In Reply to: Re: Nice try posted by moonshiner on March 29, 2006 at 13:27:42:
Where Islam is the majority faith but the gov't has refused to adopt Shaira (Islamic law) as the national civil law, the harsh regulations of Islamic law do not get translated into death sentences. Church/mosque and state are separate. Mind you, zealous individial can still attempt to carry out the requirements of Shaira vigilante style, but it is not officially permitted and might even result in that person's arrest, depending.
However, where Islamic Law has been incorporated into the civil law (ie. church and state are the same) then beheadings etc. can legally take place. Or in the case of Afghanistan where their constitution enshrines both Shaira and international laws on human rights, they're torn, as is the case now.
OK, I agree there, separation from church/mosque and state is crucial to a democracy. Where religion is IMPOSED on the population by law, it not only stops freedom of press, freedom of speech and freedom of religion, but opens the door for medieval punishments to happen. Imagine if the death penalty (by stoning) was still civil law in Israel.