Bishops' backlash as Archbishop of Cantebury defends calls for Sharia law

[DixieBelle]

The Archbishop of Canterbury today launched a desperate backtrack over his endorsement of sharia law as his own bishops lined up to attack him.

Claiming he never called for the introduction of the Muslim system, Dr Rowan Williams claimed he wanted to "tease out some of the broader issues around the rights of religious groups within a secular state".

In a statement on his website based on his controversial lecture in London last night, he added he had only used sharia as an example.

Dr Williams' comments, however, are likely to do little to stem the rising tide of anger from senior clergy.

As public condemnation of his speech grew, some of his own bishops were calling for his resignation.

In an astonishing attack, one senior Church of England clergyman demanded he stepped down immediately and branded him "gullible".

Meanwhile, the Bishop of Rochester, the Rt Rev Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, claimed it would be "simply impossible" to introduce sharia law in Britain.

The clergyman was put under police protection last month after receiving death threats following his claims that parts of Britain are 'no-go areas' for non-Muslims.

Today he claimed that sharia would be "in tension" with current laws, including the rights of women.

Dr Nazir-Ali, who holds dual British and Pakistani citizenship, also added that Muslim women's groups had blocked an attempt to introduce sharia in marriage dispute cases in Canada.

SNIP
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23436203-details/Church+backlash+as+Archbishop+of+Canterbury+calls+for+Sharia+law+in+Britain/article.do

[DixieBelle]

Forgot to add: (background info)

http://pajamasmedia.com/2008/02/canterbury_tales_of_dhimmitude.php

The Archbishop of Canterbury has said that the import of Sharia law to the UK is “unavoidable.” He may have to wait a while, judging by the British reaction to such nonsense. But, at a deeper level, argues “Jimmy Bradshaw,” his comments reflect the failure of “liberal multiculturalism which has stressed difference over commonality and exceptionalism over universalism.”

Williams isn’t of course referring to the Islamist-imperialist dream of the entire U.K being placed under Sharia law, but rather he’s backing the idea, promoted by some in the UK Muslim community, of allowing Muslims to settle some aspects of family and “personal status” laws in Sharia courts.

Williams says Muslims should not have to choose between “the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty” (he doesn’t say why not) and rejects an approach to law where “there’s one law for everybody and that’s all there is to be said, and anything else that commands your loyalty or allegiance is completely irrelevant in the processes of the courts — I think that’s a bit of a danger.” He doesn’t say what is “dangerous” about the idea of the law applying equally to all.

[DumbAss Tanker]

It's amazing how little some people seem to have learned from their own country's tribulations even within living memory.  Perhaps he could arrange a comprehensive peace conference for a settlement of the issue in our times, some congenial neutral place like Munich would be good.

 

[Ptarmigan]

I can see why the Anglican Church is dying.

[TheSarge]

The last thing that England needs is a shove in the back towards letting the Islamofascists take over.

That's something the Archbishop seems more than willing to do.