"Religious" Laws .... My 2sen Cruzinthots ;-).

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NOTE: The full movie may be downloaded/ watched HERE.
Do not be judgmental watching the movie,
as this movie was filmed to inspire peace
and to tell the story of an oppressed woman and a corrupt system,
so don't fall into the trap of bitterness/anger/hatred or stereotyping.
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• • X: As a Malay I'll never vote for DAP because of their their chauvinist stand. PKR is not my baby also. My only hope is PAS..
    
  • If I feel that DAP is gaining more ground, my vote will go to UMNO. As long the general Malay populace still think tt DAP is ever wiling to fight to the last drop of their blood (over my dead body.. Karpal) against islamic law, then dap will stay in penang onlylah. Please note tt I said think! Until then malaysia will stay devided and UMNO/BN will remain in power...

So it is "Islamic" law which is what you want ... okay- I get it

• X: Yes! I think all practicing muslim want islamic law. what do you think about islamic law doc? I really want to know

So what you're saying is ...
You'd rather live under UMNO's corruption, without Islamic Law you desire, than vote for a cleaner merit-based socialistic DAP which would help PAS bring about its welfare state agenda (if it cannot impose Islamic Laws) under ethical principals which are incidentally "Islamic"?
That's real strange logic, X ... LOL.

Never mind. Let's move on.
Before I go on- Your question would be more accurate, if you asked me what I thought of religious laws, rather than "Islamic" Laws.
After all- wouldn't you say that my opinion is based on ignorance/perception?

Maybe I'm biased(despite my faith)- but I do not trust "learned men of the cloth" with power. Religion should stay out of the political/judicial/financial playing field, for it to do its job well. They should serve as the "conscience" and advisors to society, rather than enforcers.
I believe they should stick to preaching/religious/philosophical studies/meditation.
Bringing religious laws within the ambit of governance will definitely invite the clergy into the corridors of power and corrupt them and the religion they profess to defend.
Political power and even powers of prosecution will inevitably corrupt the clergy- that is an undisputed fact in history.

Where my religious convictions are concerned- I don't believe that a great god would be too bothered by penal laws for human on earth- as he will surely have his last say.
While I'm at that, allow me to say that I'd utter the same thing Karpal did- if anybody tries to impose "Christian Laws" on me.

IMO, I don't think ALL muslims want "islamic' laws ...
I don't think religious laws makes a person/institution/country more islamic. Nor does it provide for "Justice".
Laws do not make a person better in his convictions or actions- he simply lives in fear of of retribution.
Moreover, Laws are only as good as the people who wield the powers.

If you were to ask me "What makes a country more successful/just/ethical/progressive/Islamic/Christian etc"- this is what I'd say:-
Democracy does.
Meritocracy does.
Equality before a single body of law does.
Universal suffrage does.
Good governance does.
Justice does.
Freedom of thought does.
Good Education does.
Welfare does.
Merit-based affirmative action does.
Sound philosophy does.
To me, this is what nationhood is all about- and this is what PAS manifesto for the welfare state is about too. I also believe that these should be achieved before prescribing "divine" laws.

I have no problems if a Muslim wishes to be judged by laws deemed Islamic to him, because he feels that would make him more "Islamic".
However, I do have a problem with laws which are prone to abuse by those in high religious office for their political agendas - to restrict cultural evolution thru freedom of thought, academia, conscience and beliefs.
I also do not believe that having a segregatory policy of separate laws for citizens of a country is conducive towards nationhood.
As a matter of fact, going by the track record of those nations/regions which have had I have very little confidence in the ability of the Islamic establishments to carry out real justice.

None- I repeat, NONE- have done any good for their countries. They all degenerate to either lawlessness or tribal practices without fail and resulted in failed states/kingdoms.
Not Pakistan, not Saudi Arabia, not Afghanistan, not the pre-British Mughal ("Islamic") Empire after Akbar the Great, or the Islamic Caliphates (after the first four Caliphs who all died bloody deaths).
You can also include the Ottoman & "Holy" Roman Empire to the long list of "Religious" failed states run by a corrupt clergy.

In short, I think the struggle for "religious laws" is a whole load of altruistic hot-air convictions, based on anecdotal myths and a liberal dose ignorance- but strangely attributed to "God".
That's what I think.