Williams back to form
I knew it was too good to be true. Hot on the heels of a sensible speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury comes this today:
Give me strength. This is the head of the C of E, one has to remind oneself, arguing for the adoption in legislation of Sharia law because Muslims should not have to choose between "the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty" and that the argument that "there's one law for everybody... I think that's a bit of a danger".The Archbishop of Canterbury says the adoption of certain aspects of Sharia law in the UK "seems unavoidable".
Dr Rowan Williams told Radio 4's World at One that the UK has to "face up to the fact" that some of its citizens do not relate to the British legal system.
Dr Williams argues that adopting parts of Islamic Sharia law would help maintain social cohesion.
For example, Muslims could choose to have marital disputes or financial matters dealt with in a Sharia court.
He says Muslims should not have to choose between "the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty".
In an exclusive interview with BBC correspondent Christopher Landau, ahead of a lecture to lawyers in London later on Monday, Dr Williams argues this relies on Sharia law being better understood. At the moment, he says "sensational reporting of opinion polls" clouds the issue.
He stresses that "nobody in their right mind would want to see in this country the kind of inhumanity that's sometimes been associated with the practice of the law in some Islamic states; the extreme punishments, the attitudes to women as well".
But Dr Williams says the argument that "there's one law for everybody... I think that's a bit of a danger".
He's like some satirist's caricature of a limp-wristed vicar, always doing someone else's bidding.
This pathetic excuse for a national leader thinks that it is a stark alternative to choose between obeying the law of the land and the precepts of a religion if they conflict. It's stark in one sense, yes. Because there is no dilemma, no debate and no choice. If you live in the UK, you obey UK law and no other if there is a conflict, whether it's Muslim, Jewish, Hindhu, Sikh, Scientologist or whatever. And that's it. If you don't like the law, either campaign democratically to have it changed, or leave.
As for having one law for Muslims and one law for everyone else: the "bit of a danger" is when supposed national leaders give up the ghost of defending Western values and cave in to demands for the adoption of Sharia.
I'm not a Christian, so it's not for me to embarrassed by having this cretin as head of the church. But as a citizen of the country he wishes to see impose one law for Muslims and one law for everyone else, it absolutely is for me to say that his idiotic pronouncements should be treated with the contempt he and they deserve.
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Jennie
February 7th, 2008 4:29pmSounds like appeasement to me. The Archbishop is worried that, if concessions are not made to Muslims, there will be a danger of more Muslim terrorist attacks in this country.
Tiberius
February 7th, 2008 4:50pmAs a member of the Anglican Communion, I can confirm that our Leader is not the only member of the clergy who fails to understand the existential threat of Islamism or the cultural threat of Islam. However, embarrassment and contempt are not really emotions that stir. Thankfully, there are senior members of the Anglican Church who are capable of rational evaluation of the state of affairs, and one has to hope that the next pillar of this part of the Establishment is one of them. Let's not forget that there are plenty of secular pillars that require strengthening too. The police and the educational establishment will be more vital contributors in this confrontation, but do they have dissenters to the PC line in their midst?
David
February 7th, 2008 4:50pmStephen, Giving him the benefit of the doubt, Williams may only me speaking about a similar arrangement to that of the Beth Din. This has operated in the UK for decades, without comment, or problem.
Sempronius
February 7th, 2008 4:51pmHelp! I'm an Anglican. Can someone please point me at a church which isn't run by a clown.
Anne K
February 7th, 2008 5:06pmI was going to mention the Beit Din but I see David got there before me. The question is how much authority the sharia court will have, and will Muslims be allowed by the Sharia court to have their cases heard in a regular courtroom.
Tiberius
February 7th, 2008 5:37pmI don't think Sharia Law aims for power-sharing or compromise. It is a "give-an-inch, take-the- whole-world" kind of law.
G
February 7th, 2008 5:46pmIs this the moment that the C of E "jumps the shark" in TV parlance? ie - is this the moment that its influence as a significant and serious voice in British (English) life dwindles to precisely zero. I do hope so. Back to obsessing with buggery, archbish...
Kenneth Perry
February 7th, 2008 6:12pmPerhaps even in this 21st century it is just as well that the appointment of an Archbishop of Canterbury is still the choice of a Prime Minister with the approval of the Sovereign as Supreme Governor;in short a very secular affair demonstrating that the the C of E has still to be the Established Church answerable to State requirements. Perhaps Rowan should be reminded of the Elizabethan Settlement.
Max Kaye
February 7th, 2008 7:46pmNot being a Christian, I didn't know that the Anglican Church was in favour of suicide.
Joshua
February 7th, 2008 8:11pmHas anyone looked into the possibility of having him sectioned? At this point, he makes Britney Spears look like the sanest person on the planet.
Lee Jakeman
February 7th, 2008 8:31pmDavid - the Beth Din doesn't get up peoples' backs though, does it?
Nicholas MIllman
February 8th, 2008 12:50amThe Church of England at that level is becoming far too overtly political with Lent carbon fasting and now this interfering nonsense. Perversely it is neglecting many of the aspects of life over which it could and should be exercising moral guidance and leadership. Being a pillar of the Establishment (and I'm by no means convinced, Tiberius, that either structure exists 10 years after) does not mean being a party political adjunct to New Labour.
George Steiner
February 8th, 2008 3:26amThe law of the land is what prliament makes it to be. Until Brussels takes over. The day before yesterday the tax laws alowed you guys to have only one wife. Today the tax laws of the land allows you guys to have several wifes as long as you have married them outside the law of the land. When Sharia is adopted it will be the law of the land. And it can't come soon enough. Criminals losing body parts is just what the enfeebled British justice needs.
Mustafa
February 8th, 2008 5:06pmAny one dismissing Dr. Williams Sharia submissions on grounds that it's Britain and, therefore, British Law has completely missed the whole point. In the simplest terms possible, all Dr. Williams meant was the already good British justice system could even be improved further by recognizing civil aspects of Sharia that infringes other communities nor the main body of laws themselves. To interpret this to mean an encroachment by an alien culture upon British Tradition is to blow the whole thing out of proportion. All good justice systems of the world have had to be influenced in more ways than one by other systems.