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Famed author takes on Kansas: Rushdie bemoans role of religion in public life
Lawrence Journal-World ^ | 10/7/5 | Sophia Maines

Posted on 10/08/2005 5:29:47 AM PDT by 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.”


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: Kansas
KEYWORDS: antitheist; chirstianity; creationism; crevolist; evolution; intelligentdesign; religion; rushdie; secularists
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To: punster

Do you have any idea of the size of Fred Phelps' church? It might contain all of 20, and all are members of his family...all are lawyers to boot.


61 posted on 10/08/2005 7:16:15 AM PDT by GarySpFc (Sneakypete, De Oppresso Liber)
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To: Tax-chick

He also ran for governor (IIRC) on the Dem ticket, and was a favorite of the NAACP as recently as 1998... maybe more recently.


62 posted on 10/08/2005 7:16:15 AM PDT by orionblamblam ("You're the poster boy for what ID would turn out if it were taught in our schools." VadeRetro)
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To: punster
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.

At what point do you cross the line? Is calling for the Assassination of Saddam Hussein, or Pol Pot, or Stalin, or the Chicoms unjustified?

And what about Randi Rhodes on Air America?

Just stirring the pot...

63 posted on 10/08/2005 7:17:24 AM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: orionblamblam

I didn't know that - very interesting.


64 posted on 10/08/2005 7:18:39 AM PDT by Tax-chick (When bad things happen, conservatives get over it!)
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To: ElipticalAmigo

I think the moderator missed post 44. :)


65 posted on 10/08/2005 7:19:56 AM PDT by GarySpFc (Sneakypete, De Oppresso Liber)
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To: ElipticalAmigo
I think I see where you are taking a turn off the road..
You see the following; Hitler makes pals with a few "religious leaders", These leaders still dress in traditional apparel. They still hang out in the traditional church buildings. Your conclusion? Church and state co-exist.

Christians see it this way:
The REAL pastors and priests were taken away. The commandments of Christ, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" , became meaningless. {understatement}
Our conclusion? "Church" is a church in name only. Hitler and his government became god. Do we not see a similar pattern with with some church leaders today? What about Jesse Jackson? {And no, I'm not calling him Hitler}. Once again we see God sold out and replaced with the god of socialism, political correctness, humanism, Darwinism, etc.

66 posted on 10/08/2005 7:20:38 AM PDT by labette (Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.)
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To: grey_whiskers
"And what about Randi Rhodes on Air America?"

Randi Rhodes is every bit as much of a nut case. It is dangerous to be public in a call for assassination. Why? It gives the intended target a rationale for a preemptive strike, and it guarantees being blamed for an assassination, no matter who does it.
67 posted on 10/08/2005 7:23:20 AM PDT by punster
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To: punster
I wonder what gospel is taught at Westboro Baptist Church?
Is it the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Or is it the gospel of D.U., Nazism, and other blends?
Hmmmmm. Hmmmmm.
68 posted on 10/08/2005 7:26:55 AM PDT by labette (Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.)
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To: Crackingham

Rushdie was a hero as long as he ridiculted the other guy's beliefs. Now that he ridicules ours he's a bum. Typical...and pathetic.


69 posted on 10/08/2005 7:28:07 AM PDT by liberallarry
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To: punster
Yes, but you specifically attacked only Christians for their pronouncements on assassinations, and ignored AIR AMERICA as a counterexample...while on Free Republic!

Cheers!

70 posted on 10/08/2005 7:33:45 AM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: liberallarry

Who says he's a hero? Oh, by the way, "ridiculted". I like that. Kind of ironic.


71 posted on 10/08/2005 7:37:20 AM PDT by ecomcon
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To: Rudder
Which religion do you nominate to run the world?

Apparently, you choose atheism (aka, judeophobia, christophobia and islamophobia)?

72 posted on 10/08/2005 7:54:08 AM PDT by TaxRelief
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To: ecomcon
Who says he's a hero?

Please. Spare me the nonsense. Google him...or just look at some of the older FR threads.

"ridiculted"

An entirely gratuitous error...but I like it too.

73 posted on 10/08/2005 7:57:10 AM PDT by liberallarry
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To: Publius6961
Well, Salman buddy...

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

Well you know those who practice Christianity have been guilty of interfering in politics. Why, look at the Christian movements to end slavery, get children out of sweatshops, and trying to feed the starving in Africa. Maybe what he meant to say was, "The world is not worthy of them."

74 posted on 10/08/2005 7:57:26 AM PDT by feedback doctor (Dan Rather - guilty until proven innocent)
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To: Crackingham

Gack. What a pompous, profane fool.

"And this superstition needs to be pushed back in the cupboard where it belongs..."

This is exactly the attitude of professional God haters. All of us who believe should be - well, ultimately, if we refuse to shut up, we should probably go to some kind of re-education camps.

As several people have mentioned already, the Ayatollah had read his books apparently. Even a stopped clock and all that. (Obviously I am not recommending popping the guy. Just agreeing that he's not only a fool, he's a fool who hates God and anyone who believes in God.)

Will ping this out later.


75 posted on 10/08/2005 7:58:25 AM PDT by little jeremiah (A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, are incompatible with freedom. P. Henry)
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To: punster
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.

Randall Terry is a nut, but you're not stupid enough to think he wants to harm non-Christians, are you? This statement was addressed to Euthanizers: people who have killed someone to "end their misery". Terry believes euthanasia is murder, and that murderers should be executed.

76 posted on 10/08/2005 8:00:33 AM PDT by TaxRelief
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To: A. Pole

Extremely interesting article about Hitler's books, reveals much about his thoughts concerning religion and what he tought about God. If he believe in God at all, it was because he considered himself God.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/895696/posts

Hitler's Forgotten Library: The Man, His Books, and His Search for God
The Atlantic Monthly ^ | May 2003 | Timothy W. Ryback


77 posted on 10/08/2005 8:07:36 AM PDT by little jeremiah (A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, are incompatible with freedom. P. Henry)
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To: Kewlhand`tek
A much better book to learn about Islam is Among the Believers by Sir V. S. Naipaul (the Nobel Prize winner in 2002?). It is a travelogue across 4 muslim countries - Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Naipaul traces how these cultures changed for the worse after they became Islamicized.
78 posted on 10/08/2005 8:10:09 AM PDT by indcons (Paki jihadis - Go home. Your country needs your help now (7.5 magnitude earthquake and all that)!!)
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To: Crackingham

"I never had doubts about evolutionary theory"....

you mean, when you first heard about , you had no doubts?
Didn't it take some type of proof for you to believe in it?
That sounds like mindless acceptance.

I wonder what would happen if Mr. Rushdie did have his doubts?
Would he actually start liking the "uncool" people who
never have fun, and who have taken over the world?


79 posted on 10/08/2005 8:35:40 AM PDT by Getready ((fear not...))
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To: sinanju

Oriana Fallaci....
Have you read her book.... "The Rage and the Pride"
It is really interesting. Amazing. I still cannot believe any Liberal Feminist Socialist Democrat woman could be against the wars in Afghanistan or Iraq.... We gave them so much freedom that they never had before!

One time Oriana Fallaci was supposed to interview some Middle eastern big shot and they tried to get her to take her red fingernail polish off... so as not to offend him!


80 posted on 10/08/2005 8:58:48 AM PDT by buffyt (America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our people. Pres. George Bush)
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