American Unitarian Conference Forum

Please read what Williams actually said:
http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/1581

Secondly, you keep missing the distinction
between religious "law" and secular law. No
one in any position of reasonable power is
advocating the replacement of secular law w/
religious "law." The UK Parliament is not
going to punish Amy Winehouse for violating
Kashrut, but it may allow Rabbis to give a seal
of approval on a particular brand of crackers
for example, if the manufacturer would like
that seal. Additionally, what is being
advocated is private arbitration based on
"parts" of Sharia, again, much as Jews seek
resolution to some issues in a Beit Din, and
Catholics and other Christians in a Church
tribunal.

The Church did not grant a family member of
mine an annulment, because there was no grounds
for it, however that fact did not impede her
from obtaining a civil divorce and remarrying
(and I might add, continuing to worship in the
Catholic faith). You fear something that
already exists and has not threatened the
supremacy of secular law in the West.

Thirdly, the choice of the individual, not the
group, to seek out religious "law" is an
inalienable part of his/her right to practice
his/her faith.

Lastly, I am no more an advocate for Sharia
supplanting secular law than I am for the
authority of the Pope to subsume that of the
People of the United States, or the
Constitution to be replaced by the BOCP. You
are, in my opinion, making a mountain out of a
molehill.

Regarding polygamy & benefits, again this is not the implementation of Sharia, it is at worst a misguided attempt to apply the law equally. It happens here too among fundamentalist Mormons who take advantage of the fact that multiple wives are not recognized by law, so the women getting welfare benefits (even though they may be part of a large family with steady income) are considered single mothers by state agencies. I don't lose sleep at night for fear of the Mormons taking over.

And regardless of the crying and hollering about a Sharia-invasion of Europe, the fact remains that the Archbishop of Canterbury has not advocated the implementation of Sharia in place of UK law.

Discussion is good-for me anyway. It makes me think, and I thank you for indulging me.

Have a great weekend!