Lance Haley
Sep 1, 2018 · 2 min read

Leo —

I have to agree with the other commentator, Bohan Xu, regarding Harris’ credentials. He is a neuroscientist.

I am a lawyer. So are law professors. The mere fact that many of them are not licensed to practice law anymore makes them no less of a lawyer.

I have followed Harris for sometime now on Big Think. He is a very intelligent and reasoned man. That goes for Maher, as well on HBO. Now I certainly don’t take their more reactionary view of condemning Islam, in the totality. Case in point: Mohammed Ali was my hero growing up. And I was a Christian.

Moreover, Maher can be very bombastic and incendiary. It’s Bill’s nature. He’s smart. And arrogant at times. So be it. Some people feel you have to fight fire with fire. It’s not my style, but I always adored Ali’s role as an agent provocateur. He took no prisoners in demonstrating the hypocrisy of his critics: the white American power structure; the Brotherhood of Islam; as well as his own fellow black fighters who played the white man’s game.

Ali pulled no punches. In the ring or otherwise. He took no marching orders from anyone. Not even the leaders of Islam. Ali called them out for what they were. Pretenders. He didn’t just talk the talk. Ali walked the walk. Only man to have ever beat the military draft in U.S. history. As a religious conscientious objector. Supreme Court set aside his conviction 8–0. Unanimous verdict. And the only American Muslim I know who had the outspoken courage to fiercely decry and condemn the acts of 9/11. Ali had no fear because his convictions ran deeper than even the most powerful men of his religion. Which speaks volumes about them. They are cowards.

Nevertheless, I do ascribe to Harris’ and Maher’s general view on religion — particularly the three realms of western theology…Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Frankly, in my view, those three institutions have probably caused as much suffering and human degradation over the past two millennia as all the political institutions combined. It’s unconscionable. A stain on humanity.

Worse yet. All done in the name of a god. Which in and of itself is the worst kind of blasphemy and hypocrisy. Further compounded by apologists trying to defend it.

So whatever human failings Harris or Maher have — and there are some, I’m sure — their criticisms carry a modicum of validity.

My suggestion? Proactively clean up your own house before you cast aspersions at those who criticize it. Whether reactionaries or otherwise. Then you can take the moral high ground. Until then, you have not a leg to stand on. I essentially wrote the same admonition to a defender of the Catholic Church regarding the priest-pedophelia issue earlier this past week.

It really is disturbing to me the lengths to which religions’ adherents will go to defend that which is morally indefensible. Perplexing…

As for Ali. I hope you found your peace, Champ. You were the Greatest.

    Lance Haley

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