Tag: Islam
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Where did belief in God decline? And the sad news: The 21st century will still be a century of religion
For anyone expecting religion simply to disappear as education, science and technology advance, the first decades of the 21st century offer a frustrating answer. In large parts of the developed world, secularization is real. Christianity has lost millions of adherents. More people openly identify as atheists, agnostics or religiously unaffiliated. In some countries, the transformation…
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The Amish, the Hasidic, and the Taliban: Who is more extreme?
It is a comparison that appears surprisingly often. Images of Amish horse-drawn buggies, Hasidic Jews in black coats and fur hats, and Taliban fighters carrying rifles are frequently grouped together as symbols of religious “extremism.” At first glance, they all seem to reject many aspects of the modern world. They dress differently, follow strict religious…
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Zohran Mamdani: No distinction between radical and secular Islam
The election of New York City’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, once again exposed one of the biggest weaknesses of modern political debate. For many people, the word “Muslim” immediately evokes terrorism, religious extremism, the September 11 attacks, or authoritarian regimes. Others react in the opposite direction, refusing to acknowledge that Islamist extremism exists at all.…
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We can question Christianity, not Islam
You can question Christianity in most Western countries, you can mock it, you can publish it. And you will face criticism, maybe protests, but not a death sentence.Now compare that with many Muslim-majority states. Question Islam. Name the Prophet. Challenge scripture. You can face prison. You can face mobs. In some places, you can face…
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Heaven in various cultures
Every culture tells a story about what comes next. Some call it paradise. Others see it as a return, a liberation, or a cycle without end. The names change. The symbols differ. But the idea remains. There must be something beyond suffering – a place we call heaven. This idea of heaven reveals much more…
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Are Palestinians and Israelis going to hell?
Since I don’t like being trapped in a bubble, I meet Christian priests or have chat with believers. It allows you to have insight into something different. While I am stunned sometimes by claims that I do not agree with, this was exceptional: Are Palestinians and Israelis going to hell? “The attack on 7 October…