Unlike Tariq Ali i don't know enough to be an atheist, but i do know enough about different religions in not to believe in them.
Most of my life i have been very close to what Tariq Ali calls "superstitious idiot".During last couple of years i have been very interested in Islamic civilization and reasons for its downfall.I was puzzled why Europeans were succesful in reformation after borrowing ideas from great Muslim thinkers like Al-Kindi,Ibn-Sina and Ibn Rushd. Why it failed to take root in Muslim society?
I thought one of the reason was spread of information and this article by Tariq Ali confirmed my suspicion.He writes...
" The tolerance shown to Jews and Protestants was rarely, if ever, extended to heretics within Islam, however. The mullahs ensured that punishment was brutal and swift. To deter heresies they jealously safeguarded their monopoly of information and power, opposing all moves to import a printing press to Istanbul. ‘Remember Martin Luther,’ the qadi warned the Sultan. The Reformation could be supported because it served to divide Christianity, but the very idea of a Muslim Luther was unacceptable. The clerics knew the early history of Islam and were determined not to repeat it."
So,in order to preserve the caliphate they destroyed the Islamic civilization.I hope we will learn from history.
They were succesful in keeping out the printing press but now there is a whole new frontier "the internet".
I remain very optimistic for our future.I know we have enough rational thinkers.
Oriel,thanks for the link.
Posted 2 years ago on 07 Nov 2009 4:07
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