Genealogy of Religion

Exploring the Origins, History and Future of Religion

Entries Tagged as 'Muslims'

Hitchens on Anti-Semitism

September 2nd, 2010 · No Comments · Axial Age Religions, History of Religions

Provocative and thoughtful as he usually is, Hitchens opines on anti-semitism for The Atlantic:
There is, probably first and certainly foremost, religious anti-Semitism. Unlike other nations or peoples, Jews were among the witnesses to the alleged lives and preachings of Jesus and Muhammad, and turned away from men they deemed false Messiahs. It is inconceivable that [...]

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Koran Burning & Christian History

August 21st, 2010 · 2 Comments · Axial Age Religions, History of Religions

The inaptly named Dove World Outreach Center (an evangelical church) in Gainesville, Florida wants to create a bonfire of Korans but has been denied a permit by the fire marshal.  Incredibly, Gainesville’s “burning ordinance” prohibits the open air torching of books — either some city councilman was worried about global warming or wanted to prevent [...]

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A Certain Kind of Islam and the Heinous Oppression of Women

July 31st, 2010 · 2 Comments · Classifications of Religion, Methodology of Religion, Morality and Religion, Power and Religion

Not long ago, I discussed an article on Islam by Cynthia Boaz.  In her article, Boaz attempted to correct several misconceptions regarding Islam and presented us with a progressive, liberal, and tolerant interpretation of Islam.  While there are Muslims outside of the US who interpret Islam in the way Boaz does, there are also Muslims [...]

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The Hydra Head of Islam

July 22nd, 2010 · No Comments · Axial Age Religions, Globalization and Religion, History of Religions, Philosophy of Religion

Over at HuffPo Religion, Cynthia Boaz has written an earnest piece that implores Americans to think harder about Islam and not simply demonize it.  I agree with much of what she says but the unfortunate fact is that her plea will fall on few or deaf ears.  Not many religious or political extremists are reading [...]

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Ground Zero is “Sacred Ground”

July 21st, 2010 · No Comments · Civil Religion, Definitions of Religion, Emotions and Religion, Power and Religion

In yesterday’s post on the religion of nationalism, I noted that Ground Zero is sacred ground for the believer-patriots of American national religion.  If you questioned this assertion, doubt no more — the GOP has produced an incendiary video which declares that Ground Zero is “sacred ground” and that an Islamic mosque cannot be built [...]

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Religious Wars and Nationalism

July 18th, 2010 · No Comments · Cultural Evolution of Religion, Economy and Religion, History of Religions, Power and Religion, Religion as Evolutionary Adaptation, Religion as Evolutionary Byproduct

Over at HuffPo Religion, Matt Rossano has written a thought provoking piece — which some may find surprising — on the relationship between war and religion.   In Why Religion Does Not Equal War, Rossano begins with the common knowledge that religious differences often lead to war, or that religious differences are often used to justify [...]

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Sunday Sundries — Spiritual Odds and Religious Ends

June 6th, 2010 · No Comments · Axial Age Religions, Cognition and Religion, Cultural Evolution of Religion, Daily Devolutions, History of Religions, Morality and Religion, Ritual and Religion

As usual, lots of weird news from religion land.  Let’s start with this AP report about a Baptist minister in St. Cloud, MN who paid for a newspaper ad stating that Muslims “seek to influence a nation by immigration, reproduction, education, the government, illegal drugs and by supporting the gay agenda.”
This minister clearly knows nothing [...]

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Tea Parties and “Monkey Gods”

May 20th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Axial Age Religions, Daily Devolutions, Emotions and Religion, History of Religions

Avoiding politics and political arguments is a passion of mine, but total avoidance would require something like a monastic life (which at times sounds fairly appealing, given the vacuity of American politics).  Add a bit of religion to the mix and the results are positively toxic.
While I do not know much about Tea Partiers other [...]

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