Muslims crave freedom just as Westerners do
The Bishop of Leicester reflects on the dramatic events unfolding in Libya
All of us have been watching events unfold in North Africa and the Middle East. We are living through a key period of history. But the full consequences and significance of what is happening still cannot be properly understood. But meanwhile, observing these events from Western Europe, it seems to me that it is worth asking ourselves a number of significant questions.
First, what do these events tell us about some of our assumptions about Muslim countries? Are we discovering that the citizens of Islamic societies are not so different from ourselves, wanting the freedoms and liberties and rights and opportunities that we are used to enjoying in our own country? And does this begin to shift some of our stereotypes of Islamic countries? Can we see them as much more similar in their desires for fundamental freedoms to our own country?
Secondly, what is all this revealing to us about how politics works in the age of social networking and freedom of communication? The capacity to communicate quickly with citizens across the country is beginning to mobilise people who have been under the heel of dictatorships for generations. Surely this is something that those of us who espouse Western democratic values should warmly applaud. What we are seeing on the streets of Tripoli and Benghazi, just as we did in Cairo a few weeks ago, are not fundamentalist Muslims clamouring for Sharia Law, but citizens who seek the freedom to voice their opinions and change their societies in very much the same way as we do.
Thirdly, this may be a moment for us to think again about what we mean by "Western values". We may have become accustomed to thinking that Western liberal democracies are in some ways superior to other countries. Even that we have a responsibility to impose Western democratic values on countries which have, as yet, not discovered them for themselves. These established patterns of thinking are now changing before our eyes. We cannot know what the world will look like when this dramatic "domino effect" has finally reached its conclusion. We are seeing change taking place through the will of the people expressed collectively even at risk to life and limb.
That is an inspiring vision for all of us. As a Christian I believe we should be praying for those who are risking their lives for change at the moment. And perhaps we should be praying too that we will have the wisdom to see and to understand the meaning of the changes that are happening and to support a vision of a more peaceful and just world.
4 Comments
by Arden, Braunstone
Saturday, February 26 2011, 11:42PM
“Peter West - it is a good thing that a leader of one faith speaks in postive terms about another faith. If the world has to have religions then better than each trying to outdo each other on the "truth" stakes”
by Farouk, Coventry
Saturday, February 26 2011, 2:15PM
“The Bishop of Leicester wrote:
What we are seeing on the streets of Tripoli and Benghazi, just as we did in Cairo a few weeks ago, are not fundamentalist Muslims clamouring for Sharia Law, but citizens who seek the freedom to voice their opinions and change their societies in very much the same way as we do.
And yet in Tripoli a catholic priest was found with his throat cut, a synagogue was set on fire and a mass protest by Islamists outside a brothel succeeded in getting the government to close down brothels.
In Egypt, churches and monasteries have been attacked, only the other day the 5th century old St. Bishoy monastery in Wadi el-Natroun was attacked by the army (yes the army) using machines guns and rocket launchers. 8 people were wounded in the attack.
In all 3 countries, the protesters host pictures of the people they despise annotated with the Star of David. As such they are sending the message ¿worse than a jew.¿ When TV Reporter Lara Logan was sexually assaulted (and beaten) by around 200 peaceful Egyptian protesters, they stripped her naked, beat here all the while calling her a jew.
All of the above are common occurrences in the Middle East. Where intolerance towards others is promoted as a divine right
I wish the peoples of the Middle East the very best in their quest for freedom. However their quest for freedom lies within their own borders and not elsewhere. Over 1.3 million Egyptians alone have left Libya. Where will they go looking for work seeing as their own country can¿t provide them with employment. In the last week over 10,000 Tunisians have landed on Italian soil, looking for work in Europe.
With the tourist Industry in tatters, (The main employer) Millions more may follow. The EU instead of sending them back, is looking to distribute them amongst its member states. As we have seen recent immigrants from Islamic countries do not contribute towards a fair and democratic society rather they seek to form their own parallel societies in which the rules and mores of a medieval inspired theological doctrine rule. Which in turn has led to a rise in the odious European far right.
(In the UK, the British Nazis Party (BNP) and the EDL)
Like the Bishop, I wish the peoples of North Africa fighting for freedom all the best. However and a big however is, once they achieve that freedom. They should set about building a society that they wish to live in and not embark on a journey in which to recreate the countries they left behind in the West.”
by G.T., Leicester
Saturday, February 26 2011, 12:40PM
“Whilst every one seems to be championing freedom, liberties, rights and opportunities to have all they want, there is rarely any mention of responsibility even to ourselves let alone others. When I was young, headstrong and full of wants my parents would say when you are old enough and wise enough to accept accept and take responsibility. They were indeed wise words though not listened to enough.
GT”
by Peter West, Orihuela, Spain
Saturday, February 26 2011, 11:29AM
“Good to see the Bishop preaching Islam again.
Why doesn´t he just convert ?”