In Reply to: Re: Very powerful video posted by moonshiner on March 28, 2006 at 11:45:43:
You stated, "My take on this is that she wasn't "rebuking the tenents [tenets] of Islam" as much as she was rebuking the politics of religious leaders who, having gained political power, seek to keep their followers locked into medieval subjugation through manipulation of holy scriptures"
I think it would have been WISE if she had done what you say above, but I noted that she was attacking the basic tenets of Islam itself. Watch the video again and note what she specifically says about Islam. For e.g. when the first commentator asks her, "Are you referring to Islam?" (or words to that effect), I fully expected her to say, "No, I'm talking about the way leaders have manipulated/interpreted it." Instead, she gave a clear, "Yes," that shocked me. Note also the other things she says specifically about Islam's teachings, not about that way they're interpreted.
That's why I said in my post above, "I think she's gone out of her way to be abrasive and non-diplomatic, however. I wonder how many moderate Muslim she appeals to?"
Had I spoken in her place, I would have done what you said above, shift the blame to power-hungery controling leaders. Yet she didn't do that.
Islam simply needs to come out and say that certain of its harsh tenets are outdated or should no longer be applied. You know, the Jews had to do the same thing. Years ago, I heard of Muslims stoning to death a teen boy and girl who had had premarital sex, and was repulsed. Then I remembered that the Jews had a similar law in the Old Testament. A man and woman caught in adultery were to be stoned. The difference is that the Jews haven't applied that punishment in 2,000 years, but Muslims in fundamentalist countries are still at it. They need to come into the modern age.
That's why 90% of Muslims in Afghanistan can call for the death sentence for converting from Islam. Because that law is written in the Koran. But modern, moderate Muslims have long refused to apply such harsh, medieval laws.