Lamenting the Iraqi Constitution

(Adapted from comments I made on Freespace)

Iraq (and I believe Afghanistan too) has done something in its newly founding document that this nation did not do with Christianity in ours. Here’s the text of the constitution: "Islam is the official religion of the State and is to be considered a source of legislation. No law that contradicts the universally agreed tenets of Islam...may be enacted during the transitional period. "

Those claiming that Christianity is the legal foundation for this nation are perpetrating a fraud, as neither words—“Christian” or “Jesus”—or any variation thereof are mentioned in either the Declaration or the Constitution. Yet if Islamo-fascists manage to get into power in Iraq and thunder that, “this nation is founded on Islam,” they have Iraq’s founding document to back them up.

On a related note, while flipping through the channels, sometimes I tune into the 700 Club to see what good old Pat has to say and on more than one occasion I heard Robertson demand that the Constitutional government that America is helping to establish in Iraq be secular, one that separates Church and State. Well I have to agree with you there, Mr. Robertson. I only wish that you would be so enthusiastic about secular government in America as well. Perhaps the reasons why it’s a good idea for Iraq’s government to be secular in principle are the same ones that explain why our Founders established a secular American government.

Obviously, Christians won’t be able to worship freely in Iraq if there is no such separation. And before our Founders separated Church & State, non-dominant sects could not worship freely in the West. Contemporary Islam’s problems can be boiled down to one statement: They haven’t yet been through an Enlightenment.

It’s time that Islam joined the modern era. And I don’t know if this new Iraqi constitution is helping that particular nation to do that.

One of the cardinal principles of the Enlightenment (especially Locke’s teachings) is the separation of Church & State, a doctrine based on the natural right of liberty of conscience. And this right is not being adequately secured in Iraq's constitution.