Deaf

From Susanne :

I found this to be a very interesting clip, from a fellow secular humanist. Watching this interchange I believe is an example of how I often feel when discussing a topic with certain theists.

This video clip amazed me on so many levels, but here's a few that really struck me.

First, it was aired on Al Jazeera. Can you imagine any of our mainstream media allowing such controversy and debate, especially centered around religious ideology, to get airtime?

Second, this Arab-American woman is debating this topic in a male-dominated culture with a revered cleric.

What do you think of her views? Also, there has been some talk of fear for this woman's safety. Is that justified or prejudice talking?

Allan adds : I think the fears for Dr. Sultan's safety are wholly justified, she's condemning a culture of violence that has a history of killing dissidents- and has no place for an outspoken woman - a woman outspoken on any subject at all is in constant peril in any fundamentalist society.
Some points:

a) Much of what she said would be just as true if the word 'Christian' were used instead of 'Muslim'

b) When Susanne says this reminds her of certain discussions, I can relate- at around 3m45s
into the clip, Dr. Sultan's "debate" opponent dismisses all of her highly cogent and understandably outraged arguments by labelling her as a 'heretic'- in other words , if you don't believe in the same Invisible Cloud Being as I do, it follows that everything else you believe is false.
You'd have to be insane to consider that statement to be logical, but it's a very common view.

c) Early in, Dr. Sultan debukes the phrase "Clash of Civilizations", stating that civilzations do not clash - they compete. It's the difference between civility and barbarity. Well put.

Thanks to Susanne for the finding and providing this intriguing clip.