"This Evil"

Umar Lee: Interview of Joel Richardson: Editor of Why We Left Islam.

I have not read your book so I am not going to make any judgments on it. It has created some interest and in your blog you seem to be dedicated to hyping the threat that Islam and Muslims pose. Of course, as an American-Muslim, this is disturbing to me. The average everyday Muslim has to carry the weight of these sorts of anti-Muslim campaigns on their shoulders in their daily lives.

Yeah, life is so tough in America.

The Muslim child in school has to sit in a classroom being shunned by fellow students and maybe even treated poorly by their teachers, the Muslim job-seeker gets passed over for a job, the Muslim business-owner loses business because of their religion, etc. . You may say that this is not your intention, and that you would not encourage such ill-treatment of Muslims, but the practical effect of what you and others like you do creates a climate that leads to discrimination against Muslims.

Why does Umar Lee think that mere assertions equals proof?

Anyway, read what Richardson has to say. Many times during the interview, Umar Lee puts his remarks in bold. At one point Richardson says:

As you likely well know, death for apostasy is clearly affirmed by Muhammad: “Whoever changes his religion (leaves Islam) kill him,” (Sahih Bukhari) as well as by all four Sunni Madhabs, and the Shi’a. The reason that I helped to compile Why We Left Islam: Former Muslims Speak Out is to bring attention to these types of human rights violations. And I call on you and every Muslim of conscience to join with me in renouncing this inhuman evil Islamic practice.

Curiously, Umar Lee doesn't provide any reply to this statement.

Quoting Richardson:

I am not a student of American History or American wars and thus cannot comment on whether or not there is a war in American history that I do not support.  Alternately I would ask you if there was any war, battle or raid that Muhammad waged that you feel was unjustified?  How do you personally feel about the beheading of 700-900 Jewish men from the village of the Banu Qurayza?  Do you support this slaughter?  Is there a war that was executed by any of the four “Rightly Guided Caliphs” that you think were unjustified?

He also asks:

Let me ask you this Umar, is Afghanistan better off today than it was under the Taliban?

Lee's replies are illuminating.