New Project--Reading the Quran, Introduction
It is basically impossible to live a day without hearing something about Islam and the Muslim world. And much of what we hear is disturbing. We see terrible violence in Syria, primarily Muslim-on-Muslim, and that violence is spreading to other countries (including the U.S.) from ISIS and other radical groups. Iran and Saudi Arabia, perhaps the two most high-profile Muslim nations, seem to be on the brink of war, if they are not already at war. Meanwhile, there are calls from political leaders in the U.S. to round-up American Muslims, including American citizens, because they represent an existential threat to the country. Truthfully, I don't know what to make of much of this. I believe strongly and completely that for the government to discriminate against Muslims in the United States on the basis of their religion would be to surrender the very thing that makes this country what it is. Beyond that, it has dawned on me that I do not know enough ...