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[fujiyama]

43. Maher is right on the issue - to an extent

The "left" often gives Islam a free pass. Maher is one of the few liberals (no, he's hardly what I'd call "libertarian&quot , that points this out. I'm glad he does because Islam is inherently illiberal.

Of course this doesn't mean that 1.2 billion Muslims (I could be off with the numbers) are terrorists, or sympathize with such freaks, or have any remote association whatsoever ever with such loonies. Many are not even particularly conservative. I've met Muslims from many countries and their beliefs are shaped, as much by their societies and family values as anyone else. Most Muslims are good and decent people that want what everyone wants. I don't know why I need to even state that. It should be obvious - just in case some idiot accuses me of Islamophobia or some such nonsense.

Islam itself is at the same stage of crazy as Christianity is (or was). It's also not what I'd consider a typical religion. It's a way of life. It means submission and its restrictions are rigid and punishments for violating them are much stricter as laid out in its book. Not only that, but unlike the Bible (which aside from some idiot fundies mostly in the US and I suppose Africa - whose violence and bigotry should not be minimized), the Koran is interpreted much more literally by many more of its followers.

You are correct that honor killings, female infanticide, and the mistreatment of women in the cultures you mentioned are not specific to Islam. And I do think we need to view all these issues within the proper context of those societies' individual historical patriarchal cultures and religions.