Tony Abbott: Islam needs a religious reformation
A "religious revolution" is needed inside Islam, the former Prime Minister of Australia has said.
Tony Abbott has drawn criticism for his remarks and many have pointed out that, as a Catholic, Abbott himself subscribes to a faith that has yet to go through a reformation.
Hey #TonyAbbott the Roman Catholic church has had no reformation or enlightenment? Do you have a plan for its modernisation? #auspol
— Jack Ruffin (@jackruffin1) December 9, 2015Does Tony Abbott understand that the Reformation was a split from a repressive Catholic Church which still holds the same repressive views?
— Toadsland (@Qld_Mythbuster) December 9, 2015In a wide-ranging interview with Sky News, Abbott said Muslims must lead the way towards a reformation.
"We've got to work closely with live-and-let-live Muslims because there needs to be, as president [Abdel Fattah] Al-Sisi of Egypt has said, a religious revolution inside Islam.
"All of those things that Islam has never had - a Reformation, an Enlightenment, a well-developed concept of the separation of church and state - that needs to happen.
"But we can't do it; Muslims have got to do this for themselves. But we should work with those who are pushing in that direction."
The former liberal prime minister also denied the equality of cultures insisting some were preferred to others.
"All cultures are not equal and, frankly, a culture that believes in decency and tolerance is much to be preferred to one which thinks that you can kill in the name of God, and we've got to be prepared to say that."
However the Muslim-majority Indonesia's ambassador to Australia rebuked Abbott's remarks as "unhelpful" and "divisive."
"This is a time when all nations must unite to defeat the scourge of terrorism," said Nadjib Riphat Kesoema.
"A rhetoric boasting of cultural and religious superiority over other cultures and religions is unhelpful to the cause and divisive."
The ambassador also called for strong cooperation with Australia against terrorism.
"It is important for us including the multicultural societies of Australia and Indonesia to keep our focus on efforts to creating a long-term solution to the common challenges of violent extremism that we face," Kesoema said.
"Violent extremism is the common challenges of all religions: Buddha, Christianity, Hindu, Islam and all faiths."
As well as harbouring religious extremists in the Aqa area, Indonesia is also home to the Nahdlatul Ulama, a moderate Islamic group with 50 million members who are seeking to counter ISIS' theology with a message of tolerance and compassion.
