There once was a time when it was said "The sun does not set on the British flag." At the height of the British Empire, the rule of the throne was felt, literally, around the world. The British Empire has gone into decline within our lifetime; what remains is now the British Commonwealth.
In his day, Alexander conquered the known world and had plans for extending his empire beyond the known reaches of the mapped world. His rule extended across Europe and into Asia and Africa. Still today there are cities to be found in several nations which bear the name Alexandria.
It has also been said that "All roads lead to Rome." Before Rome there were (in no particular order) Greece, Egypt, Persia, Babylon, and after the Byzantine and Holy Roman Empires. Those are just the empires that come to mind off the top of my head.
Let us not forget Hitler's dreams of a 1,000 year German empire he called the Third Reich.
There are a great many who think, and believe, that we are witnessing an attempt at a global Islamic empire. Last year's rally in Indonesia by a group of hard line Muslims called for a global caliphate.
More than 70,000 members of a hardline Muslim group held a rally in Indonesia that heard calls for a caliphate -- or Islamic rule -- to govern the world.
The supporters of the Hizbut Tahrir group filled up most of an 80,000-seat sports stadium in the capital Jakarta, waving flags as they heard fiery speeches saying it was "time for the caliphate to reign."
The meeting was held as part of "civic education" for Indonesian Muslims, said Muhammad Ismail Yusanto, a spokesman for Hizbut Tahrir.
The organisation advocates Islamic rule and is banned in several Middle Eastern countries.
And yet there are those who would say that those who think that there are Muslim extremist groups who are intent upon world domination are paranoid and don't know what they are talking about. One needs but to look across Europe to see the influx of Muslim immigrants into their countries and see the conflict of cultures that is already beginning to start. One can also look here at home in the U.S. and see that there are situations arising where one student was even suspended for the horrible offense of leaving his bagged lunch, a ham steak, on a table where a group of Muslim students were seated.
I'm sure those students were critically injured by the offending ham steak.
And now we have the Archbishop of Canterbury stating that the infusion of Sharia Law into the British legal system is "unavoidable."
Dr Rowan Williams told Radio 4's World at One that the UK has to "face up to the fact" that some of its citizens do not relate to the British legal system.
Dr Williams argues that adopting parts of Islamic Sharia law would help maintain social cohesion.
For example, Muslims could choose to have marital disputes or financial matters dealt with in a Sharia court.
He says Muslims should not have to choose between "the stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty".
In other words, the rule of law in Great Britain is going to have to change to include Sharia law.
Does this mean that British legal officials will not charge fathers who kill their wives and daughters for not wearing traditional Muslim attire with murder? Will stoning become a common place event in the streets of London when people are caught in the act of adultery? Will Scotland Yard have a chopping block for the removal of limbs of those convicted of theft?
Will we see the Queen stepping down from the throne and donning a burkah?
I have to say this. Our founding fathers in the United States were wise to prohibit, in the Constitution, the establishment of a state sponsored religious body.
Read Debbie's commentary on this situation by clicking here.
[UPDATE]
Perhaps there is still hope for the Brit's, after all. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has denounced the Archbishop of Canterbury's suggestion that Sharia Law and Parliamentary Law can co-exist:
The Prime Minister rapidly distanced himself from Dr Williams's view. Gordon Brown's spokesman said: "Our general position is that sharia law cannot be used as a justification for committing breaches of English law, nor should the principles of sharia law be included in a civil court for resolving contractual disputes.
THERE'S that stiff upper lip!
[UPDATE 8FEB07]
Now the ruling body of the Church of England have begun to weigh in on this still developing situation, calling for the resignation of the Archbishop:
A senior Church of England clergyman called today for the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, over his remarks supporting Sharia in England.
The call, from a long-standing member of the Church's governing body, the General Synod, demonstrated the strength of the backlash Dr Williams that faces from within his own Church — as well as from political and other faith leaders.
The senior Synod member, who insisted on remaining anonymous, told The Times: "A lot of people will now have lost confidence in him. I am just so shocked, and cannot believe a man of his intelligence could be so gullible. I can only assume that all the Muslims he meets are senior leaders of the community who tell him what a wonderful book the Koran is.
"There have been a lot of calls today for him to resign. I don't suppose he will take any notice, but yes, he should resign."
Personally, I have to agree. He SHOULD resign.
Once and Always, an American Fighting Man
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