Islam: Religion and Law

I must say, I have not given Republican-2012-Presidential-nominee-wannabe Herman Cain the time of day. This however, is utterly fascinating:

GOP Presidential hopeful Herman Cain is taking his efforts to win Republican votes by disparaging Muslims to the level of performance art.

Cain reiterated his opposition to a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tennessee yesterday on Fox News Sunday. Cain insisted that Islam is different from other religions because “fact Islam is both a religion and a set of laws, Sharia law.”

CAIN: They could say that. Chris, lets go back to the fundamental issue that the people are basically saying they’re objecting to. They’re objecting to the fact Islam is both a religion and a set of laws, Sharia law. That’s the difference between any one of our other traditional religions where it’s just about religious purposes. The people in the community know best, and I happen to side with the people in Murfreesboro.

WALLACE: You’re saying any community, if they want to ban a mosque?

CAIN: Yes. They have a right to do that. That’s not discriminating based upon religion.

Does Herman Cain really not realize that other religions have their own set of laws, as well? Is he simply betting that other folks are too ignorant to know?

I suspect the average Catholic in Murfreesboro, Tennessee knows the Catholic Church operates under Canon law, and that they would be none-too-happy to hear a Presidential candidate say that would be a valid basis for a community ban on constructing a new Catholic church.