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Sloppy thinking opens the door to hardline propaganda

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IN response to (Griffith University vice-chancellor) Ian O'Connor: (He) seems to be falling into the trap that is sometimes evident among those who wish to advance the cause of tolerance and understanding between religious communities.

In seeking to construct a dialogue, they are blind to profound differences, and in doing so they trivialise them and render the discussion meaningless. For example, O'Connor's equation of Wahhabism and Salafism with Unitarianism is utter nonsense.

Unitarianism emerged as a liberal Christian movement and gained ground in the early years of American democracy. Its foundational beliefs include that man has the ability to exercise free will in a responsible and ethical manner, that human nature in its present conditions is neither inherently corrupt nor depraved, and that no religion can claim a monopoly on the Holy Spirit of theological truth.

These humanist and inclusive beliefs are in no way expressed by the Wahhabist and Salafist versions of Islam. Indeed, the home of Wahhabism and Salafism, Saudi Arabia, not only continues to outlaw conversion to religions other than Islam, it does not even permit public worship of other faiths.

As for its humanist content, Saudi Arabia continues to trample the human rights of women, who are banned from libraries and unable to access work, travel, study and marriage without the approval of their fathers, brothers and sons.

O'Connor's acceptance of Saudi Arabian government funding is premised on an argument that serves the interests of Saudi Arabia, in providing a "legitimate alternative to their country's more conservative policies". One would have to wonder whether O'Connor has unwittingly become a conduit for Saudi Arabian propaganda, and then ask why the Saudi Government does not choose to establish such research institutes in its own country, where they are needed.

It isn't difficult to find the answer, which is that the authoritarian, theocratic state of Saudi Arabia really has no interest in becoming a liberal democracy.

The result of such sloppy thinking is that what is now happening in the West is that the institutions of liberal democracies, such as Griffith University, risk becoming havens for highly conservative imported versions of Islam that really have no place in a country with a religious culture and society shaped by humanist values and the rules of democracy.

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Original piece is http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23594558-20261,00.html

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I hope that the authors will also critique their own colleagues in the ABC with such clarity!

Posted by Steve Lieblich on 2008-04-25 04:30:44 GMT

A forum for moderate Muslims to network..... LibForAll co-founder C. Holland Taylor is linking moderate Muslim leaders “in a network of lighthouses within the Islamic world that will promote tolerance and freedom of thought and worship.” ~ Associated Press The website is www.libforall.org/home.html Vivienne

Posted on 2008-04-25 02:53:17 GMT

Judge Wall is not alone in his asessment ("University 'an agent of extreme Islam' Richard Kerbaj | April 23, 2008" ). A former President of Indonesia Abdurrahman Wahid warned: "Islamic fundamentalism has become a well-financed, multifaceted global movement that operates like a juggernaut in much of the developing world, and even among immigrant Muslim communities in the West. To neutralize the virulent ideology that underlies fundamentalist terrorism and threatens the very foundations of modern civilization, we must identify its advocates, understand their goals and strategies, evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and effectively counter their every move. What we are talking about is nothing less than a global struggle for the soul of Islam..... Only by recognizing the problem, putting an end to the bickering within and between nation-states, and adopting a coherent long-term plan (executed with international leadership and commitment) can we begin to apply the brakes to the rampant spread of extremist ideas and hope to resolve the world's crisis of misunderstanding before the global economy and modern civilization itself begin to crumble in the face of truly devastating attacks. Muslims themselves can and must propagate an understanding of the "right" Islam, and thereby discredit extremist ideology. Yet to accomplish this task requires the understanding and support of like-minded individuals, organizations and governments throughout the world. Our goal must be to illuminate the hearts and minds of humanity, and offer a compelling alternate vision of Islam, one that banishes the fanatical ideology of hatred to the darkness from which it emerged." Source: http://www.gusdur.net/english/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=746&Itemid=67 which in turn refers to The Wall Street Journal, 30/12/2005. Vivienne

Posted on 2008-04-25 02:48:42 GMT

In 2006 the Howard Government decided to provide $8 million over four years towards the establishment of the National Centre of Excellence for Islamic Studies, comprising the Universities of Melbourne, Western Sydney and Griffith. Griffith University, Queensland, recently sponsored as a keynote speaker at its conference, Mr Tariq Ramadan, presumably as a “moderate” since Mohamad Abdalla, director Griffith Islamic Research Unit, says his centre is opposed to the hardline ideology and in favour of "moderate" Islam. But the article “Master of Islamist doublespeak” by Melanie Phillips sets the record straight in The Australian, on March 03, 2008, where she asserts Tariq Ramadan is an Islamist wolf in moderniser's clothing. If people trust the information source because it has the “credentials” of say a university, they are more inclined to trust the information. But this can be dangerous especially in uncertain times when people only hear what they want to believe and fail to grasp the reality such as “University 'an agent’ of extreme Islam” (The Australian, April 23, 2008). Vivienne

Posted on 2008-04-25 02:45:59 GMT

Two wrongs don’t make a right. “Several leading universities of the world have entered into Saudi partnerships including Oxford University, and Harvard University and Georgetown University in the US, which each accepted in 2005 donations of $20 million from a Saudi businessman and member of the royal family to finance Islamic studies.” That is the defense made by Griffith University vice-chancellor Ian O'Connor to accusations that a $100,000 grant from the Saudi Arabian embassy was given to propagate a hardline Muslim ideology espoused by al-Qa'ida. (“Uni defends Saudi Grant”, The Ausralian, April 24, 2008). Since when have two wrongs (and more) made a right? Vivienne

Posted on 2008-04-25 02:45:13 GMT

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Sloppy thinking opens the door to hardline propaganda

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