[Targan]

I think a link to the article might have been more appropriate dragoon500ly, rather than re-posting it here in full. While I don't dispute most of the facts contained in the article it is clearly very anti-Muslim and is probably not the sort of thing we as a community here would want ourselves directly associated with.

There are some points in the article that demonise Islam but have parallels to aspects of Christianity in many western countries. I've heard and read many quotes from America, Australia and other nominally Christian countries that echo "1. Extreme Nationalism – In some Muslim countries, nationalist concepts are replaced by the concept of the “umma” with loyalty to Islam as the supreme value" but from a Christian standpoint. And I have to say, some of the hyper-patriotism I hear voiced in some parts of the US media concern me greatly.

Then there is "8. Religion and Government Intertwined – Islam is the embodiment of a social organization in which religion and government are one". Well I have to say, I don't want to see any mention of any religion whatsoever in any part of the government or judiciary where I live. Unfortunately, however, I do. There are readings from the bible in Australia's Federal Parliament from time to time, for instance, and that annoys the hell out of me. I live in a secular democracy. Religion is a personal thing IMO and has no place in official government or judicial functions. So when I see criticism of Muslim countries intertwining religion and government, to me its just a more extreme version of what happens in many western countries too. All those centuries of mass killings and destruction over religious disagreements, still continuing today, and to me it's just senseless slaughter over whose fairy tale is correct. So much for societal advancement. It's ridiculous.

"13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption – Cronyism and kleptocracy characterize many Muslim governments today". Huh? They also characterise many Christian governments today. And governments dominated by other faiths or by no faith. China, anyone? Large parts of South America and Africa? More crazy talk.