The New York Post's Amir Taheri writes of religious tolerance and intolerance as it affects Muslims, members of a religion which is predicated on religious dominance of all aspects of society, public and private. In such a religion, the idea that a person is left free to practice his own religion is anathema.

Muslims often speak of the unity of the Muslim world, but Taheri points out that many Muslim nations persecute deviant (as they perceive them) versions of Islam. In Teheran, a city with 1.5 million Sunnis, not a single Sunni mosque is permitted to exist.

Only in the West, with its concept of an individual realm of freedom, are disparate sects of Muslims able to live side—by—side in peace.

In one street [in Paris], Pakistani shops run by Ahmadi, Jaafari and Salafi sects sit side by side; the owners have learned to talk together and even do business — something unimaginable in Pakistan, where militants of rival sects kill each other by the hundreds each year.

Taheri rightly points out that this is a gift to Islam from the West. But unfortunately, many in the Muslim world are committed to the orthodox practice of jihad, a fundamental injunction of their faith. This does not leave much room for tolerance.

Our freedoms in the West are precious and have been paid for in blood. Those who do not explicitly swear allegiance to those principles of freedom and tolerance do not deserve to live among us. Any immigration policy which permits otherwise is subversive of our freedom.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky

Thomas Lifson   11 21 05