An Atheist Muslim's Perspective on the 'Root Causes' of Islamist Jihadism...

[Phillip McCleod]

12. i get the need for that distinction.. less need here than on 'atlas shrugs'..

..but 'we' must *continue* to be clear on this point.. it's one thing to criticize religious belief and quite another to target believers just because they believe. once they *act* on those beliefs in the public sphere, however.. then yeh they too may legitimately become targets for criticism. pat robertson. mother theresa.. of course, osama bin laden became a target for *more* than mere criticism.

once one has made that distinction clear, however, and as long as one doesn't prove oneself a liar.. it should be the end of the subject.

instead, it inevitably becomes the topic of conversation.. it's such a convenient way to shield religion from criticism. simply attack it's critics as being 'bigoted'.