Islam and theocracy

[Dystopia]

Why are so many Muslim countries, either theocracies or other forms of government highly influenced by religion? The vast majority of 'Christian countries' have accepted and embraced secularism and separation of the Church and State, what are the reasons Muslim/arab countries still have a hard time distinguishing Law and Religion (they aren't supposed to be one god damn it!)?

[The Grand Nudger]

Because islam is a social contract. It makes no sense whatsoever, from within the perspective of islam, for the state to be a separate entity to the umma. The umma is the state. The ummas laws are the law. Period.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

Power, extremism, un-accountable executive, non-existent legislature.

Long story short, since the advent of secularism in the 17th century in Europe, states in the west have gradually evolved towards liberal democracies and seen the disestablishment of churches and the removal of their influence of the legislature. This all started with the rejection of the he papacy in statecraft by the Northern European states of course but has ultimately resulted in a government being selected by the people of the people (to arguable degrees).

It was a punctured evolutionary process that was rejected else not discovered in regions where Islam has been prevalent for centuries. There are differences in political statecraft and the body politic that, in my opinion, make the two irreconcilable. The ideological notion of the umma makes the notion of state borders blur and the idea of a caliphate more prevalent, which arguably works against any sort of idea a liberal democracy defined by state borders being tangible.

Also, power and natural resources. A lot of central middle eastern and North African states have vast reserves of finite materials that bestow power on the ruling elite. Doesn't make sense to hand it over to someone else when you get a different private jet each month, Apox on any religious teaching that might say you need to distribute your wealth.

[Marsellus Wallace]

In Islam you can't really divide them(religion and state), cuz there is "Shariaa"; Its inside the core teachings of Islam .


Shariaa(Google definition) : Islamic canonical law based on the teachings of the Koran and the traditions of the Prophet (Hadith and Sunna).

[The Grand Nudger]

Hehehe, I'm actually getting to relay information I got secondhand from fobbits......I love this place.
(fobbits, for those unawares...are vast stores of islamic trivia nowadays- I suppose they had to find something to do with their time.)

[Minimalist]

Why are so many Muslim countries, either theocracies or other forms of government highly influenced by religion? The vast majority of 'Christian countries' have accepted and embraced secularism and separation of the Church and State, what are the reasons Muslim/arab countries still have a hard time distinguishing Law and Religion (they aren't supposed to be one god damn it!)?

In all ages hypocrites, called priests, have put crowns on the heads of thieves, called kings.
-- Robert Green Ingersoll

Islam is centuries behind xtians in social development. They need a good blood-letting ( maybe what is shaping up now?) to convince a majority that all this allah shit is not worth the trouble. The West accomplished this in the early 17th century.

[Mister Agenda]

Why are so many Muslim countries, either theocracies or other forms of government highly influenced by religion? The vast majority of 'Christian countries' have accepted and embraced secularism and separation of the Church and State, what are the reasons Muslim/arab countries still have a hard time distinguishing Law and Religion (they aren't supposed to be one god damn it!)?

We forcibly muzzled Christianity after generations of the bloodiest sectarian warfare the world has ever seen. Islam is just getting started in that regard.

[The Grand Nudger]

I'm glad somebody else said that first...I didn't want to have to be that guy Agenda. I want to add, that they haven't exactly squashed their beef in the interim either.

[Anomalocaris]

Why are so many Muslim countries, either theocracies or other forms of government highly influenced by religion? The vast majority of 'Christian countries' have accepted and embraced secularism and separation of the Church and State, what are the reasons Muslim/arab countries still have a hard time distinguishing Law and Religion (they aren't supposed to be one god damn it!)?

Because if one starts the clock roughly when each religion gained free reign as dominant religion in their own territory, then islam is still at roughly where Christian world was in 1500AD?

But you have to admit, until radicalized after 1970s, Islam has on the whole been doing better than Christianity in 1500AD.

[Jenny A]

Because if one starts the clock roughly when each religion gained free reign as dominant religion in their own territory, then islam is still at roughly where Christian world was in 1500AD?

But you have to admit, until radicalized after 1970s, Islam has on the whole been doing better than Christianity in 1500AD.

That's pretty much it, and they are having their own little Dark Ages right about now. Unfortunately they're having them with modern weaponry.