Monday, December 03, 2007

Reformation To Come   [Lisa Schiffren]

Andy — I think we are all quite aware that the Muslims we take seriously are the "formers and reformers." It is not possible to have a constructive political conversation with the others. Which is one reason that those candidates most interested in talking to everyone — Obama, say — seem childish. And these mush-mouth academics deserve what they'd get, should they wish to have these exchanges in, say, downtown Khartoum.

This point, about reformation, was highlighted — by analogy — at last week's GOP debate, when the most fundamentalist Christian of the candidates — Preacher Huckabee —  announced that "of course none of us literally believe.." the bit about plucking out an eye.  Which is to say that we understand the idea of moral progress in the West. We think our God is okay with a diminution of physical brutality in service to religious precepts. 

It's just a little unclear what we are going to do while we are waiting for the mass of Muslims to have their overdue reformation. Keeping the Saudis out of the education-exporting business would be a start. But the odds of a long fight and much shed blood are pretty overwhelming.  Best if they can do it themselves.

12/03 09:07 AMShare