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Islamophobia

Many people in the west (see Sharia law in the West) are trying to make it illegal to criticise Islam or Islamism.

Briefly, criticising people's genes is wrong. You can't change your genes. You can't help being born white, black, Arab, or whatever.

But criticising people's memes is ok - indeed it is what free speech is all about. You can change your memes. Being born an Arab Muslim doesn't mean you can't adopt western values, be tolerant of gays, Jews and atheists, even abandon Islam altogether.

Criticism of people's religion can be difficult. How does one tell the difference between logical criticism and simple hatred and bigotry? For example, how does one tell the difference between criticism of the supernatural meme of Judaism and simple anti-semitism? The trick, I think, is that criticism should be optimistic and positive. It should be done with respect for the well-being of the people involved, and hope that they change to better memes. Instead of saying: "Followers of meme X are evil and we should fear them" it is far better to say that: "Followers of meme X should abandon it and adopt better memes". It should always be done with an open respect for freedom of religion - namely, the right of the person to ignore your criticism and carry on believing in their memes freely.

Meme X itself cannot demand respect. It should always be legal to say: "Meme X is evil". But then to follow it with: "Believers in meme X should abandon it and adopt better memes" to make it clear you are in the world of logic and debate rather than in the world of extermination.

The optimistic, positive message to Arabs and Muslims is that they should abandon the culture of their ancestors, and adopt something better. I have abandoned the culture of my ancestors, and adopted something better. So have millions of other people, such as the Indian Ibn Warraq and the Iranians Ali Sina and Amir Taheri.




Criticism of the "Islamophobia" concept



The absurd idea that we should "respect" other religions and cultures

There is an extraordinary modern idea that we should "respect" other people's beliefs. Often it is suggested that we should "respect" Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism or other religions, simply because they are old, or have lots of followers.

This shows a basic lack of understanding of what a free society is. A free society is one in which you have the right to believe nonsense, and I have the right to call it nonsense. You don't have to "respect" my stupid beliefs. And I don't have to "respect" yours. But we both must agree to leave the other alone to believe what they want in peace. So many so-called "liberals" fail to understand this basic building block of a western liberal society.




The Dennis Prager controversy of 2006

The Dennis Prager controversy of 2006 shows some clear water between me and some other people on the right. For me, the right to practice your religion (including Christianity and Islam) is fundamental to a free society. You cannot demand that I "respect" your mad supernatural beliefs, but you have the right to practice them unmolested, and especially without having other people's mad beliefs forced on you.




Return to Islam in the West.



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