Reza Aslan and Bill Maher on Islam

Last updated on: October 3, 2014 at 1:38 pm by Libby Anne

Reza Aslan and Bill Maher on Islam 2014-10-03T13:38:42-04:00 Libby Anne

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In light of recent conversations on atheism, Islam, and progressive religion in general, I thought I’d share a video I came upon today. In it, Reza Aslan, an Iranian-American writer and scholar of religions, responds to comedian Bill Maher’s recent claims about Islam. I really appreciated this video, as it expresses a lot of the concerns I’ve had regarding the way Americans view and portray Islam.

I’ll give a short summary for those who don’t want to watch the video. Reza Aslan points out that Muslim countries vary greatly, and that it’s silly to make broad brushing statements about “Muslim countries” as though Saudi Arabia and Turkey should be in the same category. Aslan also points to the huge diversity in the treatment of women, pointing out that while Muslim women are certainly oppressed in some Muslim countries, in other Muslim countries they have equal rights with men. He points out that female genital mutilation is a central African problem, not an Islam problem. Finally, Aslan contends that Islam is neither inherently violent nor inherently peaceful—“like every religion in the world, it depends on what you bring to it.”

Reza Aslan is the author of No God but God: The Origins and Evolution of Islam and Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. (You can read Ashley Miller’s review of Zealot here.) A Muslim, Aslan has taken flack for presuming to think he can write a book about Jesus. And yes, before you point it out, I know Reza Aslan also wrote a 2010 Washington Post article lambasting New Atheists. I wouldn’t write the article the same way, and I disagree with him on a number of points, but I’ve raised some of these same criticisms myself.

The above video reminded me of an old video I came upon recently of Richard Dawkins on Bill Maher. Start the video at 4:50.

http://youtu.be/_BQKjGlqJm0?t=3m47s

For those without the time to watch, Maher insists that suicide bombers are motivated by guilt over sex while Dawkins insists that suicide bombers are motivated by religion. Meanwhile, panelist Janeane Garofalo plays the voice of reason, bringing the discussion of motivations to socio-political grievances again, and again, and again while Maher and Dawkins have nothing of it, preferring instead their overly simplistic (and, frankly, incorrect) interpretations.

We can do better than this.

Uncategorized

Islam

Previous Post

October 2, 2014

CTBHHM: Playing Telephone with God

Next Post

October 4, 2014 Growing Up Jeub

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atheism Evangelicalism/Fundamentalism Family Feminism Homeschool Meta Parenting Patriarchy Politics Purity Quiverfull Social Justice Uncategorized Worthwhile reads

Select a Month February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I hid two spies on my roof and tied a scarlet cord in my window to save my family. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Rahab Tamar Deborah Ruth