Islam - A Tippling Philosopher (Page 4)

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Islam

A collection of 159 posts

Denmark Opens Its First Women-led Mosque

In an interesting development in Denmark, the first women-led mosque has opened. This can only be a good sign for those who want Islam to adopt modern, progressive attitudes. As the Guardian reports: Scandinavia’s first female-led mosque has opened in Copenhagen in a bid to challenge “patriarchal structures” and

UN Reports on "Staggering" ISIS Violence

Yes, this is no surprise. But the extent, the sheer volume, of the violence, and the "creativity" enlisted in committing it, is mind-blowing. Some 3,500 people are reported as being enslaved in Iraq alone. The UN has just released a report on the violence committed by ISIS,

Britain told to "respect" Saudi Arabia's use of death penalty

I really don't think there is much to respect in the death penalty; and more importantly, I think there is nothing to respect in Saudi Arabia's use of it. We have seen recently both the sorts of people shown the ultimate punishment, and the sheer numbers

Where I stand with Islam and violence now

I have been quite outspoken in recent times about what I believe to be a necessary and inescapable connection between Islam, as properly understood (yes, that notion is wrought with issue) and violence (and intolerance). I have even debated this publicly and given a public talk on the topic (at the

2015 Freedom of Thought Report finds escalation of non-religious persecution

The BHA has just announced the latest Freedom of Thought report: Global persecution of humanists, atheists and the non-religious has risen over the past year, a new, systematic report published today has found. The 2015 Freedom of Thought Report is the fourth edition of the annual publication, produced by the

My letter to Goldsmiths in support of Maryam Namazie

For what it's worth, I wrote a letter to the Goldsmiths Student Union and University Communications team in support of Maryam Namazie. If you are unaware of what has recently been going on, Namazie, an atheist ex-Muslim secularist was asked to speak to the Goldsmiths Uni Atheists and Humanists. Howe

The Atlantic vs The Nation on ISIS

Two of the most interesting pieces concerning what has happened with regard to ISIS have come from The Atlantic and The Nation. I advise reading both, especially as The Nation's piece is an attempt to rebut the first article.

Pray for Paris...? Seriously? Think about it!

The Paris mass shootings and bombings have been terrible. It's a right minefield of religion, politics and sadness. One idea which has routinely popped up on social media has been that Christians should pray for Paris.

By Yo (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

"True Islam" and violent extremism - redux

I am reposting this in response to the terror attacks in France last night, resulting in the deaths of over one hundred people. As ever, the internet is awash with right-wing shouts to "kill all Muslims" and refugees, to the left-wing shouts that it is the Imperial West to blame and not Islam or Mus

Holy cow, another death: I would be hacked to death, too

Holy cow, another death: I would be hacked to death, too

My goodness. Bangladesh, sort it out. SORT IT OUT! I am a secular publisher and author and blogger. On account of all of that, would I be living in Bangladesh, I too would probably have been attacked. The BBC's Breaking News: Bangladeshi secular publisher hacked to death A

Ex-Muslim speaker's Warwick University ban overturned following public pressure

Following what I reported from the BHA the other day, the Coventry Telegraph reports the following good and sensible news. Respect to Warwick SU for fully accepting it as a cock-up, apologising and reviewing their processes: Maryam Namazie had been banned by the university's students' union over

Divine Command Theory

Taking Nabeel Qureshi to task over morality

Nabeel Qureshi is great; he is a great resource for critiquing Islam, Muhammad, the Qu'ran and the Hadith. He is an ex-Muslim who converted to Christianity and now runs and MA course at Biola and runs his own ministry. His knowledge of Islam is super and his videos have certainly helped me in my exe

Warwick University Student Union bans atheist human rights activist from speaking

The BHA reports this annoyingly insane story. Please tweet them or email a complaint: The British Humanist Association (BHA) has reacted with alarm at news that a non-religious human rights activist, Maryam Namazie, has been denied the opportunity to speak at a student society event, seemingly be

Tom Holland on "This Week" on Islam's existential crisis

Tom Holland on "This Week" on Islam's existential crisis

This is a really good excerpt from the political discourse programme "This Week" on the BBC:

Syrian archaeologist 'killed in Palmyra' by IS militants

The archaeologist who looked after ancient ruins of Palmyra in Syria for 40 years is reported to have been killed by Islamic State (IS) militants. Khaled al-Asaad had been held for about a month by the group, which seized the Unesco World Heritage site in May.

UN Secretary-General calls for action over deaths of Bangladeshi bloggers

UN Secretary-General calls for action over deaths of Bangladeshi bloggers

In a statement issued at the weekend, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the killing of Niloy Neel, the fourth humanist blogger in Bangladesh to be hacked to death by Islamists this year, and called on the Government to do more to prevent further attacks. The British Humanist

My understanding Islam debate now available online - please check it out!

I recently had a fascinating debate with David Warden of the Dorset Humanists concerning Islam, which I have written fairly extensively about. The debate was really well-mannered and a pleasure to be involved with. Thanks to the Dorset Humanists for hosing and inviting me. Here it is:

(Liberal) Implicit Egotism Fallacy or Bias and Islam (again)

I was talking recently to a fellow liberal who happened to be a Hindu making correctly scathing attacks on UKIP, media bias and misrepresentation and, you guessed it, Islam. Again I was somewhat frustrated that an intelligent and informed guy was getting so much right and yet made one big error. I s

Dawkins, Islam and feminism

Dawkins has just been trashed by a feminist guest contributor to The Friendly Atheist. TFA is usually well on the money, but this recent article had me annoyed. A lot. It all started with this seemingly innocuous tweet:

'Oldest' Koran fragments found in Birmingham University

Imagine rifling through your old crud to find some old booky thing and thinking, "Hey, that looks old. I wonder how old". And then getting it dated and finding out it's the oldest, arguably mots important book in the world!

Are you a gay ex-Muslim?

I am interested in the conflict within Islam between being gay and believing in the Qu'ran and the Hadith. I would like to know if you have a story to tell about this that you could write for me and post here. I have had many arguments with

Adam Curtis' Bitter Lake

Adam Curtis' Bitter Lake

Adam Curtis has made some brilliant documentaries. Watch this one. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3NIXAxt2MQ[/youtube]

Do the Bible and Qu'ran need commentaries?

Over on a recent thread about the challenges I have met in my claims of Islam, a Catholic commentator asked this question: I agree with you that Islam has problems. I have a quick question: do you read commentaries and theology books written by Muslims to offset your bias? To which I said:

On Islam and answering my critics

I have had many discussions concerning Islam and my views pertaining to it. I would like to flesh out here some of the criticisms I have had and answer them properly, also offering this as a post that I can point people to when this undoubtedly pops up again.

Tourism in Islamic countries: my prediction

Tunisia's second attack in recent times has left the country reeling, and British tour operators pulling out for the next week, at least. This has been the biggest attack on and death of British people in a terrorist attack since the 7/7 bombings in London and the country has been rocked. But not as