One question. If you are nearly the only moderate and everyone else seems to be an extremist, could it be that those terms do not mean what you think they do?
"Objects in history may be closer than they appear" – Eeyore for Vlad
"Objects in history may be closer than they appear" – Eeyore for Vlad
One question. If you are nearly the only moderate and everyone else seems to be an extremist, could it be that those terms do not mean what you think they do?
I’ve met Irshad and heard her speak to a large audience. Her ability to engage in an open mic environment is enviable. She’s often said that moderate muslims are useless, and do more harm than good with their “silence and passivity” allowing extremists to get away with violence and intimidation.
She refers to herself as a reformer . . … OK, wait.
I don’t agree with her views, but remember she is a secular lesbian muslim feminist who supports free speech, capitalism and women’s rights.
Think about that.
Listen to what she says about the economics of islam. She knows that islamic countries are corrupt and will attract no investment or success for their citizens.
I like her. I think you would too.
She is showing people what Islam is really like..
I agree with every word you said.
My issue is the following:
The Western political orthodoxy has bought the pudding which claims that Islam is a race and criticism (ie exposing its nature) is a form of racism and in some cases, like England, is actually illegal. They also created the kool-aid which states that there is some kind of ‘radical’ Islam and if we could only wedge that away from the real, mainstream, moderate Islam all will be well and we can go back to our multi-culti paradise.
The only problem with this thinking, of which the affable Ms. Manji is a prime advocate, is it is utter bullshit.
There is no form of Islam which tolerates women with strong opinions unless it is the repetition of the orthodoxy of Islam.
There is no form of Islam which tolerates gay people like Ms. Manji.
There is no form of Islam which is tolerant or believes in human rights or even believes in the most rudimentary and fundamental aspects of liberty and multilateral existence which is primary to the Enlightenment.
So, given all you say is true, the question still remains.
“Is the likeable intelligent well intentioned Ms. Manji’s strategy achieving the goal of protecting liberal democracy or is it aiding the deluded left” who cling to the impossible notion that Islam is ‘the religion of peace’ in the expected sense of course and not in the context the expression was coined in, by Syed Q’utb who of course meant it to be that the world would know peace once Islam had conquered all the worlds people and forced them into Islam. The real Islam. Not the one Irshad claims is the norm.
“lesbian muslim” that is a contradiction.
She must know that?
She tries to sell Islam as tolerant, but the response to her in the Islamic community shows otherwise.
I dont think Manji is doing much good, above being harrased by orthodox muslims.
She is out defending islam, against… well…. islam.
Words like “islamist extremist” gives her away. What is an “islamist”? It is someone who wants a theocracy based on sharia law, what religion wants that?, islam does, so what do you call a believer in islam? an “islamist extremist”? No, a muslim!
True, not all muslims want sharia theocracy, in other words not all muslims wants islam, but do they become islamic “moderates” for this? No, they just simply are uncommited to the faith.
If I may add to what Eeyore said above earlier……
(Irshad Manji frustrates me in the same way as Haroon Siddiqui.)
“And so what you have in Malaysia, crazily enough, is a system in which Muslims have fewer rights than non-Muslims.” – Irshad Manji
Yes, Irshad, people subjected to Sharia/Islamic laws/courts have less rights than those who aren’t policed by Sharia law. This is news to you?
Please, compare the Universal Declaration of HUman Rights with the ‘Cairo Declaration of Human Rights Under Islam’ already, Irshad.
They have very little in common with one another.
Is Irshad naive, delusional, complicit, or all of the above??
How can she not know what I know about Islam, Islamic/Sharia Law, and Islamic culture?
Not to toot my own horn, but, seriously………
I’m just a concerned Kafir with an interest in Islam, but she makes her living in the Islamic arena of debate.
How do I know more than her?
“Knowing what she knows of Islam, how can she even call herself a Muslim?”
Because it pays well.
Irshad, like other liberal/moderate Muslims, makes her living selling books about a fictional Islam to equally delusional non-Muslims and Muslims who, like Irshad, feel equally guilty about their modern/Western way of living. (ie” the Halal vs the Haram)
Both groups are all too eager to swallow Irshad’s poisonous kool-aid.
Consider that Irshad’s best known book is titled “The Trouble with Islam Today”.
Today??
Islam has been troubling since its inception, Irshad.
Enjoy those cheques, girl.
Professional Muslims are in much demand. Compare to Tofik Dibi in the Netherlands.