الجمعة، 31 يناير 2014
الخميس، 30 يناير 2014
Women in Islam: Muslim Women
Women in Islam: Muslim Women
Excellent information on the subject of Islam an
Women In Islam
a reporter for the American Atheist news journal
Atheists are the most despised and distrusted minority in the United States. Americans are more prejudiced and bigoted against atheists than any other group. This isn't a subjective perception of atheists, it's a fact that is reinforced by every study done on the subject. The reasons given for this bigotry are varied, but they are all also generally incorrect in their portrayal of atheists. Atheists are thus hated more for what people attribute to them than for what they really are.
In 1987, Republican presidential candidate George H. W. Bush was asked by Robert Sherman, a reporter for the American Atheist news journal, if he recognized the "equal citizenship and patriotism" of atheists in America. Bush responded: "No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God." This answer has become iconic in expression of American, religious, and Christian bigotry towards atheists.
In February, 2000, Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore was asked if he would be bothered if an atheist were elected president. Gore responded: "No it would not. I think that it would depend on who the person was, of course. But do I believe that someone can have an understanding of our Constitution (and) a true spirit of tolerance without affirming a particular and specialized belief in God? Yes I do. I think that it is incumbent upon anyone who affirms a respect for tolerance."
These answers, one from a conservative Christian and Republican and the other from a liberal Christian and Democrat, represent two opposite ends of the spectrum of attitudes towards atheists: one is prejudiced, intolerant, and bigoted; the other is tolerant, open, and welcoming. Fortunately, Gore's response demonstrates that not all Christians are intolerant of and prejudiced against atheists. Unfortunately, far more Americans agree with the bigoted attitude of Bush than the tolerant attitude of Gore.
Such bigotry and prejudice towards atheists are not a recent development. In her book Sleeping with Extra-Terrestrials: The Rise of Irrationalism and the Perils of Piety, Wendy Kaminer cites research from the 1980s showing that Americans believed that freedom of worship "applies to all religious groups, regardless of how extreme their beliefs are," but only 26% of Americans agreed that "freedom of atheists to make fun of God and religion" in public "should be legally protected no matter who might be offended."
Since 71% agreed that atheists who "preach against God and religion" should be denied access to civic auditoriums, it seems clear that making fun of God and religion wasn't the problem — offending people by openly denying God and religion was. Thus religious theists, including Christians, should be free to promote their beliefs no matter how extreme they are but atheists should not be free to respond, whether by being critical of religion or simply by promoting a nonreligious, non-theistic perspective, because that is offensive to religious theists.
Christianity
Students of the medieval era regularly confront common misconceptions about a variety of issues, from the medieval Christian Church to feudalism to matters of hygiene. But of all the topics in Medieval Studies, it seems there is no subject that is more misunderstood by the general public, more misrepresented in popular history and fiction, and more misused in modern propaganda than the crusades of the Middle Ages.
In his new book, The Crusades, Christianity, and Islam, Jonathan Riley-Smith attempts to explain how this divergence between modern beliefs about the crusades and historical fact came about. It's a tall order for such a slim volume, but the author succeeds admirably.
Riley-Smith begins by defining the crusades, examining their status as holy wars, exploring the penitential aspect of crusading, and discussing contemporary criticism and defense of crusading activities. He does this in two concise chapters. Condensing a subject that has been debated and explored for decades in a plethora of books and articles into a mere 26 pages is a remarkable achievement, made all the more impressive by the author's deft combination of scholarly substantiation and an engaging style.
These two chapters alone are worth the price of the book, and serve as an outstanding introduction to the facts about the medieval crusades for the non-specialist and the non-academic. I found this segment especially thought-provoking, and couldn't help but draw parallels between the medieval "just war" theory and the issues facing us today.
The second half of The Crusades, Christianity, and Islam elucidates how post-medieval scholars interpreted the crusades, and how such factors as popular fiction and political posturing not only perpetuated misconceptions but influenced historical theory. This is particularly intriguing stuff, especially for those of us who spend most of our time immersed in the Middle Ages. Riley-Smith examines both western scholarship and the influences that affected Muslim historians, and argues -- quite successfully -- that the common Arab view of the crusades today extends no further back than the late 19th century.
There is some fascinating material, here, as well as a few passages that made me sit up, smack my forehead and say, "Ah-hah!"
This is a powerhouse of a book, enlightening, well-written and accessible, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the crusades enough to argue cogently about them. I hope it will motivate readers to learn more. If so, some of the best starting points are books written by Jonathan Riley-Smith, who is not only a renowned crusades scholar, but something of an idealist.
In the Introduction, the author expresses the conviction that "we cannot hope to comprehend -- and thereby confront -- those who hate us so much unless we understand how the
Christians]
"Oh People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion, nor say of God anything but the truth. Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, was (no more than) a messenger of God, and His Word which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him. So believe in God and His messengers. Say not, 'Trinity.' Desist! It will be better for you, for God is One God, Glory be to Him! (Far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs" (4:171).
"The Jews call 'Uzair a son of God, and the Christians call Christ the son of God. That is but a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. God's curse be on them; how they are deluded away from the Truth! They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of God, and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary. Yet they were commanded to worship but One God: there is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him! (Far is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)" (9:30-31).
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