This blog is dedicated to progressive and liberal thought. It also discusses new technology, how technology affects privacy and developments in Russia, China, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Rightardia fully supports the rights of workers to organize, the feminist movement, and all Americans regardless or ethnicity, sex or gender.It uses humor, satire and parody to expose conservative thought for what it truly is: BS! Rightardia contributes to the DNC, DCCC, DSCC and MoveOn.Org.
Riz Khan, Riz Khan Last Modified: 26 Mar 2010 14:33 GMT
One of the widest perceptions in the Western world, especially after the attacks of September 11, is that Islam's holy book, the Quran, promotes conflict, violence and bloodshed.
Muslims argue that many of the verses of the Quran – such as the one asking the Prophet Muhammad and his followers to "slay them [unbelievers] wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out" – are taken out of context.
Muslim scholars say that the scriptures have been intentionally misused by Muslims and non-Muslims alike to advance political agendas.
Critics say that the texts promote extremism, and that Islam has left a trail of blood across world history.
Recently, Philip Jenkins, one of the world's leading religion scholars, conducted a study comparing the texts of the Quran and the Bible, and found that "the Bible contains far more verses praising or urging bloodshed than does the Quran."
Riz speaks with Philip Jenkins and Shaker Elsayed, the imam of Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Centre in the US and former secretary general of the Muslim American Society.
This episode of Riz Khan aired from Wednesday, December 29, 2010.
If you had the good fortune of taking history of the Western world courses in college, you will know that most of the violence that plagued Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire was religious based.
Essentially powerful religions have no tolerance for each other. This is one of the reasons that Rightardia casts a skeptical eye toward religion.
Think World War 2 was different? Have you forgotten that the Nazis painted Teutonic crosses on their warplanes and tanks? The US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan also had religious underpinnings.
