Famed author takes on Kansas: Rushdie bemoans role of religion in public life

Lawrence Journal-World ^ | 10/7/5 | Sophia Maines

[Crackingham]

Citizens of the world should be concerned about religious extremism whether it’s in Iran or America, says author Salman Rushdie, who was once marked for death by Iran’s Ayatollah Khomeini.

Rushdie compared the emergence of religion into public life in Kansas with similar movements across the world in a lecture Thursday at the Lied Center.

“I would really love never to mention that word again: religion,” Rushdie said. “But now it seems to be coming right at us all. I don’t just mean radical Islam, by the way. I believe we have some problems right here.”

Rushdie received a standing ovation after the lecture, in which he revealed his thoughts on writing and receiving death threats and also blasted religion, intelligent design and the best-selling book “The Da Vinci Code.”

SNIP

Rushdie told the crowd that religion has much potential to do harm in the world today.

“It’s a pretty bad time for us who don’t believe that superstition should rule the world,” he said.

When asked how rationalism could win the fight against religion, Rushdie said with ridicule, argument and battle. When he was young, the 58-year-old said, he and others thought they’d won the battle. So they turned their heads.

We were “so busy having fun that all the uncool people took over the world,” he said.

And this superstition needs to be pushed back in the cupboard where it belongs, he said. Rushdie also blasted intelligent design proponents.

“I never had any doubts about evolution theory,” he said. “I gather there are parts of Kansas where the big bang did not take place.”

[mlc9852]

Maybe the Muslims were right about him after all.

[starfish923]

Have you ever read his books?
I got through the first page of his infamous book. I can't even remember its name.
It was in the "stream of consciousness" mode -- and his consciousness is convoluted, nonsensical and BORING.

Why would ANYone listen to him? And NOW he's spouting the same ole secularist screed.
The Muslims WERE right abut him.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

After reading this, I tend to agree with you.

[KStorm]

Perhaps Rushdie will join the ever-growing horde that would kill people for their religion, making him the world's worst hyporcite. I mean it...I'll bet there are millions who would love to see our football stadiums converted to killing fields.

[litehaus]

"(Citizens of the world) should be concerned about religious extremism"

Personally don't have any among my friends...WHOLE bunch of AMERICAN CITIZENS tho!!!

[Publius6961]

Well, Salman buddy...

When Kansans start blowing up people worldwide, I'll start worrying about it.

I guess no one is immune from a bout with irrationality from time to time.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

...secularists killing people because they are religous.

As somewhat of a secularist myself, I would rather reserve that action for drug pushers, molestors, rapists, pimps and other liberal filth...

[gobucks]

We were “so busy having fun that all the uncool people took over the world,” he said.

A leftist speaks, and reveals just how stark his stripes really are.

[RedWireNut]

An arcane brain speaks of a bane on the plain....insane?
Kansas University, evolving into Berzerkeley on the plain.

[labette]

"I see religious people killing those who don't believe what they do far more likely then secularists killing people because they are religous."

Oh, really?
Perhaps you can enlighten us on the religious leanings of Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Saddam, etc.

[rdb3]

I see religious people killing those who don't believe what they do far more likely then secularists killing people because they are religous.

You are aware of the histories of secularist societies like the former Soview Union, Cuba, China, and North Korea, right?

If you want a Google GMail account, FReepmail me.
They're going fast!

[rdb3]

You beat me by 3 seconds.

If you want a Google GMail account, FReepmail me.
They're going fast!

[Tax-chick]

What a maroon.

[A. Pole]

Maybe the Muslims were right about him after all.

Where is the Inquisition when we need it?

[Rudder]

Which religion do you nominate to run the world?

[A. Pole]

I see religious people killing those who don't believe what they do far more likely then secularists killing people because they are religious.

The biggest mass killing ever was done by secularists in XX century. Once they get to the power they show their true colors. And there were minor shows of secularist tolerance in Mexico, Turkey and France at the beginning of XX century.

[Oztrich Boy]

How dare he expose the secrit Mussulman/Reconstructist alliance!

[SAMS]

This guy is the ACLU's poster boy

[Logophile]

I see religious people killing those who don't believe what they do far more likely then secularists killing people because they are religous.

Then you must have slept through the 20th Century. Various brands of Communists and Socialists—all avowed secularists—murdered on the order of 100 million people. In some parts of the world they continue to do so.

You may argue, as some have, that Comunnism and National Socialism are themselves religions. They certainly deal with religious questions: Does God exist? (Their answer is no.) Is there life after death? (Again, they say no.) What is the purpose of life? (To serve the State.) But that only goes to show that Rushdie and his ilk are wrong when they say that mankind can eliminate religion. If men do not know God, they will fashion their own gods to worship.

[A. Pole]

Hiter was a catholic, Stalin was training to be a priest but was ejected from the church because of his political leanings.

Yeah sure. Madeline Murray O'Hare was Catholic, Pol Pot was Buddhist and Mao ZeDong was a Confucian.

[labette]

Your original statement in post 6 was about "religious people"' not pseudo-religious people.
Nice try.

[mlc9852]

I think you summed that up nicely.

[mlc9852]

I don't believe in a one-world government.

[Rudder]

Which religion do you nominate to run the U.S.A.?

[Tax-chick]

Funny, in all my reading of history, I missed the part where Hitler had all those people killed for not becoming Catholic.

[A. Pole]

The purges were done because of the political affiliation of the victims.

The so called purges of the 1930s, yes. But they affected relatively "small" number of people, mostly from the progressive intelligentsia connected with revolution (revolutions eat their own children). But believing Christians died in millions and MAJORITY of their clergy died.

You don't see me saying Christians are responsible for the holocaust because Hitler was one do you?

In the moment when Hitler embraced the pantheistic racialist ideology of Volkism and worship of nature, he stopped to be Christian.

To be a Christian you need to believe in one God the Father, the maker of Heaven and Earth and in His Son the Jesus Christ who is the Saviour for all who accept Him. Read the creed.

[dubyawhoiluv]

And to think at one time I felt sorry for him,he really is a P.O.S., a arrogant, ulgy little snot.

[A. Pole]

he really is a P.O.S., a arrogant, ulgy little snot.

Ugly he is!

[A. Pole]

"Your link is broken."

In the moment when Hitler embraced the pantheistic racialist ideology of Volkism and worship of nature, he stopped to be Christian.

Sorry, here it is:
Ideology of Volkism

[GarySpFc]

Rushdie,

We are doing just fine in Kansas. Stay in England.

[Kewlhand`tek]

yes I read SATANIC VERSES. I read the WHOLE thing. Made my brain hurt. There are some factual things about ISLAM in there but it is there to kinda give someone background on ISLAM if they dont know about it. the rest of it is sillyness.

[labette]

"Hitler's Germany amalgamated state with church"

Not exactly. He eliminated the church, {the worship of God} and substituted in it's place the worship of the state.

Deutchland uber Alles, ya?

[GarySpFc]

The other is enforcing religion so people think the government is doing God's will and will thus be more likely to agree with the government. (Like Hitler did)

I think you need to take a course in Religion 101. The Swastika was designed by Hitler to be a twisted cross, and was his rejection of Christianity for a substituion of his own warped belief system. Indeed, his spiritual adviser was Alice Baily, a New-Age witch.

[A. Pole]

What worries me more was how the Catholic Church reacted to Hitler.

What do you mean? The facts that countless thousands of priests died in the concentration camps is not enough for you? Would you want the Swiss guards of Vatican to defeat Wehrmacht in the battle?

[Just mythoughts]

"I see religious people killing those who don't believe what they do far more likely then secularists killing people because they are religous."


Oh those "secularists" need live bodies enslaved to keep themselves at the top of the heap.

Based upon these words of yours I suppose we should stop fighting the terrorists killers, win the war the secularists method of operation, peace, peace, peace talks.

[punster]

Religious extremism is alive and well in this country. If you don't believe that, perhaps you should read the following quotations from Randall Terry (Operation Rescue and Terri Schiavo):

1. "When I, or people like me, are running the country, you'd better flee, because we will find you, we will try you, and we will execute you. I mean every word of it. I will make it part of my mission to see to it that they are tried and executed...If we're going to have true reformation in America, it is because men once again, if I may use a worn out expression, have a righteous testosterone flowing through their veins. They are not afraid of contempt for their contemporaries. They are not here to get along. They are here to take over..." (Randall Terry, Addressing a banquet sponsored by the US Tax Payes Alliance, Aug. 8, 1995)

2. "I want you to just let a wave of intolerance wash over. I want you to let a wave of hatred wash over you. Yes, hate is good...Our goal is a Christian nation. We have a biblical duty, we are called by God to conquer this country. We don't want equal time. We don't want pluralism." (Randall Terry, The News Sentinel, Fort Wayne, IN, Aug. 16, 1993)


Or, we could examine Pat Robertson, and his public call for the assassination of Venzuelan President Chavez. I will not argue whether or not it is right or wrong to use assassination to further national security. However, it is really stupid and shows a total lack of judgement, to publicly call for an assassination.

[Sofa King]

You need to do less guessing and more historical research, then. "genocide" wasn't even a word until Hitler came along.

[TalBlack]

"I see religious people killing those who don't believe what they do far more likely then secularists killing people because they are religious."

Then you are blind and or ignorant. Secularists are the most prolific killers in all of history, dominating up to and including the bloodiest century of them all the 20th. The religious have, necessarily, been their FIRST victims.

[sinanju]

"yes I read SATANIC VERSES. I read the WHOLE thing. Made my brain hurt. There are some factual things about ISLAM in there but it is there to kinda give someone background on ISLAM if they dont know about it. the rest of it is sillyness."

______________________________________________________________

If Rushdie wrote "The Satanic Verses" today, would he be prosecuted in Old Europe for violating their various hate speech laws (Michel Hollebecq, Orianna Fallaci, etc.)?

[Just mythoughts]

"I don't undurstand your train of logic. I say that I think relgious extremism is more threatening then scularism, and you think that means I want to stop the fight against it?"


Seems as though you appear to think secularism is not extremism. Yet if one looks closely secularism is exactly what has allowed the growth of terrorism, the go along get along ideology.

What standard is one to follow? Secularism is a religion, it is a god to those it feeds, clothes, and passes out state run medical treatment. Secularist are the gods and they have no power without willing servants.