[AnalogReigns]

Interesting perspective but also rather sad at the same time. Clearly he's an educated guy who thinks "free thinkers" (those who espouse no organized religion) are the only intellectuals out there.... He calls Christianity "illogical" without saying why--ignoring the fact that "free thinkers" (those who were atheists and espoused no official religion)were actually the communists and nazi's who have killed more people by far than religious people, especially those calling themselves Christians, ever have.

I think he's wrong though about the immanent collapse of Islam--as he seems to think it will be overcome by intellectual "free thinkers." Religion for masses of people is only changed by another competing religion, or ideology. Christianity in Germany or Russia was overcome (temporarily) but ideologies of Nazism or Communism respectively--both political totalitarianisms which required loyalty like more than that of religion. Currently much of the West is dominated by atheistic materialism--which while not formally organized per se, is a strong "religion" in and of itself. Still, Islamic countries won't devolve from Islam into mere skepticism--the peoples there will believe in something--if not Islam, than maybe something far worse. Lets hope the light of the good news of Jesus reaches these peoples--now so enslaved in the chains of Mohammed.

[ValenB4]

I don't think Islam is likely to disappear anytime soon either. One thing that I do disagree with is his assertion that the ignorant don't matter. The religious leaders of Islam are largely ignorant about and bitter towards the outside world. But they are going to inspire and lead many who are willing to act out violence. That is why the intellectuals are going to have to assert themselves despite the danger. They don't do any good if they remain silent forever.

I think it's kind of sad that the author doesn't has lost faith in everything religious. Perhaps that was inevitable considering his background. However, most people are not strong enough to become outright atheists. He also doesn't seem to acknowledge that even if there is no God, there are practical uses to religion - such as the cohesion of communities, the ability to overcome grief, etc.

The truth is usually somewhere in the middle - the world will not fall under the stagnant domination and oppression of Islam, but Islam will probably not disappear. As the educated, wealthy, and intellectuals begin to leave the religion, and if it suffers geopolitical setbacks such as the overthrow of the Iranian regime, it may become weakened and discredited substantially, and thus lose its intolerant and hateful fire.

If that doesn't happen, there is always something called the Trauma Theory of Cultural Change, in which either a disaster or an outside power forces by devastating means a culture to reassess itself. Hopefully it doesn't come to that. He says that there are a few thousand visits to his site everyday. Maybe he's right to be optimistic.