'Don't Throw Religion Out of the Mix': Maher Clashes with Cornel West over Islam

by Josh Feldman
Mediaite
October 24, 2014

https://www.legal-project.org/4326/dont-throw-religion-out-of-the-mix-maher-clashes

Bill Maher again tackled the subject of Islam, despite really not wanting to, in reaction to the shooting by a jihadist in Canada this week. He ended up clashing with guest Cornel West over the same issue he's dealt with before: whether Islam is uniquely violent among religions. And Maher was perfectly willing to concede that there are other factors to consider in these nations, but "don't throw religion out of the mix."

West told Maher that pitting Islam against liberalism is a false debate because there are Islamic figures arguing for liberty, tolerance, and equality. Maher said, "I don't see it," and argued that you can't really say vast numbers of Muslims are peaceful if they show support for unbelievably cruel punishments for apostasy and other supposed crimes.

West shot back that he's talking about the "right-wing version of Islam" and if he applied the same standard to Christianity, every single Christian should be judged by the Christians before them who killed Jews and lynched African-Americans.

John Avlon said it's important to have the debate about Muslim threats without being thrown in "PC police jail," while Mary Matalin said whatever advances some Muslim nations have made, it doesn't matter to women or gay people in those countries.

Watch the video below, via HBO:

[image via screengrab]

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