There are extremists in every religion

Well, it's not like Christians and Buddhists don't commit atrocities, but there's a difference. When Buddhists kill a bunch of Muslims or Hindus, it's not because they're acting on the doctrines of Buddhism (which recommend non-violence). It's because it's tribalism in action. It's like when Yankees fans beat up Red…

the only difference here is that the largely-Muslim middle east is also very poor, which generally leads to radicalization. I think that if there were Buddhists or Christians living there, it'd be just as bad.

By the way, Harris put an excerpt from the audio book with Nawaz on his podcast, and it's really worth listening to if you're interested in this subject. Fascinating stuff, and a great example of people actually having an open dialogue, which I feel is becoming something of a lost art.

I take issue when people like Harris say that the literalist interpretation is the "truest" version.

That said, I am hesitant to go along with "Islam is the problem."

Oh, right….

I'm too tired/grumpy to read this whole thing

You don't win friends with salad, you don't win friends with salad….

Look out below! I bring you the unique comic stylings of the triumphant temporary return of…

So this is what it feels like…when doves cry!

Ugh, I had almost forgotten about George Lucas' awful decision to change the movie so that both characters shoot. It never made any sense, and it looked ridiculous.

Some people have suggested that to combat ISIS, we should use a fighting force comprised of soldiers from a wide variety of countries around the world — with moderate Sunni Muslims on the front lines.

Absent religion, the people who form groups like Daesh [i.e. ISIS] still have a reason they'd turn to violence.

I think that we often use "terrorism" as shorthand for "Islamist/Jihadist terrorism" because it is the most pressing global form of terrorism right now.

Well, it sure would be nice if God would come down here and clearly state which "fan club" has got it wrong because all of the holy books he supposedly inspired are filled with atrocious violence and horrific ideas.

I wish folks would remove religion from the equation, quit calling ISIL "terrorists," & instead call them "fucking nihilists."

Obviously there are examples of women being sexually free in our culture.
I wasn't trying to argue that no women, ever, has been sexually free or celebrated by some people for being sexually free. I was speaking to a general attitude in our culture that still informs the way that lots of people think about sexuality.…

Well, I was employing just a little bit of hyperbole.
I'm sure that some people among the millions of people talking about this issue have had thoughts similar to mine. What I'm saying is that it seems to me, in my experience, that the sort of things I was emphasizing don't get emphasized terribly often, and I think…

Regardless of how stupidly this guy phrased his ideas, I think it is worth talking about the fact that the kinds of violent maniacs who perform mass shootings are all men, mostly young men, and mostly young men who aren't getting any.