Western Civilization Values
Western civilization is built on the value of freedom. Freedom means that each person
can think say and do so long as it does not infringe on the identical right of others. Each
person has equal rights. Included in this freedom, is the freedom to believe there is God or
not and to pray or not pray without the government or any other institution forcing any
person to act in one way or the other.
Western civilization is built on the value of democracy. Laws are made based on what people
want so long as the laws do not change or infringe on the rights of any one or any group.
The laws apply equally to each person.
Western civilization is built on values of diversity, pluralism, and multiculturalism. Each person is
respected regardless of their origin, race, sex, sexual preference, religion, or socio-economic
status.
There is an essential conflict between these values and any religious system that
holds that there are certain God given laws and ways of practicing religion such that
these laws and ways must be imposed on the population as a whole or on that population
that belongs to that religion. In western civilization each person can decide not only which
religion to belong to, but can also be selective about those practices and beliefs of the
religion which he or she chooses to hold.
In every historical situation where the leaders of a religion have political governing power,
there has been torture and killing of those who do not believe, human rights abuse,
and repressive totalitarian regimes: the opposite of living conditions consistent with western civilization values.
This is what happened in Europe and various European colonies when the Christian Church held political power. In our times, the Church has no political governing power in any country.
This is what has happened and is happening in our time in countries in which Islam holds political power. These countries have essentially become theocratic dictatorships.
Radical Islam is the name we give to those groups and institutions in Islam whose desire is to change these fundamental Western civilization values by persuasion, intimidation, deception, guerilla and/or terrorist tactics. Radical Islam is political acting under the cover of religion.
can think say and do so long as it does not infringe on the identical right of others. Each
person has equal rights. Included in this freedom, is the freedom to believe there is God or
not and to pray or not pray without the government or any other institution forcing any
person to act in one way or the other.
Western civilization is built on the value of democracy. Laws are made based on what people
want so long as the laws do not change or infringe on the rights of any one or any group.
The laws apply equally to each person.
Western civilization is built on values of diversity, pluralism, and multiculturalism. Each person is
respected regardless of their origin, race, sex, sexual preference, religion, or socio-economic
status.
There is an essential conflict between these values and any religious system that
holds that there are certain God given laws and ways of practicing religion such that
these laws and ways must be imposed on the population as a whole or on that population
that belongs to that religion. In western civilization each person can decide not only which
religion to belong to, but can also be selective about those practices and beliefs of the
religion which he or she chooses to hold.
In every historical situation where the leaders of a religion have political governing power,
there has been torture and killing of those who do not believe, human rights abuse,
and repressive totalitarian regimes: the opposite of living conditions consistent with western civilization values.
This is what happened in Europe and various European colonies when the Christian Church held political power. In our times, the Church has no political governing power in any country.
This is what has happened and is happening in our time in countries in which Islam holds political power. These countries have essentially become theocratic dictatorships.
Radical Islam is the name we give to those groups and institutions in Islam whose desire is to change these fundamental Western civilization values by persuasion, intimidation, deception, guerilla and/or terrorist tactics. Radical Islam is political acting under the cover of religion.