MS Bans Shariah Law

Recently, the Mississippi legislature voted 116-1 to pass House Bill 177, which bans the use of foreign law.  Legislators are concerned about improper foreign and international influence on American affairs.  And proponents of the foreign-law measure fear courts might allow the use of the Muslim religious law known as Shariah.

Robert Spencer, director of JihadWatch, says MS lawmakers have a right to be concerned.  “It’s when they start to plot to bring Shariah to the United States or to commit violence against Americans [that we need to be very concerned],” Spencer argues.  “And that’s what the anti-Shariah laws are designed to prevent.”

Spencer insists that the new legislation is in no way an anti-religious freedom bill.  “[These laws are] not designed to keep people from praying to Allah or reading the Koran,” he insists.  “They’re designed to keep people from imposing the Shariah oppression of women, the Shariah oppression of non-Muslims, the Shariah denial of freedom of speech.”

But the terrorism expert is concerned, on the other hand, about Texas allowing Islamic tribunals, which will judge cases supposedly on a voluntary basis — and only in matters that don’t conflict with American law.  [read my blog posting of February 18 – “‘Mission Creep’ of Islamic Shariah Law in U.S.”]  “These are exactly the same assurances that the British public was given when Shariah courts were established in Britain,” Spencer warns.  He fears that the concession made in TX to appease Muslim activists will open up the floodgates to the same problems the United Kingdom and France have had with their Islamic populations.  “Those assurances were then immediately disregarded and contravened,” Spencer notes.  “And I suspect it will be the same in Texas.”  Spencer closes by sharing that he hopes TX law-makers will shut down these courts as soon as they begin to cross that line.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth L. Beale, Jr.

Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army

Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel