[caveat: most of the links are in german – I will fix this, if I find the time]
After reading Tim Wise commentary on white privilege in the US elections, I thought that it might be worthwhile to point out that similar standards are of course applied in Germany and elsewhere.
After all, nobody really objects to the church employing only members of their confession, even though they’re patronizing enough to tell everyone else that certain minorities need special attention, but of course no equal treatment.
But of course the muslimes are expected to have their teachers studying at an institute which is run by a man who questions the one of the core beliefs of Islam, notably the existence of Mohammad as a historical figure. And then the discussion is on about the “feelings of the muslims” and their unwillingness to “integrate into society” as if it wasn’t double standards all the way and as if they weren’t part of society already.
Granted, the German Muslime Council is as conservative in religious matters as you can be without running into trouble with the law, and of course its head is a convert, always the most zelous to any cause. Yet nobody expects any liberal insights coming from any of the next 200 popes, so if you’re looking for reform movements within Islam, you’ll have to look elsewhere.