015 – Losing My Religion. Why is Islam losing so many people?
I’m going to be talking to Murad from Australia about the Apostasy Tsunami sweeping across Islamic communities and why so many are leaving or doubting the faith. He left Islam 20 years ago and is currently writing a novel set in a parallel universe where Musaylimah became the Messenger of God and defeated Muhammad’s forces at the Battle of Yamama.
YouTube version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/B0Kx8i7Fm5Y
Timestamps:
0:00 introductions
2:28 Murad’s religious background – growing up as a Muslim and getting frustrated with the shutting down of discussion around a lot of topics in Islam. Staying in the closet as a skeptic or an apostate out of fear.
11:00The fear and social pressure that Murad faced when he left Islam even though he was staying in Britain, a secular country.
16:22 Why are so many people are leaving Islam? The over-emphasis on belief in Islam, the access to information because of the internet. Ex-Muslims being accused of being paid to leave Islam and speak against Islam.
23:33 How many ex-Muslims are in the closet? – Pew Research survey and how things are changing as compared to when Murad left Islam.
28:13 What risks did Murad face when he first openly came out as an ex-Muslim? – fear of losing family, fear of causing pain to loved ones. The great human need to be able to openly say whatever you think and still be accepted by your loved ones.
34:38 How Murad used listening to other people’s stories and seeing parallels between Islam and other religions as a way to humanize his experiences. Cost VS benefits for coming out. Receiving threats and punishments for questioning the orthodox position.
40:49 The shifting conversation in Muslim communities to a more inclusive, open-minded position. Understanding that Islam is not a monolith and that the various interpretations of Islam are all equally valid.
48:30 The internet is providing a safe space for people to have difficult debates and discussions as well as the widespread of ideas.
52:30 Influential Muslims are concerned about the massive exodus of Muslims from the religion – Bilal Phillips’s video. How Muslims scholars are struggling to come up with satisfactory explanations to Muslims’ questions.
55:02 Murad’s dream. The problem of faith as prescribed by religion. Does prayer really work and how can we test this? The scientific method. Yasir Qadhi’s diatribe towards ex-Muslims – The super-rational. A lot of people are closeted and still participate in Islamic prayers and other religious practices.
1:05:35 Abdullah Sameer’s take on The scientific method
1:07:47 Timur Kuran – Preference falsification and how prevalent is it in the Muslim community? Why do people do this? What is the neurological process like when people change their opinions?
1:11:50 The butterfly effect – will there be a tipping point where there is an avalanche of ex-Muslims such that leaving Islam becomes normalized. Mushrikun/crypto-religionists – Why was it necessary? Were the Spanish Jews allowed to keep their religion? God: A guide for the perplexed (Keith Ward).
1:19:30 The infighting in Islam and how it is driving people away. The long divergence: How Islamic law held back the Middle East ( Timur Kuran). The Ottoman empire’s ban on the printing press and how it was used to enforce Islamic dogma and stifle progress in society.
1:25:40 The brutality mentioned in the Quran and hadith – Hadith on Muhammad prescribing torture of people. The cognitive dissonance that Muslims experience when they encounter examples of Muhammad being brutal. How Imams particularly those in the west sanitize Islam.
1:30:52 The problem of the brutalization of heretics is not limited to Islam, but Muslims have the potential to reform Islam. The reform efforts.
1:36:42 Where does Murad think the ex-Muslim community goes from here? What needs to be done?
1:38:59 Murad’s social media handles
1:41:01 A quick description of Murad’s novel. Advice for people in the closet.
1:42:50 Final remarks.
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