Islamic cultural shock: Part IV

Islamic law has to go the way of the dodo bird. Far too many of the laws within the Islamic legal system are controlling and backward. Chopping off the hands of thief’s, lashes with whips. Far too many death penalties exist: Stoning to death and death for leaving the faith. Most of these ‘laws’ are meant as a form of governance and control. Many of these laws are of 6th century ideology. A man being able to take his wife against her will, or being able to beat her. Modern psychologists are in agreement that rape is not about sex, it is about power. Islamic governance is about as totalitarian as can be imagined.

In order to eliminate Islamic nationalism and Islamic terrorism, Islam must be restrained and modified to the point that it is just another religion. If you have to travel to Mecca in your lifetime, so be it. Or if you have to fast for 30 days, that is your lookout. If you have to pray 5 times a day, that is your problem, as long as following these rules don’t interfere with others rights. This is religion as is known throughout the world. In other words, have Islamic law become extinct. No more enforcement of Islamic law. The same significance as the Pope’s ability to enforce the Catholic Churches rules. Complete lack of authority to control. In addition, governments that are based upon Islamic law will have to change significantly. They will have to drop the foreign policy of the Koran. Islam cannot be allowed to field an army as it is doing today. A large percentage of the Koran will have to be ignored and deleted.

Change of this type would eliminate Islamic law and nationalism. Getting rid of this is change on the cultural level. This is where culture shock comes in.

To help myself understand the scope of the problem, I have identified three major areas of concern:

1) The size of the Muslim population today is more than 15 times that of Japan during World War II. Japan was able to create literally millions of suicide attackers. Statistically, the potential to create suicide attackers from today’s Muslim population is staggering.

2) Today’s suicide attackers are coming from all parts of the world, not just from one geographical area or country.

3) Assimilation of Muslims is so poor. Many Muslims have assimilated well, but a large proportion does not. Please note the emphasis upon being insulted and the resistance to change. It is as if many Muslims immigrate and find out that in the new environment, they are NOT the privileged class. Naturally, the human tendency would be to lash out and attempt to change the environment, to set things right. In contrast, Japanese culture adapts more easily and readily. I am married to a 3rd generation Japanese immigrant. I know her parents well. They were both imprisoned in the camps during the war. Two (of the four) of their parents died in those camps. They are now Green Bay Packer fans. (I know, therapy is available) You can’t be much more American than that. They are just as loyal Americans as I. They are not an exception. How many incidents of violent behavior did we see within the Japanese-American population during World War II? Or in the 60 years since? That would have told us something, particularly after we had imprisoned so many of them. They have had much better excuses to launch retaliatory attacks than the Muslim population today. (Please note that I am NOT suggesting that we place Muslim-Americans into camps)