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[–]fschmidt 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

The difference between Sunnis and Shiite is mostly political and not relevant. While there are many schools of Islam with different opinions, they agree on the most basic things. Like no educated Muslim would say to generally kill unbelievers. Islam has plenty of problems, but this isn't one of them.

I have had 200 hours of the late Christopher Hitchens commentary to guide my learning of religion. And I agree with the majority of what he had to say

Is this a joke? Peter Hitchens would have been a tolerable choice since he has some understanding of religion. Christopher Hitchens has none. Anyway, the way to learn about any religion is to read their scripture, attend their service, and study the religion with a dedicated educated member of the religion. I have done this with Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Peter Hitchens is primarily a political commentator, a devout Christian who thinks cannabis is deadly, he still believes in reefer madness, it's laughable really. He also doesn't'believe' additicion exists. Hardly a comparison to his brother when it comes to critical thinking.

Christopher Hitchens dedicated much of his life to the study of religion and while I do not agree with all, he has won every single debate with any leading religious figure out in front of him.

[–]fschmidt 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Christopher Hitchens was an atheist, so he can't have a deep understanding of religion. This is like a witch doctor writing about science. Only a follower of a religion can have a deep understanding of it.

I don't know anything about these debates, but this sounds like nonsense. Any intelligent member of a religion can defend his religion. There is no winner when intelligent people debate religion, there is only differing viewpoints.

[–][deleted] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I am not a reptile, but I have a fair understanding of them having been a keeper of reptiles for many years. I'm not required to be a reptile to understand a reptile.

By your standard, a doctor should not diagnose or treat a mental illness because they themselves have not experienced it. A lawmaker should not criminalise drugs for they have not used them, if you have no deep understanding of psychedelics and chemistry then you have no right to comment. This argument is of course ludicrous in the real world because we cannot subject every person to every possible plane of existence just to form an opinion.

If you then know nothing of the debates, how can you pass judgement? The debates usually surround morality, ethics, human rights and indeed freedom of speech. True, there are no winners in debate or discussion, but there are winners of arguments, and there or moral superiors when it comes to atheism Vs religion. Who here would agree that a woman should be stoned to death for adultery after being raped? Religion allows this.