The recent invasion, conquest, and chaos in Syria seem to have taken the world by surprise. I think I am using this event in a good way: as a spur to learn something about Islamic history. Without a newsy and timely spur, it is too easy to put off such a project.
I read a couple previews on Amazon. It was disgusting how obsequious the authors were. What a double standard!
Western intellectuals hold nothing back when it comes to "higher criticism" of the Bible and Christian traditions. This seems like a mistake. A person can be skeptical about a theology without 'throwing the baby out with the bath water.'
And then they talk about Islam like they are walking on eggs. One way to look at that is to call it condescending.
So I bounced around on Amazon and Kobo until I found a book that was rationally critical of the Islamic tradition. The book was "Did Muhammad Exist?" by Robert Spencer. It is refreshing to find non-hagiographic material on the Prophet.
I always like to include a graphic or photo in my posts because uninterrupted prose seems dry or even cruel to readers. So I started looking for a painting of Mohammed. Oh but wait, that is forbidden! So we will have to settle for a map:
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| from about-history.com |
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The Satanic Verses controversy, also known as the Rushdie Affair, was a controversy sparked by the 1988 publication of Salman Rushdie's novel The Satanic Verses. It centered on the novel's references to the Satanic Verses, and came to include a larger debate about censorship and religious violence. It included numerous killings, attempted killings, and bombings by perpetrators who supported Islam. Wikipedia