Can Islam reform?

I repeatedly hear the same things over and over... and they are either "They're all the same" or "terrorism has no religion, I refuse to use my brain".

Muslims aren't all the same and to think they are shows a lack of critical thinking and that you too have fallen for the islamist ideology. The other side who refuses to use their brain for fear of being labeled are supposed to be the progressive ones... and yet, by ignoring the overwhelming facts they are regressing and incapable of seeing it.

We must discuss the problems that are fundamentally wrong with islam in an intelligent but also respectful way. People who have been following me for awhile will have seen my views change wildly from "you can't tar them all" to "lets just ban islam because I don't know another solution".... and then I came across Maajid Nawaz who has changed my thinking again and brought it back to a middle ground. Who knows, maybe I'll change my opinion again the more I read and learn, I can't see it turning into a 'mussie loving' view because I've learnt too much, I also cant see it going back to shoot, nuke and deport as, again I've learnt too much. The way I see it these days is that the future of Australia will go one of 3 ways..

1. If we ignore the islamist ideology and repeat prior mistakes history will dictate the future, we will end up just like every other area that hasn't challenged the islamist. Medina, Lebanon, Pakistan etc

2. If we give no room for the good muslims to move, they will turn into their own communities and towards the islamist ideology which will subjugate us all... regardless of how much we say we won't put up with it. Self preservation is a powerful thing and we'll tow the line when and if we need to. Pakistan, Palestine, Lebanon etc

Or 3. Islam reforms and we live together in peace. To do that, we need to give credit where credit is due. Give them an opportunity to critically examine their religion and reform it to be compatible with society, it took hundreds of years but Christianity eventually reformed... islam can too. We need to completely reject ideas that go against our values, but we also need to be decent people and give them reason and room to change.

Maajid is not the only one calling for change. There are a lot, but they get little support from the muslim community. I think that number can change the more we encourage and reject 7th century ways and the more muslims that come out of the closet to support them.

To those muslims calling for change, for equal rights for women... you have my full support. To those calling for a Caliphate, never.

Some links for further reading:

http://5pillarsuk.com/video/muslim-reform-movement-launches-to-take-on-the-islamists/

http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/

Chrissy.