Is this the relationship islam wants with democratic nations founded on enlightenment ideals?

[pampango]

9. Thanks for the link to the poll of global Muslim attitudes. Some good along with the bad.

Most Muslims around the world express support for democracy, and most say it is a good thing when others are very free to practice their religion. Given a choice between a leader with a strong hand or a democratic system of government, most Muslims choose democracy. In 31 of the 38 countries where the question was asked, majorities of Muslims say people of other faiths can practice their religion very freely. And of those who share this assessment, overwhelming majorities consider it a good thing.



Muslims around the world strongly reject violence in the name of Islam. Asked specifically about suicide bombing, clear majorities in most countries say such acts are rarely or never justified as a means of defending Islam from its enemies. In all but one of the 36 countries where the question was asked, no more than one-in-five Muslims express worries about Christian extremism, compared with 28 countries where at least that many say they are concerned about Islamic extremist groups.

In general, American Muslims are more at ease in the contemporary world. About six-in-ten Muslims living in the U.S. (63%) say there is no tension between being religiously devout and living in a modern society ... U.S. Muslims are much less likely than Muslims worldwide to say that all or most of their close friends are Muslim (48% vs. global median of 95%).

American Muslims are somewhat less likely to believe in evolution than are Muslims in other parts of the world (45% vs. global median of 53%). Indeed, when it comes to evolution, U.S. Muslims are closer to U.S. Christians (46% of whom say they believe in evolution) than they are to fellow Muslims elsewhere in the world. American Muslims are even more likely than Muslims in other countries to firmly reject violence in the name of Islam.

It is ironic that, with respect to belief in evolution, American Muslims are more like American Christians in the skepticism than they are like Muslims in other countries. Interesting conclusions to be drawn from that.

While Muslims' attitudes towards Sharia and women's rights in the poll are disturbing, their attitudes towards democracy and other religions is not what I expected.