You were speaking positively about Turkish secularism (in spite of the fact that the Turkish military respresses Muslims). In alot of parts in the Muslim world, if the governments became more democratic, then that would mean more power for the Islamic parties but you've commented about this as if it were a bad thing.
You started talking positively about Turkey first by saying that women have equal rights in Turkey, Egypt, and a few other countries. I just suggested the reason for justice and equal rights in Turkey was not due to Islam but to due military and its secular way of government. But my opinion is that if real democracy exist in Muslim countries, Muslim people don't fall into traps of Islamic parties. The reason that in S.A.Saudis are joining extremist is because there is no democracy in SA. The same is true in Turkey. But the overall situation in Turkey is much better because of its secular way of government and leaving aside Shariah laws.
I think that would be natural except when people say "apply the Shariah" it should be done intelligently instead of stupidly. I think that in alot of places (like in Afghanistan after the civil war) people were so tired of crime and drugs and chaos that they really wanted order. And so they just wanted some strong leaders to keep the peace. And so people say they want "the shariah" and typically that means cutting off the hands of theives and stoning adulterers. But the shariah involves many different principles and rules in many areas of life and the system needs to be implemented intelligently.
As far as I know majority of people in Afghanistan are happier now than under Taliban. And I am not sure what you mean to implement Shariah laws intelligently. A law is a law, how in Shariah one's hand should not be cut if he steals something, In a few of countries with Shariah law, 9 years girls are being raped and then stoned to death for committing adultery. Can the minimum age for marriage of girls be changed under Shariah from 9 years old to say 15 years old? How about if a father decides to wed his young 9 years old daughter to a rich man almost the same age as himself?
I believe there are so many laws in Shariah which are not compatible with democracy.
regards, Firouz
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