Would you be happy with the idea of the UK becoming an Islamic country in the future?

i think the main reason why people are scared of such a thing happening is because they see other Islamic countries doing things like imposing the death penalty for apostasy, but some of these punishments are actually not Islamic at all. You cannot be killed for apostasy

Yes, of course.

Hell no. It doesn't belong in our legal system. Of course our legal system should always grow, improve, and evolve, but not with the inclusion of religious law. Also adding religious law would not mean evolution and improvement in my opinion.

So don't you see that you being in this country is as inappropriate as homosexuals being in Mecca? I value my countries culture and liberal values a great deal (which is why I am concerned about Islam), so surely you understand why I (and many others) dislike the idea of it being in this country.

I was specifically talking about an Islamic state, not the religious makeup of the country

I think the religious makeup of the country has to be sufficiently Muslim before you can have an Islamic state in the first place. Otherwise it's not likely to last very long.

Not to me.

And everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I don't refute that.

But they wouldn't be under Sharia Law.

Sure, but it is possible to have Muslims without having an Islamic state. I wish to allow Islamic worship, but keep Islamic law away from the statute books.

I can't really think of any way in which an Islamic state is more free than a fascist state.

I don't understand what you mean with this statement. You'd still be entitled to your own opinions under any law.

You're entitled to your opinion. Mine is that, a state which is more "free" isn't necessarily preferable. It depends on what exactly people are free or not free to do.

That's the crux of it - a theocracy would undo all progress accomplished through rational efforts and would not only reset but also stagnate politics and society back to an archaic standard taken to be "final", "perfect", "timeless" and "complete" from thousands of years ago.

It's preferable to admit ignorance and mistakes in an effort to, as you say, "grow, improve and evolve" than to claim absolute infallible knowledge taken from one of countless mythologies and stick to it 'til the "end times".

I don't understand what you mean with this statement. You'd still be entitled to your own opinions under any law.

You're entitled to your opinion. Mine is that, a state which is more "free" isn't necessarily preferable. It depends on what exactly people are free or not free to do.

I think the main reason why people don't take Muslim apologists seriously is because they see people like you come out with blatant lies like the above.

Punishment for apostasy has been ingrained not only in all four madhahib of Sunni sects but also in Shi'a jurisprudence.

This abhorrent ruling was established because of, among other sources, the following "authentic" ahadeeth attributed to Muhammad:

"Whoever changes his religion, kill him."

"The blood of a Muslim cannot be shed except in three cases: for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse, and the one who reverts from Islam (apostate) and leaves the Muslims."

actually, if you read the Qur'an, it says, many times that there is no
compulsion in religion. If someone turns from Islam, they can only be punished by death if they then actively work against the Muslims to destroy Islam. otherwise, if they are peaceful with us, then they must be left alone (which the Qur'an also says).
with regards to the Hadith quoted, you have to remember that things were very different then. This was a time when the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself was alive and leading the Muslims. If anyone became a Muslim, then left, it would mean that:
1. They had left even though the Prophet (PBUH) himself was the one who guided them. they could not have had a better guidance.
2. Due to the enmity between the Muslims and non-Muslims, those who left Islam would most likely then fight the Muslims.

Now, it's very different in that, if someone leaves Islam, it's more excusable as they may not have received the right guidance, and most people who leave Islam do not then fight against the Muslims. If they did, however, then the death penalty should be used.

Can you specify what you mean by 'fight against Muslims'?

either physically fight (in war or otherwise) or preaching hatred against Islam.