That comparison at the end between Muslims & Irish people is bogus: Islam is a religion (some have virtually no choice but to enter, granted) but Irish-ness is not a religion.

Islam is a threat to science & morality, indeed, but outlawing Mosques goes too far in denying freedom. Children should be protected from all religions & non-evidence based theories for the sake of good development, legally, but adults should be allowed to destroy themselves so long as they know what they’re doing & don’t hurt others.

I’ve been to Murfreesboro TN… nice wooded mountains… shame about the culture.

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It’s true that freedom is central to our way of life and we should be careful not to tred on our freedoms.  However, should we push back on those constructs that go against our concept of freedom.  Islam, or at least Sharia, are in direct opposition to personal freedom.  Should we have been more tolerant of the British?

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Touchy area. Islam itself is a religion, and subject to interpretation of the believer. However, after knowing that Mosques have been instrumental in the plotting of murder and heinous acts against Americans and others, I am inclined to go the way of the Germans and French who have all but outlawed Islam.  After hearing so much about a Mosque at ground zero, I am also reminded that historically, Muslims will erect a mosque at the point where Islamic conquests take place, and this feels no different. Should they succeed, then we are truly a sorry nation of oversensitive non-thinking people.

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I’m concerned when I see people who claim to value reason reacting to the building of mosques in the U.S. in the same way as my Christian friends. I’m an atheist and I believe that religion has often been the source of great misery and tragedy throughout history, Islam being no exception. Criticizing Islam, as well as other religions, is one thing but to suggest taking away an individual’s right to freedom of religion is another. To encourage and participate in the hatred against Muslim Americans is to do the very thing that makes religion so toxic. One of the gifts of the Enlightenment was the idea of religious tolerance. For the philosophes reason was the solution to intolerance, hatred, violence, and oppression. They believed that we should engage in debate and critique irrational religious beliefs. But to deny American Muslims the equal right to religious freedom is to engage in the same oppression that religions have been practiced throughout history. And this animosity against Muslims will only radicalize moderate Muslims, creating the very thing we’re trying to avoid.

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Vesna,
I couldn’t agree with you more.  Religion is a manifestation of illogic; so why use that same irrational thinking to prevent people from practicing their freedom of illogic?  We all, being members of Project Reason, believe that religion is a problem and probably should be eradicated for the betterment of humanity; but the religious also have a right to practice and worship they way they choose as long as its not physically hurting anyone or breaking the law. 

To all the atheists and self proclaimed rationalists; the religious are victims of irrationality and don’t even know it; and they will continue to contradict their own beliefs.  For example, sure its easy for someone, say a Christian or other religion to say that a Muslim place of worship shouldn’t be erected close to where a band of Muslim fundamentalists got together and acted out a plot to wreak havoc on Western culture.  But if they really believe that…they’d better be ready to tear down every single Catholic church that’s sitting next to a playground.  As much as I disdain Catholicism, the religion itself didn’t rape those children, people did.  I’m smart enough to know that not everyone will break the law if given the chance.  So let the Muslims have their mosque.  I don’t agree with religious moderation, because irrational thinking can turn ugly no matter how benign it may seem; just like there’s no such thing as a ‘moderate’ heroin user; but lets not use their illogic as Vesna states.  Freedom is freedom, no matter how uncomfortable it may seem to you.  These are the struggles you have to overcome to be a unified society.

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@ Vesna and Sam. are u people kidding me?? for people who supposedly value reason and logic, u both seem retarded uneducated sheep, not unlike the religious kind, except u were duped into believing in ur own strength in reason and value.
it sickens me when i see fellow atheists equating all religions as the same. the same retarded logic of multiculturalism.. when u say everything is relative, then theres no reason to research or compare..
Islam is unlike any other religion, in that it is a political ideology, with a form of government, and strict sharia laws that are to be adhered to in the court of law. it controls pretty much every aspect of life, especially when it becomes dominant.
if you DO in fact value reason and rationalism, then u must understand, that when a small minority say they will dominate, u better believe that they mean it..
what needs to be done is to have muslims confronted with the social and political dimension of islam, and FORCE them to reform it. otherwise it is not compatable with liberal democracy, and if you can’t see that (you who supposedly think ur the hope of humanity) then ur leading urself on a sicide path. Apeasing the crocodile and hoping it eats u last, is dumb. As for the religious aspects of islam, then i have no problem with them, fasting, praying, going to mecca. but we must not be foolish. this is a political statement and we must look at it as such, it most def is not a freedom of religion issue

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