Democracies DO NOT provide checks and balances. Pure Democracies follow the will of the majority of the populace regardless of the morality or implication of such decisions.

Those who put the United States forward as examples of democracies do not understand the nature of our government. We do not have direct elections of our leaders, nor do we have purely "democratic" legislation. If we did, it is clear that countries Coastal Urban cores would dictate national policy to the detriment of the nation. Slavery would have been abolished at the onset of the Nation rather than nearly 100 years later, and women would have gained the right to vote much earlier in our history. That said, African Americans would not have made even the minimal gains of the 60's and 70's.

The American system of gov't works because it is representational. The House, Senate, and the President; each represents a unique overlapping constituency. Combined with the constitutional safeguards provided by the Supreme Court the county is governed with a complex vision - one that is often clouded by selfishness and partisanship, but one that is inevitably built on negotiation and compromise.

Liberal constitutional authoritaniasm is a better solution for third world countries. Democracy before guaranteed freedoms creates an environment in which dictatorial leaders pose as democratic leaders. For primary examples of the failings of this Democracy only idealogy all one has to do is look to Iran or Venezuala. Each have "democratically" elected governments, but in neithe are rights guaranteed. They leaders are elected, but only from a pre-determined body as in the case of Iran, or they become radicalized or reactionary as was the case in Venezuela.

While I am glad that Yusuf has found a place for himself in this world, it is clear that abubakar31 has no real understanding of Judaism at all. To make a debate fair, it is important to define what it is each side is talking about.

Judaism is the religion of the Israelites, or Hebrews. We, like Muslims, inherited their knowledge of the One G-d, from own father Abraham (Ibrahim). That in and of itself did not constitute a religion. Abraham spread word of his G-d throughout the Levant. Some people accepted it, some did not. The religious and ethnic group which came to be called Israelites are the descendants of Abraham's grandson Jacob (later called Israel). Keeping a promise He made to Abraham, G-d takes them out of slavery and prepares to deliver them to Canaan, the land that He promised to Abraham, and which Abraham bequeathed to his son Isaac, and which Isaac had bequeathed to Israel. On the way, G-d reveals His Law (what Jews call the Torah) to ALL those assembled at the foot of Mt. Sinai. This is a key element of Jewish belief. G-d revealed Himself and His will to a mass of at least 600,000 people at Sinai. Judaism is based on mass testimony, not singular revelation. It is at this point that the Jewish religion is born.

Islam is the revelation of G-d will and Law to a singular individual living in Mecca around the year 600. Orphaned and outcast from a wealthy family in the wealthiest caste, Mohammad seeks a truth. He finds it in the desert - delivered to him by the angel Gabriel. Take note here that in all the books of the three monotheistic religions, only Moses, the prophet of all three - but the deliverer of the Israelites - only Moses speaks directly with G-d. Neither Jesus nor Mohammad know G-d, "panim el panim," face to face.

Mohammad, delivering his unwelcome message is quickly driven from Mecca. He moves to Medina where he gathers more adherents. He also, at this point, eliminated those who reject his teaching - [Example: he completely drove out 2 Jewish clans, and drove out the women and children of the 3rd after slaughtering 800 of their Jewish men in the public square]. Using the rationale, "If you are not with us, then you are against us," the 'community' moves out to bring the world under the umbrella of Islam, to have everyone live by their view of the Law. By coercion or by the sword they bring the diverse, divergent, and polytheistic Arabia under there control. Their dramatic military victories, in their eyes (as in the eyes of the conquered), proof that G-d is with them.

The Jewish religion demands absolute acceptance of G-d's Law and His authority. In contrast to the global jihad envisioned by Islam, the children of Israel (Bnei Yisrael) were told that only they are to live by the Torah; to be a "light unto the nations." The meaning is that Jews must inform the rest of the world that there is only One God, and that He is Universal, and that He is there for all humanity to serve. The key thing to note here is that the Torah is not what is universally applicable to all mankind. It is only the acknowledgment and acceptance of the One G-d. By Jewish understanding are in no way required to "become Jewish." In fact, non-Jews are only obligated to the 7 Noahide laws - a subset of the Ten Commandments.

The Jewish people are called by this name today because after the separation of the land of Canaan into Israel in the north and Judeah in the south, the Northern Kingdom was overrun by and its inhabitants scattered across the region. The Southern Kingdom stayed intact for a while longer, until the Babylonians conquered them and they too were scattered. It was the Persians, conquerers of the Babylonians who allowed their Hebrew transplants to return to their land. Having been from the kingdom of Judeah (Southern Kingdom), they became known as Judaians/Yehudim/Jews. Their religion, unique in the world at the time was referred to as Yehudaism (Judaism).

Most Jews, and I am sure that Joseph (aka Yusuf) was amongst them, know very little about their religion, their history, and their Law. It is no surprise that many leave for other spiritual sources, but it is not the fault of the religion, so much as the practitioners, for we have failed to effectively rebuff the influence of the outside world during the formative years of our children's lives. Then, as adults, they seek a path to G-d and they are sure that it exists somewhere other than in their own home.

Judaism has been unfailingly succesful in it's primary mission - calling the world to the One G-d. Both Christianity and Islam are reactionary religious movements based on their prophet's interaction with Jews and Judaism in their communities. It was the Jewish spark which spread knowledge of Him through the Roman Empire, and 600 years later through Arabia, Asia, and Western Europe.

It is amusing to hear an adherent of Islam or Christianity claim Jewish arrogance. Both of these spin off religions demand that the whole world follow exactly their form of faith and worship. Both condemn the rest of the world to the depths of Hell. Historically, both have waged global wars of Jihad and conquest in the name of their arrogance. Today, 'radical' Islam has is taking up the mantle of global jihad once again. It's ultimate foe, Christianity based, Western style, Capitalism driven Democracy.

Jews are a relatively insignificant percentage of the worlds population, just 14 million on a planet of 6.8 billion people. Jews do not control any major nature resource on the planet. Until 60 years ago, when some 50% of her population was once again wiped out, they did not even have a place to call home. Where, perchance, is the source of any arrogance?

My antagonist says that Islam is a religion about subservience to G-d. Judaism concurs, emphatically. He says that we should submit to the will of no one else, and yet the Prophet is untouchable, unerring, and in some cases super-human. Any questioning of him is seen as blasphemous and a number of people have had fatwahs (death orders) issued against them for what seem like minor offenses. Is this not a form of idolatry. Have they not elevated this man to the level of G-d Himself? Judaism rejects this view completely. Though our prophets be mighty, they always remain human. Their level of holiness and closeness to the One G-d something to emulate and pursue. Their errors examples from which we learn, and heartening - even though we err, we too can achieve an intimate relationship with Him.

There are many liturgical points we could discuss in delineating the differences between the two religions. It is quite safe to say that all their adherents are human - all too human, all too often, and that it is at times hard to differentiate the policy from the practitioner. That said, based simply on the two points brought up: 1. That Judaism is a religion of arrogance while Islam is one of humility and 2. that Judaism does not put G-d first while Islam does - we can see that abubakar31 is errant in his logic and that Judaism is the more optimal choice.