It is beneficial for Turkish democracy that not all religious conservatives are united under one banner.
From Mustafa Akyol
What if democracy does not serve liberty? This question is seldom asked in the West, where democracy is often seen as synonymous with liberalism.
The main bone of contention is whether Islamic injunctions are legal or moral categories. When Muslims say Islam commands daily prayers or bans alcohol, are they talking about public obligations that will be enforced by the state or personal ones that will be judged by God?
Those who hope to nurture genuine religiosity should first establish liberty.
There is a heated debate in Turkey these days over whether the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is furthering democracy or rolling it back.
The Arab Spring has heightened the ideological tension between Ankara and Tehran, and Turkey's model seems to be winning.
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