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ISLAMIC EUROPE ?
Saturday, November 6, 2004


ISLAMIC EUROPE ?

Here's an interesting article that looks at Bernhard Lewis' assumption that by the end of this century Europe will be Islamic. The question is however to what extent Europe is capable - I always regard doomsday scenarios as incentives to start working on a plan to avoid them - to deal with the combination of demographics and radical Islamism. The latter may be taken on in the way I am suggesting below, if that succeeds there may be hope to Europeanize Islam. Letting Turkey become part of the EU is an unavoidable part of that strategy. The article's conclusion is not that optimistic with a statement from Bassam Tibi, one of Germany's more moderate Muslims:

"... Tibi seemed to warn that Europe did not have the ability to reject Islam, or the opportunity to steer it. "The problem is not whether the majority of Europeans is Islamic," he added, "but rather which Islam--sharia Islam or Euro-Islam--is to dominate in Europe."

Taken together both Lewis and Tibi's comments indicate an uphill struggle.

Posted by Pieter Dorsman at 12:06 AM | DIGG This | del.icio.us | TrackBack (0)