Is Atheism Only for the Upper Class? Socioeconomic Differences Among the Religiously Unaffiliated

[BainsBane]

40. I have no problem with your critiquing aspects of Islam or any religion

and I certainly respect your atheist views. I consider your right to hold them every bit as important as someone else's right to practice Islam, Judaism, Christianity, or any other religion.

My problem is with broad brushing. That shouldn't be done toward atheists, Muslims, or anyone else. Interpretations of the Koran, like any religious text, vary widely. I pointed you to the article on Sufism because it is so different from the fundamentalist extremism that most of us in the West are so familiar with. http://mycaravanofdreams.com/2011/07/21/how-many-sufis-are-there-in-islam-by-stephen-schwartz/
I posted that article earlier this week after hearing about how Islam was inherently violent and was to blame for the actions of the two guys in Boston. The fact that Islam has given rise to great intellectual openness in the past tells me that the problems you rightly point to are not a necessary part of the religion. It's important to understand the context of colonialism, Western backed dictatorships and occupations that have given rise to fundamentalist extremism. To imagine it is all about a religious text misses most of the story.

In terms of religion, I don't even have a label for myself. I don't go to religious services of any kind. I don't know if I believe in God, but I don't refuse to accept the possibility. I suppose I would like to be able to have faith because It seems to bring many people a great deal of comfort, but I cannot summon it.

My views on religion are largely historical and sociological. I consider the existence of a deity the least important aspect of religiosity. For me, it's importance lies in its role in society, for good and bad. My background in history, and Latin America in particular, has taught me that religion plays a far more complex role in society than many here understand. Among its applications is an ideology of empowerment for resisting oppression. That certainly has been the case for peoples of indigenous and African decent throughout the Americas.