[Dean's World] Dave Schuler: My two cents

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Posted by Dave Schuler:
My two cents
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1172679637.shtml


   I don't usually chime in on these discussions but as a "front-page
   contributor" I wanted to put in my two cents on Dean's [1]line in the
   sand. I'm sure that Dean knows that I agree 100% with his five
   assertions. And I certainly can sympathize with Dean's frustration at
   having to respond to (or even listen to) the same tired arguments over
   and over again.

   As you may or may not know I'm a member of the [2]Watcher's Council.
   Although a number of the other Council members are among my closest
   blog-friends I frequently find myself out of step with some of the
   remaining Council members who, despite their being otherwise bright
   and sensible people, very clearly reject all five of Dean's assertions
   and, no doubt, think that I'm a treasonous fool for thinking
   otherwise. I've been called that and worse (not by fellow Council
   members who are invariably trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,
   etc.) on my own blog for just those reasons.

   Why do I put up with it? Why don't I abandon the Watcher's Council,
   ban the commenters who disagree with me, and so on? Basically, because
   I think that being in the thick of the argument is a better place for
   me and where I can do more good than sitting on the sidelines.

   But this is Dean's World, Dean's rules, and Dean should do what's good
   for Dean (even if I hope that he continues to let the same, old, tired
   debate carry on here).

   There's one last point, somewhat at a distance from the subject, that
   I'd like to propose before I bring this post to a close. In my view
   the source of confusion on the part of many people--non-Muslims and
   Muslims alike--is that they're conflating Islam with traditional
   cultural practices that are, indeed, inimical to democracy and
   modernity (and which, in my own poorly-informed non-Muslim view, are
   un-Qur'anic as well). Non-Muslims are increasingly persuaded of this
   because quite some number of Muslims don't make the distinction
   between Islam and "the way we've always done things around here".

   What do you think?

   My own experience (YMMV) is that I have always felt a special kinship
   with people who are devout whether they're Christians, Jews, Muslims,
   Buddhists, or whatever when I've dealt with them at first hand. My
   life experience is that they're more forgiving, accepting, and kind.
   Maybe my experience is atypical or maybe I'm just being fooled by my
   own expectations.

References

   1. http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1172621961.shtml
   2. http://www.watcherofweasels.com/