It seems to me there is a bit of a double standard here. On the one hand the author in question writes a book, called Stealing Jesus,
Then the same author writes a hard-hitting book about the risks of Islamic fundamentalism in Europe, called While Europe Slept.
Now, I've not read either book, but the author's approach seems fair to me. If you're going to tackle one religious 'ism' troubling the world, might as well tackle the other. As to the author's method, well, has anyone read either book? Care to comment?
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 16
Many criticisms are labelled racist, xenophobic, homophobic or whatever because the criticism is directed towards a societally protected group. PC will be the death of us. Free speech will whither on the vine and open discourse will be a thing of the past. I think we are well on our way.
And to Spartan: once again, well said. Very well said.
As I keep saying, it is the objective exoteric view based upon materialism and ego mind, that is the problem. It is such basic animalistic (so called, yet even animals are not as nasty and mean as some of these so-called 'humans') tendencies based upon fears that generate hatreds ... that eventuate in the desire to 'eliminate' those seen as the problem, very characteristic of the more extreme right wing views, those most likely to become Fascists, all the while denying it.
Religions that trend in those directions must be called on it. That is what the author seems to be doing, at the same time warning the rest of us to the dangers that may well plague us all very soon (ithey already are, only the people are not yet aware of it) ...
This has also been my own message ever since I joined Gather ... time to wake up folks !
I've not read either book, either, but having read the NYTs criticism of the latest I feel I should read it if only because Islam is receiving a lot of bad press these days and not all of it can be just Arab bashing. Europe is in the midst of a culture clash but whether or not it is because Islam is a particularly intolerant religion or because the intolerance the muslim immigrants receive there spawns their own is in question. Cultures, like people, tend to close ranks when under attack, and become more rigid in defense, thus appearing even more rigid to those outside.
What we need to do is get past the appearances and begin a continuous dialogue. After all it's been a long time since the inguisition hunted down heretics in Europe or the protestants burned catholics (along with witches) in New England.
If this book begins the discussion, then by all means let's read it.
a.) if all religions are true and b.) truth is relative then c.) all religions are relative.
;-)
I know that I am tired of being called a racist and a Nazi for not kowtowing to PC views but neither is it right to call those who do not support Israel anti-semitic.
Of course, a person is those things IF their disparagement of Israel comes simply because they are Jews or the attacks on the Arabs come because they believe in Allah or if they are against the illegal immigration of Mexicans only as opposed to being against illegal immigration in toto.
However, it does seem that it is wrong to attack the right for being racist or whatever, when you turn around and treat the Jews and the Christians the way you allege the right treats everyone else.
And I am using a general you in this comment rather than pointing to a specific person although there are a number I could point out, here on gather, that do exactly that.