Posted: Sep 19, 2011 6:58 pm
Clive Durdle wrote:Why did this phenomenon fade abruptly from 1975 in particular ,and not before or after?
Nonie Darwish has an answer which I think is accurate even in this case. One key factor is the same strong resurgence of islamism (coupled with the alleged strong violation of 'divine commands' in the case of the miniskirts) after a period of relative liberalism 'catalyzed' by the legacy of colonialism. Without doubt the key factor responsible for the fact that miniskirts never returned to the muslim world.
Colonialism had its positive side effects no doubt in spite of the current postmodernist myths ('colonialism put an end to the modernization of islam' and so on). It gave the chance to muslim reformers capable to go 'far' from tradition (and act openly) to really reform the islamic world. It gave the chance to those capable to think way beyond the traditional views to come out. Something very rarely seen in the islamic world when no outside pressure is applied.
Anyways the sharp return towards islamism we witnessed in the last 35 years is evidence that the reforms in the islamic world are rather superficial (and dependent on outside pressure). Some reforms (rather minor) are here to stay forever, admittedly, but this is too few...
Pressure, we need to apply more pressure. Intellectual pressure of course. Exposing muslims to a healthy criticism of islam, at an academic level, is a must. Merely accepting the muslim views about islam (be them 'progressive') is definitely not the most rational path.
Some people may call 'bigotry' the fact that I think that we have a problem with islam (as a whole) but I will be the first to change my view when they open the doors to free inquiry & show capacity to change at least at the level we see in other major religions...
PS: I talked in this thread about ibn Warraq's 'Why I am not a muslim' (a must read for anyone who want to understand the real islam), for those interested most of his book is still online:
http://web.archive.org/web/20030821132050/http://www.worldalternative.org/english/religion/islam/why_i_am_not_a_muslim_rushdi_affair.htm (ch1)
http://web.archive.org/web/20030821132223/http://www.worldalternative.org/english/religion/islam/why_i_am_not_a_muslim_pt01.htm (ch2)
http://web.archive.org/web/20030821132616/http://www.worldalternative.org/english/religion/islam/why_i_am_not_amuslim_problem_of_sources.htm (ch3)
http://web.archive.org/web/20030821131755/http://www.worldalternative.org/english/religion/islam/why_i_am_not_a_muslim_md_his_message.htm (ch4)
http://web.archive.org/web/200308211324 ... -koran.htm (ch5)
http://www.centerforinquiry.net/isis/islamic_viewpoints/the_totalitarian_nature_of_islam/ (ch6)
http://web.archive.org/web/20060712080451/http://www.secularislam.org/humanrights/compatible.htm (ch7)
http://islam-watch.org/IbnWarraq/Jihad_ ... bjects.htm (ch9)
Ex-muslim debunks islam