True, it's not really a religious divide as you point out.
In the west, the sort of transformation we're talking about really happened during the Reformation. It was during that era when the reformers saw the Church's role as one of challenging the state instead of being it's concubine. As a result, reformed bishops and leaders would use their newfound autonomy to help the secular leaders see alternate points of view. Countries which experienced the reformation seem to have the highest charitable giving, commitment to international development and humanitarian focus (namely, the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Canada, the US, the UK as well as New Zealand).
Maybe such a reformation will happen in Islam some day and Muslims will have an alternate voice to the ones put in place by their governments.
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Since Allah has given me a brain, it would seem like a sin not to use it.
True, it's not really a religious divide as you point out.
In the west, the sort of transformation we're talking about really happened during the Reformation. It was during that era when the reformers saw the Church's role as one of challenging the state instead of being it's concubine. As a result, reformed bishops and leaders would use their newfound autonomy to help the secular leaders see alternate points of view. Countries which experienced the reformation seem to have the highest charitable giving, commitment to international development and humanitarian focus (namely, the Scandinavian countries, Germany, Canada, the US, the UK as well as New Zealand).
Maybe such a reformation will happen in Islam some day and Muslims will have an alternate voice to the ones put in place by their governments.
--
Since Allah has given me a brain, it would seem like a sin not to use it.