault, admit error, admit they were wrong to allow so many Muslims into the West. They are also unwilling to state, categorically, that Muslims need to abide by our liberal, democratic laws. In brief, they are running scared. The electorate is being sold down the river as a result of the craven actions of our politicians. And who, in recent years, have been more craven than George W Bush and Tony Blair?
The fact of the matter, as I have stated time and time again, is that Islam is not a religion in the Western sense at all. Islam is a total way of life. Islam, if it is anything, is politics. Indeed the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini stated as much when he said: ”Islam is politics or it is nothing.” Who can argue with the Ayatollah on such matters?
Muslims believe that the only constitution worthy of being followed is one based on the Shari’ah. No liberal democracy for them! Who wants to give women equal rights when they can get away with treating them as second-class citizens? In countries such as Saudi Arabia, a woman’s word is worth half that of a man! Translated into everyday life, this means that in a court of law, there must be two female witnesses for every male witness.
Western politics has been through a period of secularization. Whilst the West’s foundations lie in Judeo-Christianity, most Western countries these days pay only lip service to those roots, since religion has become rather marginalized and pushed into the private sphere.
If it is true to say that Western politics have been largely secularized, then it is equally true to say that Islam has been allowed into the West as a theocratizing influence. Indeed, Islam in its entirety may be viewed as the theocratization of politics, for Islam recognizes no separation of the profane from the sacred, no separation of the temporal from the heavenly, no separation of the secular from the theocratic.
Therein lies a huge problem for the West. This is a circle that simply cannot be squared. Not even with the best will in the world, not even with abundant intelligence. A square peg cannot be made to fit into a round hole!
It must then be conceded that the upshot of all this is one of two scenarios: Either the West will have to cave in and accept the theocratization of its politics à l’Islam, or it will have to fight for its right to existence.
A little bit of foresight and intelligence could have avoided all the bloodshed that will surely ensue; but alas the politicians did not possess that intelligence. They took, instead, the line of least resistance; and now, this is the mess we find ourselves in: Western politics, I fear, is about to be theocratized!
©Mark Alexander
