Reza Aslan on Religous Violence: The Daily Show

Last updated on: May 14, 2015 at 8:22 pm by George G. Coe

Reza Aslan on Religous Violence: The Daily Show 2015-05-14T20:22:23-05:00 George G. Coe

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.

Here, on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show, Reza Aslan, author of No God but God, and The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, adresses the issue of violence in Islam and other religions with some interesting observations.

Aslan notes that religion is as much about who each of us are as people as it is about what we believe or what rituals we practice. He argues that it’s an identity.

In addition, he notes that religious scriptures are malleable and can mean anything we want them to mean. For example, “if you are a violent misogynist, you can find plenty in the Koran or the Bible to justify your viewpoint.” Likewise, he adds, ‘if you are a peaceful feminist, you can find just as much to justify your views.”

How you read scripture, Aslan argues, says everything about who you are. You bring your politics, your social ideas, your views, your ethnicity, into the text.

Finally, Aslan suggests that if you argue that religion is violent, then you have “to credit religion for every act of compassion and love in the world.”

Uncategorized

Previous Post

May 12, 2015

America's First Mosque

Next Post

May 17, 2015 Who are the Rohingya and Why are They Persecuted

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2019 January 2017 December 2016 October 2016 September 2016 July 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

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I was only seven years old when I became king and reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Josiah Hezekiah Manasseh Joash (or Jehoash)