Bill Maher and Sam Harris Vs. Islam

[SCarpelan]

Yeah, I noticed the interview in Youtube and watched the beginning. It's getting late here so I will watch the whole thing later but there is one thing I have to comment on since it demonstrates my earlier points. When Harris claims that Jainism couldn't be used to justify violence I facepalmed since I had just earlier this week used the example of Jainism in similar discussion in Facebook pointing out that given the right circumstances radicalizing some Jainists the religion could probably be interpreted by them to support killing people who are seen as destroying too many lives as the lesser of two evils. This might even give birth to a whole new religion.

Harris is a trained scientist and probably a good one; he thinks about religion like he thinks about science. The failure of his thinking is that human beings don't generally think that way and specially not about their own religion. Picking and choosing what parts you like and what suits the current social atmosphere, reinterpreting them accordingly and discarding those parts that don't work for you is very common. The religious texts and doctrines aren't interpreted the same way as scientific studies and textbooks even by people who themselves believe they are reading them literally.

[Canadian Mojo]

I disagree with Harris when he starts jumping the gun and saying that Arabs should be profiled at airports, but I don't find anything wrong with his assertion that Islam is the most dangerous religion today. There is plenty of evidence outside theology that shows this to be the case.

Personally, I find a large group of xenophobic Christians with a massive superiority complex who are hell bent on ending the separation of church and state of a country which is equipped with the worlds largest conventional military on top of a ridiculously massive nuclear arsenal and a bad habit of mucking about in foreign affairs by arming extremists who later turn into enemies to be a tad more dangerous than a bunch of amateurs running around the desert with guns and IEDs in Allah's name.

[Second Coming of Madman]

I disagree with Harris when he starts jumping the gun and saying that Arabs should be profiled at airports, but I don't find anything wrong with his assertion that Islam is the most dangerous religion today. There is plenty of evidence outside theology that shows this to be the case.

Personally, I find a large group of xenophobic Christians with a massive superiority complex who are hell bent on ending the separation of church and state of a country which is equipped with the worlds largest conventional military on top of a ridiculously massive nuclear arsenal and a bad habit of mucking about in foreign affairs by arming extremists who later turn into enemies to be a tad more dangerous than a bunch of amateurs running around the desert with guns and IEDs in Allah's name.

'The reason is, we can easily track the ones close to home. The ones in foreign nations and with vast criminal networks are harder to get at.

[Lady Evil]

I will say this much for Muslims. At least their hatred for atheism is sincere. I prefer that to the false love Christians claim to have for us. "Oh, we hate you and would love for you to die and suffer horribly, but because we're such loving and forgiving people, we will begrudgingly spare your worthless lives. Now where's our medal?" At least with Muslims, I know where I stand.

[Ironchew]

I will say this much for Muslims. At least their hatred for atheism is sincere. I prefer that to the false love Christians claim to have for us. "Oh, we hate you and would love for you to die and suffer horribly, but because we're such loving and forgiving people, we will begrudgingly spare your worthless lives. Now where's our medal?" At least with Muslims, I know where I stand.

It just goes to show how far Christianity has been dragged kicking and screaming by secularization in recent centuries. Islam hasn't experienced that process yet.

[Lt. Fred]

Why do some atheists insist on being bigots?

[Witchyjoshy]

Why do some atheists insist on being bigots?

Which kind?

For New Atheists that fit the definition, it's that they try so hard to appear skeptical that they forget to actually be smart about their skepticism.

For regular atheists, it's because racism is unfortunately capable of being secular.

[Nemo]

Just in case anybody thought that opposing Islam means you are "irrational".

[Witchyjoshy]

Just in case anybody thought that opposing Islam means you are "irrational".

I don't think opposing Islam means you are irrational

I think irrationally opposing Islam means you are irrational.

[Lt. Fred]

Just in case anybody thought that opposing Islam means you are "irrational".

The problem isn't Islam, it's religion. The real threat is anti-Islamic bigotry, and it's something sensible people like Bill Maher must not enable.

[SCarpelan]

I guess it's better to throw this video in this thread than to make a new one for it. This is an interview with a former jihadist who started reconsidering his worldview after 9/11 and as a result turned into an undercover informant for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. There are no earth-shattering revelations here, just interesting experiences and observations that support points made earlier in the thread.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otVrZ2V-Pf8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otVrZ2V-Pf8</a>