[Hippy]

Now if you want to tell me that we should only have one law I want to hear people saying that Beth Din courts should be closed down too. 

Sounds good to me.

Personally, I'd just throw a copy of Leviathan in Dr Williams' general direction and hope some of it manages to be absorbed.

But that's just me and I hate religious based legal systems - no grey areas.

[karajorma]

Yes, religious institutions may arbitrate. It's not at all the same thing as pronouncing judgement on or sentencing anyone. I agree that what Williams was suggesting was not that Shariah law may be substituted for British law... but the whole thing certainly came out that way to thuneducated masses. Regardless of his intent, he can now add this poorly worded spittle to his record, whose past deeds include:

From http://conservativehome.blogs.com/centreright/2008/02/rowan-williams.html:

In 2005, he attacked the internet and web-based media for playing host to free discussion of views close to, as he put it, "unpoliced conversation". Oh no! Unpoliced!
In 2003, he admitted having discriminated against Freemasons and declared that their beliefs were incompatible with Christianity (he later apologised).
In 2002, he wrote that “Every transaction in the developed economies of the West can be interpreted as an act of aggression against the economic losers in the worldwide game”.
In the same book, he wrote in reference to removing the Taliban that acting in defence of others was contrary to Jesus' call to "turn the other cheek" and argued that the 9/11 hijackers lacked the freedom we have to "consider whether or not we turn to violence".

Which is why I said that usually I don't give a damn about what the man has to say. But I think this media circus over a single remark that obviously didn't mean what they were presenting it as is ridiculous.

[Mika]

Yes it does, So do the Canadian courts to almost exactly the same degree and it wouldn't surprise me given the high Jewish population if it exists in the US. That's why I find this entire debate so funny. It's people debating that the Archbishop was wrong to say that something shouldn't be brought in that already exists.

I still find it difficult to believe. It is actually even worse than I imagined. How in the hell did you get into this sad state of affairs? Of course, the rest of such councils should be booted. How many separate court systems (here I count it even if it is only arbitrating) do there exist in UK or USA?

Mika