This needs to stop.

Of course the most famous example of this misdirection is the argument that took place on Real Time between Bill Maher and Sam Harris on one side and an almost hysterical Ben Affleck on the other.

As an Atheist I see ALL religions as equally ridiculous and unnecessary, but when the definition of a religion is co-opted as the definition of a race of people that makes challenging their beliefs an attack on their ethnicity. Which of course it is not.

The most complicated example of this, in my mind, is the Jewish people.

They self identify as Jewish, and of course they usually embrace Judaism. So where the religious identity ends and the racial identity takes over is almost imperceptible.

Even non-practicing Jews often cannot separate their identity and heritage from the religion of their parents and grandparents.

But the problem with this is that in reality no child is born a Christian, or Muslim, or Jew, or Buddhist, and if they were taken out of the hospital to live in a non-religious household they would have no concept of the yoke of religion that their ancestors labored under for centuries.  They would in effect be free.

Personally I think the blurred line between ethnicity and religion is purposeful and designed to keep people from criticizing religion, and Islam in particular.

And that is really fucked up, because currently there are probably few religions that desperately need to be challenged as forcefully as Islam right now. I mean the Saudi Arabian religious leader just recently refused to condemn the idea of adult men marrying girls younger than fifteen years of age for fuck's sake.

So yes that needs to be challenged not just in the United States, where we have the right to mock any religion or set of beliefs that we choose, but also in other countries many of who are still able to murder such critics in the name of apostasy.

When liberals clash. Last night Bill Maher and Sam Harris tried to discuss the liberal reticence to talk about how Islamic beliefs foster oppression and violence. Things did not go well.

Courtesy of Raw Story:  

Bill Maher and author and neuroscientist Sam Harris battled actor/director Ben Affleck on Real Time on Friday concerning Maher’s recent remarks criticizing Islam. 

“Why are you so hostile about this?” Maher asked Affleck. 

“It’s gross, it’s racist,” Affleck replied. 

“It’s so not,” Maher insisted, though Affleck compared it to using the term, “Shifty Jew.” 

“You’re not listening to what we are saying,” Maher insisted. 

“You guys are saying, if you want to be liberal, believe in liberal principles,” Affleck said, referencing Maher’s monologue last week. “Like, we are endowed by our forefathers with inalienable rights, all men are created equal.” 

Harris, who had complained about criticism of the Muslim religion being dismissed as Islamophobic, countered that liberals should be allowed to criticize bad ideas. 

“Islam is the motherload of bad ideas,” Harris argued.

 “Jesus,” Affleck said in frustration. 

“That’s just a fact,” Maher said, backing Harris up.

I sort of watched this whole exchange with the same discomfort that a child feels while watching his parents fight. In this case I really empathized with both points of view, but also felt that Harris and Maher were trying to make a nuanced point but could not get past Affleck's hyperbolic responses.

Ultimately I have to side with Harris and Maher in recognizing that simply because somebody COULD be labeled an Islamophobe for daring to criticize a religion that is often under attack by bigots,does not mean that one should not continue to make critical observations and ask probing questions about the tenets of that religion, or the actions of those that follow it.

In some ways it is similar to being labeled a "Trig Truther" for making reasonable and obvious observations about Palin's last pregnancy, or a "9-11 Truther" for suggesting that the 9-11 Commission's report is unsatisfying and still leaves many questions unanswered.

Here at IM I have often been criticized for not talking about the atrocities that occur in Islamic states and instead focusing on the scandals that plague Christians in this country as well as their attempts to hijack our secular government. 

Of course the reason for that is because it is always better to deal with garbage rotting in your own backyard before complaining about the smell coming from your neighbor's.

To be honest I am almost completely repulsed by virtually every story I hear coming out of many Islamic countries. Yet on the other hand I, of course, have met a few Muslims who were extremely pleasant people.

My over under on all of this is that a number of  religions left unfettered represent great danger to those not in a position of power.


While I would more aggressively condemn fundamentalist Muslims for supporting murder in the case of apostasy, female genital mutilation, and barbaric practices in response to sex acts not sanctioned by the Koran,  I am quite confident that if fundamental Christians, and yes even Jews, lived in an environment where nobody dared to challenge them, they would gladly indulge in similar oppressive activities themselves. (And in some places that is happening as we speak.)

There are currently so many atrocities committed by those hiding behind the Koran, that I almost would not know where to start. However that does not mean that I believe the extremists overseas present a more imminent danger to this country than our homegrown extremists here, because I don't.

Real Time with Bill Maher tonight should be a hoot!

Tonight Maher will have Ann Coulter, Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, Ben Affleck, Sheila Bair, and Congressional asshole Darrell Issa on his show.

I cannot imagine how this WON'T be extremely entertaining!

For those who don't have access to HBO you can watch the program here, but probably not until after its initial broadcast.

For anybody else who might be watching tonight and wants to leave comments feel free, and I will add mine if anything good takes place. (Though keep in mind I am on Alaska time, so more than likely several hours behind most of you.)

Now if you will excuse me I have to go fire up my popcorn maker again.