Oh...Pleeeeze...
Yes, the sarcasm was intended for that one.
Take celebrity worship, for a moment. Why do we follow certain individuals? The accomplish great things, for one reason, right? Einstein had his groupies, just like Eric Clapton whose followers declared him 'God'. Am an Air Force guy, so Robin Olds is one figure I admire. An Army guy will go after Patton or Napoleon. Am sure you get the picture.
But it is not enough to simply follow a figure, we
ALWAYS claim -- or at least try -- to have some kind of association with that figure. Robin Olds is Air Force, so am I. The USAF is the link between Olds and all who served in the USAF. Obviously, I cannot claim a blood or marriage tie with Olds, only his family members can. But the USAF is a link, nevertheless, even if it is just an philosophical link between Olds and me.
Muslims are no different.
In Shia Islam, those who wears black turbans claimed to have
DIRECT descendency from the Prophet Mohammad, which somehow implies a higher status among Muslims. Why does the distinction matters? Albert Einstein's children did not really distinguish themselves, so what make the descendants of Mohammad significant to the point that each man makes it clear to other Muslims by way of a black turban?
Claiming some kind of link automatically implies authority about a particular subject. I can talk with some authority about the USAF and Robin Olds but not about the US Army and George Patton and his tanks. As a Jesuit educated Catholic, even a lapsed one, I can speak with some authority about Catholicism but not about Buddhism. The Jesuits are considered the 'intellectual commandos' of the Church, by the way.
So when a Shia Muslim displays a black turban, he is, at the very least, claimed elevated status in terms of education and wisdom regarding Islam. You say that there is no concept of a 'divine right of leadership' in Islam. I call BS on that. If the right is not of divine origin, then it is of (claimed) birth. It is human nature to make oneself stand apart from the ordinary even when one is supposed to be humble in character.
Shia Islam is like what? 10% of global Islam, and I am not even going to argue bc I am not Shia.
Secondly, lineage means nothing in Islam. Yes, people can claim higher status in social hierarchy but not by bloondlines or divine rights. Only by personal effort and achievement (whether in civil realm or the religious).
Anyways...thanks for the response.
Pragmatically, a theocracy does not require a claim of 'divine right' to govern in order to make the country a FUNCTIONAL theocracy. I will concede that the Western countries came from theocracies or highly theocratic foundations, but with the exception of the Vatican City, no Western country is as FUNCTIONALLY religious in character as the Muslim countries.
True that. There's no "christian" or "hindu" or "buddhist" countries in the world anymore. Secular-liberalism destroyed every other religion except Islam. There are only
Islamic countries remaining on global level (From Algeria to Saudi Arabia to Nigeria (Muslim states) to Indonesia to Pakistan etc etc))
Shows the success of Islam on ideological level (forgetting the negatives or positives debate)---no?
Fact of the matter is that Islam has, uptil now, successfully defeated liberal-secularism on global level literally everywhere both giant ideologies/lifestyles came in contact with. The
ONLY religious-cultural force to have done so successfully. Even rich, well-off Muslim societies (GCC, Malaysia, Turkey etc) are very
practicing of Islam and Islam plays a central role in these countries' politics, laws, family life, social values, public sphere, and so on. Forget the gigantic Islamic world, even Muslims throughout the Western world...the heart of secular liberalism and free conscience--are
relatively still very religious despite being highly educated, urbanized, integrated, and wealthy (example U.S Muslims).
Christianity/Judaism/Hindusim etc were easy...secularism/liberalism ran over them and made them pretty much irrelevant...but Islam, as I said, absolutely decimated liberal-secularism everywhere it faced. Hell, even in countries that were liberal/secular before, Islam changed the entire face of culture and lifestyle within a generation after decolonization. In Turkey, where secularism was actually
forced down---Islam eventually won out and gain public prominence slowly....
(Note: I know Turkey is "liberal" compared to Pakistan and so on. Variations
within global Islam exist, as to be expected---but
relative to non-Muslims---my post stands factual and unchallenged).
What do you know about Indonesian culture?
FYI,there was never Sharia law in Indonesia,dont act like you know everything,dont insult people,be respectful.
I know more about Indonesian than you. Trust me....
Lived there for four years, know TONS of people from there...
I am very familiar with Indonesian flavor of Islam. They are not liberal-seculars like Frenchmen or even Americans or Latin Americans. A vast majority of Indonesians are traditional Muslims just like vast majority of people in Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt etc etc are your average Muslims. Not fanatics but not liberals either.
What do YOU know about Indonesia? I bet you have never even visited Bali, let alone living in real Indonesia.
Indonesian political system is rooted in "religious nationalism" as one scholar of political science working with us called it. Its not a "secular" country....
Google stats on Indonesians' views on various issues before you write more empty rhetoric. I don't want to spoon feed you
For a starter:
72% of Indonesians support making Shari'ah/Quran the official law of the land
This is PEW's survey for 2013-14....and Indonesian society have only became
more Islamic since then.
And this is not a random stat either. Survey after survey, study after study, research paper after research paper----all reveal the same pattern. An Islamic country with deeply religious Islamic society and culture
"BuT fOrGeT FAcTs!!! YOu DoNT KnOW AnyThiNg. InDonEsIa is SecUlaRRRR!!!" says dumb liberals trying to hide facts for their own personal agendas (not you per say---but many "Indonesians" on this thread
)
Indonesia already has more than 442 legal ordinances inspired by Shari'ah implemented throughout the country (Not just Aceh).
A recent study found that more than 442 Shariah-based ordinances have been passed throughout the nation since 1999, when Jakarta gave provinces and districts substantial powers to make their own laws. These include regulations concerning female attire, the mixing of the sexes, and alcohol
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/12/world/asia/indonesia-sharia-law-aceh.html
Liberals think Shari'ah is like ISIS type butchery. And hence liberals ALWAYS keep losing since they dont even understand what they are arguing against.