Bjorn Ulvaeus Quotes
The UN declaration on human rights must always be first in line before religion or other cultural habits, in case of any conflict between them.
Ulvaeus, Björn. "Knowing Me, Knowing You." Interview by Andrew Copson. New Humanist, vol. 121, no. 6, Nov.-Dec. 2006.
He was referring to whether or not Iraq should be a Muslim state.
The Roman Empire of 70 million people contained at the time 7 million Jews—the vast majority of the world’s Jews.
Prior to Vatican II, freedom of conscience was not explicit in Catholic Doctrine. The controlling view had been that of Pope Pius IX a hundred years earlier. See {612299}.
This quotation which appears absurd on the surface given Iran’s terrible record with religious minorities provides insight to Islamic orthodox thought. For the orthodox Muslim, Sharia—Koranic Law—is the basis of the society. God defines the rights of people and their obligations. Whatever rights are provided by Sharia, Khomeini and some others wished to provide them equally to religious minorities also. However, those rights do not include the right to criticize the Islamic law or the leaders who implement it. That would be heresy if done by a Muslim, a Christian, or a Jew. A Christian church may not erect a public cross or ring bells on Sunday. That is prohibited by the Koran and is imposed on all. Bahai religious adherents are tracked down in the Islamic Republic and are often executed. ‘What about their rights?’ they ask. The answer is that the Bahai were Muslims who have become “backsliders” and heretics, and under Sharia, they must be executed for heresy; they are deemed to be heretical Muslims and not members of a minority religion.
At the time Turkey was the only Muslim majority country where there was coexistence with secularism but with Christians and Jews as well. Ataturk, the great Turkish leader, turned Turkey around, modernized it, Westernized it, and made it a secular state with freedom of Religion, much like the United States. However, Erdogan’s party was constantly trying to make the state more Islamic as his electoral base were the poor, religious, Muslims.
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus is a Swedish singer-songwriter, producer, a member of the Swedish musical group ABBA, and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia!. He co-produced the films Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again with fellow ABBA member and close friend Benny Andersson.