Friday, August 04, 2006

Is there a conflict of values?

The British philosopher, John Locke, stated there are three basic rights to which all are entitled: life, liberty, and property.

In the Declaration of Independence, the three basic rights expressed were: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Centuries before either John Locke or Thomas Jefferson, Muhammad listed three rights which must not be violated: life, property, and honor.

Tell me where the conflict of values is.

All--the British, the American, and the Muslim--value life. Life should never be regarded recklessly. The taking of life may be required in rare circumstances, such as self-defense, but the right to life must always be considered.

On the other rights there is some slight variation. Muhammad didn't mention libery or pursuit of happiness. John Locke or Thomas Jefferson didn't mention honor. But could these differences be called a conflict?

The Islamic approach to society emphasizes the community over the individual. This would explain why honor, a communal value, is rated over pursuit of happiness. But is this a conflict? Or is it simply a different perspective?

These are the basic rights from the British, American, and Islamic points of view. There is much more commonality than difference. So why did Mr. Blair talk about a global clash of values?

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