A Baptist theologian from the neoconfederacy (Where else?) writes about the two schools of thought on Islam and then:
[G]ives his own reasons why Islam is a bad religion doomed to ruin: “When you start with an adulterous warrior-profit, who is literally anti-Christ (though touting a non-biblical version of Jesus), mix in generous helpings of totalitarianism and the marginalization/persecution of women and non-Muslims, and cultivate tribalism, legalism, and victimism, you have a recipe for disaster.”
I might have had more respect for the author if he or she just wrote “My religion is better than your religion, neener neener neener.”
It brings up a good topic of discussion though, because I sometimes find myself conflicted when it comes to Islam. On the one hand it’s a colorful and historically significant collection of primitive supernatural myths starting in the Bronze Age about magic invisible sky wizards and super heroes, and anyone who actually believe that stuff today is as good a target for pity and skepticism as any other. The same could be said for Christians beliefs of course, and yet that’s exactly where some of the best (And by far the worst) criticism for Islam originates.
I’m sure if I lived in Saudi Arabia or Egypt I would fear right-wing Muslim bullies, they would represent the dominant mythical madness after all, but I don’t live there, I live in America, so I fear right-wing dominionist bullies. So like many of you reading this, I find myself sticking up for Muslims when they’re being bashed from time to time even though their religion is as implausible to me as any other, and even though some of the fundamentalist regimes based on it frankly give me the creeps.
Let’s see: change “warrior” to “traveling-salesman.” (Did he really write “profit”? That fits too.) Then change “non-Muslims” to “non-Christians” and bingo! It fits Christianity too!
Except Saul probably wasn’t adulterous, he was more likely in the closet.
“On the one hand, I really like thinking of myself as a brave, freethinking, anti-religious type. On the other hand, I don’t want to have to undergo any risk or controversy”.
Ahh yes Frank, the good old “I’ll pretend you said this because it’s easy to portray it in the light I want it in.” Doh, I did it too!
Was frankboyd’s comment meant to be one of those ‘you only criticize xians because they don’t cut your head off like those bad muslims’ comments that pop up so frequently on Ed Brayton’s blog?
Or was there a more subtle meaning there?
“So like many of you reading this, I find myself sticking up for Muslims when they’re being bashed from time to time even though their religion is as implausible to me as any other, and even though some of the fundamentalist regimes based on it frankly give me the creeps.”
I don’t get this. You admit it’s irrational and gives you the creeps, so why stick up for them ? Let them try to defend their illusions for themselves. On the other hand, I do understand the emotional feeling to jump in and defend the underdog, we have a natural urge to defend the weak and feeble from danger. But I think you gotta look past that. They follow an ancient book of fables just like their opponents so I won’t side with either of them.
On the one hand, I really like thinking of myself as a delightfully witty critic of the godless enemies of Christianity. On the other hand, I can’t think of any answers to their substantive arguments, so I’ll just call them cowards because they don’t attack Islam and Muslims as much as I’d like them to.
I tend to stick for them when it involves constitutional rights, especially when their rights are being violated. And I feel sympathy for them and want to stick up when I see them being bullied. That kind of thing.
Darron … huh? You’re under the impression that I’m a critic of the godless enemies of Christianity, or am I reading that wrong?
DarkSyde – Obviously, I don’t always make myself as clear as I should. My earlier comment (#6) was directed at frankboyd in response to his comment (#2).
The people I feel sorrest for are poor Native American women living on reservations and non English Speaking Hispanic women in lost in non English Speaking neighborhoods, America’s purda. One big difference is Muslim men get virgins, Christians get streets of gold after a good death.
The people of the Middle East go from intellectual atheists to rabid fundimenalists. The Koran has some very good advice on doing business like a person going into debit should write the contract. If a person invests in a business and it fails, they should not make money as a Westerner would with holding a Bank loan or morgage.
Muslims believe in their religion as much as Christians do and I bet the free thinking community in each has read the holy scriptures more carefully and than most followers.
Christian society is a booze society, the central core ritual is drinking wine. Islam smokes different herbs outside Wahabi fundimentalisum.
Until great guns and sailing ships about four hundred years ago, Islam was the center of the civilized world or equal of China.
I think all religion is bad. Which is worse depends on who at any given time is believing. Condeming to hell a nine year who was raped by her stepfather for not wanting to go through a birth while keeping the stepfather in good standing with the church is pretty sick too. In today’s world Islam has more drama to its sickness.
The headline implies there are good religions. Are there?
Why feel conflicted? As you said, stand up for them when their constitutional rights are being violated. I think that’s a pretty clear line. You can criticize their arguments and ridicule their beliefs all you want, but still recognize their First Amendment rights. A perfect example is the mosque controversy in Manhattan and other places around the country. Their right to build a mosque is clearly protected by the Constitution, regardless of how distasteful or absurd their beliefs are.