Saturday, February 25, 2006

The irrationality of a conflict of beliefs

The quote below seems to me very interesting, but I'm not sure I understand it. Any help out there? I can't read German so cannot go to the source.

"Because dialogue presupposes liberalism not only in the dialogue partner, but also as the background against which such a dialogue can take place at all. But with its religious identity, Islamism has put itself on different terrain from the outset: it has made religion not only what is at stake in the conflict, but also the medium of the conflict. As a result, the West finds itself not only in an undesired friend-enemy constellation. It is also forced to defend its order like an article of faith. In short, Islamism is forcing the 'West' into the irrationality of a conflict of beliefs."

Viennese philosopher Isolde Charim, quoted on signand sight.

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