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  1. I like the article. And I applaud Dr. Mansoor for his activism. Takes a good deal of courage these days to preach understanding and tolerance to Christians.

    However, I disagree with “We would not allow such haphazard ‘scholarship’ in relation to Christianity or Judaism…”. We? Allow it as a matter of course. Every day.

    And speaking of scholarship: I haven’t been exposed to Dr. Mansoor’s lectures, so I don’t know if he, as part of his presentation, identifies the brand of Islam that informs his activism. Because, just like Christianity and Judaism, there are significant differences among the existing brands/denominations/interpretations/practices of Islam. Mansoor cannot speak for all of Islam any more than Falwell the Younger can speak for all of Christianity.

    If we are to learn about Islam, or Christianity, or Judaism, or Buddhism, or Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism, Taoism, etc. etc., we must learn about the differences within those general classifications as well as the differences between them if we are to have any hope of understanding the conflict, especially violent conflict, generated by such differences. Recognizing difference, and trying to understand it, goes a long way toward defusing the hate and discontent spewed by people like Pammy Geller to Richard Dawkins.

    Understanding The Sunni-Shia Divide, for instance, is crucial to understanding religious based conflict that is reshaping the Middle East, and informing American (Christian) foreign policy.

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