Nothing more toxic than a powerful state religion.
I kinda understand why religious folks reject unfettered cultural freedom. Religion and freedom compete over the same ground, especially when it comes to the status and treatment of women (access to education, clothing, sex etc). I can see how a group with a particular set of norms would be shocked by the expression of Western freedoms.
But of course, the religious dogmatists cannot stop themselves adopting the opposite extreme - which is control of everyone's behaviour. Islam seems to have the most extensive set of rules and so it tends to be the most obnoxious to unbelievers.
The tension seems likely to continue. Especially on the fringes of Islam and liberalism. Of which Turkey is an obvious example.
| 