"I really like(d) your writing when I first discovered it for me to read and enjoy (a couple of months ago). But this article is challenging that."
Hey there, thanks for the honest feedback. I genuinely appreciate it even if it's a little sad to hear.
I've given a great deal of thought to what exactly my job is over the years. And one of the first things I realised is that my job is not to write things that people like. Don't get me wrong, I *hope* people like my writing, of course. I try very hard to write articles that are thought-provoking and entertaining and even funny at times, but I also write about topics that I consider to be very important. Topics that provoke strong emotions/opinions. And given that nobody likes to have their emotions/opinions challenged, I'm aware that some people won't like everything I have to say.
So I consider it my job to research everything I say very carefully. And then to express it in the most sincere, honest way I know how. So that even if people don't like reading it, I can honestly say that I've told the truth to the best of my ability.
As to your specific critiques, first, there's the obvious question of how many heads *Muslims* have cut off in the past decade, say? I ask that seriously. Is it 100? 1000? Some people talk about Islamic extremism as if they're out here cutting off people's heads every day. And this simply isn't the case.
I'm not trying to dismiss the many valid criticisms of Islam that you and I could make, I'm saying that acting as is if the most extreme acts of Islamic extremism or the slogans of terrorst extremists are representative the billions of Muslims in the world is not the most sincere, honest way to represent Muslims. Any more than it would be to say that Netanyahu or Ben-Gvir represent Jews.
As for how many heads Christians have cut off, I think you'd be surprised. History has shown us very clearly that religious belief hasn't stopped anybody from committing horrible atrocities. Right now, in Gaza, people who claim to believe in a religion where "if you kill a single person you destroy a whole world" are killing people by the tens of thousands. Countless Jewish religious scholars have pointed out this contradiction. Just as Muslim scholars do when Islamists commit atrocities.
So yes, I agree with you, Islam needs reform. I do see this obvious need very clearly. And the reforms that Christianity has gone through have undeniably softened its edges when it comes to violence. If you want to talk about the various mistakes I think Islam makes with regards to its treatment of women or gay people or apostates or blasphemy, I'm right there with you. It's not that I don't see them. It's that seeing it doesn't make me even slightly more amenable to a different set of extremists killing innocent Muslims for no reason.
"I really like(d) your writing when I first discovered it for me to read and enjoy (a couple of months ago). But this article is challenging that."
Hey there, thanks for the honest feedback. I genuinely appreciate it even if it's a little sad to hear.
I've given a great deal of thought to what exactly my job is over the years. And one of the first things I realised is that my job is not to write things that people like. Don't get me wrong, I *hope* people like my writing, of course. I try very hard to write articles that are thought-provoking and entertaining and even funny at times, but I also write about topics that I consider to be very important. Topics that provoke strong emotions/opinions. And given that nobody likes to have their emotions/opinions challenged, I'm aware that some people won't like everything I have to say.
So I consider it my job to research everything I say very carefully. And then to express it in the most sincere, honest way I know how. So that even if people don't like reading it, I can honestly say that I've told the truth to the best of my ability.
As to your specific critiques, first, there's the obvious question of how many heads *Muslims* have cut off in the past decade, say? I ask that seriously. Is it 100? 1000? Some people talk about Islamic extremism as if they're out here cutting off people's heads every day. And this simply isn't the case.
I'm not trying to dismiss the many valid criticisms of Islam that you and I could make, I'm saying that acting as is if the most extreme acts of Islamic extremism or the slogans of terrorst extremists are representative the billions of Muslims in the world is not the most sincere, honest way to represent Muslims. Any more than it would be to say that Netanyahu or Ben-Gvir represent Jews.
As for how many heads Christians have cut off, I think you'd be surprised. History has shown us very clearly that religious belief hasn't stopped anybody from committing horrible atrocities. Right now, in Gaza, people who claim to believe in a religion where "if you kill a single person you destroy a whole world" are killing people by the tens of thousands. Countless Jewish religious scholars have pointed out this contradiction. Just as Muslim scholars do when Islamists commit atrocities.
So yes, I agree with you, Islam needs reform. I do see this obvious need very clearly. And the reforms that Christianity has gone through have undeniably softened its edges when it comes to violence. If you want to talk about the various mistakes I think Islam makes with regards to its treatment of women or gay people or apostates or blasphemy, I'm right there with you. It's not that I don't see them. It's that seeing it doesn't make me even slightly more amenable to a different set of extremists killing innocent Muslims for no reason.
I like your response. Thanks for it. I still think you are a good writer, no, a really good writer.