I regret Robert Spencer’s annoyance at my criticism, but I have to stick by my point: you learn a lot more about Islam by reading Adonis, who criticizes Islam from the inside, than you do from Spencer (or Fallaci, Bat Ye’or, and a dozen other writers) who attack it from the outside. There are a billion and half Muslims, of whom some hundreds of millions support violence against unbelievers. The Koran is not a self-help book, nor it is it a political manifesto; it is an existential stance with respect to the world. Adonis’ poetry as well as his criticism helps us to get inside the mind of Arabs. The sort of thing that Spencer does, despite his estimable intentions, is just not adequate to the task at hand. I hate to be harsh towards anyone, and I have a very high regard for Spencer, but we are in a crisis, and need to use the best tools available to deal with it. Muslims are not comic-book villains. They are human beings in profound anguish, many of whom turn desperate and destructive. I am not saying this can be solved with therapy! One has to meet violent force with superior violent force, period. But in order to defeat your enemy, you first have to get inside his mind, and that requires empathy. Ticking off the bad guy’s bad points doesn’t do the job.
One has to meet violent force with superior violent force, period. But in order to defeat your enemy, you first have to get inside his mind, and that requires empathy. Ticking off the bad guy’s bad points doesn’t do the job.Not sure why you replied to me, but anyway -- listing the bad guy's bad points is a necessity, precisely because there's a nutty tendency in politics to try to avoid harm by denying it is there. Listing the enemy's bad points isn't meant to be read by the enemy (nor will it be, other than in some distorted manner), it is meant to mobilize public support for the use of superior violent force.
Hence, Jesus' exhortation to Love Your Enemies.
If the Arabs are in spiritual crisis, then the resolution is rooted in a spiritual answer.
We would be most helpful if we would get out of the way, and like a good therapist, let them come to this discovery themselves.
Any role we do play would be to insist on truth, not Politically Correct accommodation to their need to deceive themselves, and us, in an effort to be included at the table of ethical, rational religious systems (the oft-cited "abrahamic tradition"). This was the effort that Pope Benedict undertook with his speech referencing a dialog between Islam and Christianity from the 14th century. We need to have confidence in our own worldview, and not back down or stand down when Muslims respond with feelings in lieu of arguments, or we ill-serve this process.
Know your enemy. well said.