ers and mothers is simply not realistic. If the message they hear from us is that the necessary condition for being European is to abandon their religion, then they will choose not to be European. For secular Europeans to demand that Muslims adopt their faith—secular humanism—would be almost as intolerant as the Islamist jihadist demand that we should adopt theirs.
Where are these people who demand that Muslims abandon their faith – these so-called enlightenment fundamentalists? Hirsi Ali certainly isn’t one: she’s made it plain that she thinks Islam can exist peacefully in the West, but that to do so it needs a reformation. As an Amazon reviewer notes:
Although Ms. Ali is herself a Muslim apostate and even an atheist, she maintains that it is possible for Islam to reform itself (indeed, she believes it must, to avoid a state of perpetual war). To this end, the book includes a short interview she conducted with Ugandan-born Canadian author Irshad Manji (her book, “The Trouble With Islam” is available on Amazon). Although Manji is completely westernized–no head covering, a feminist and even an open lesbian–she still considers herself a proud and faithful Muslim. Many readers may accuse them of not having a “true” knowledge of the religion, but that is part of their point. How many Christians know the details of the bible, yet still maintain faithfulness? Thus, they seek to reconcile Islam with secularism, by placing each in its own realm. Though Ms. Ali has rejected religion entirely, she doesn’t expect anybody to follow her.
So as well as patronising her, Garton Ash totally misrepresents her views.
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