Professor Feels Free to Criticize Christians, but Doesn’t Criticize Muslims out of Fear

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Nov 02, 2015

Professor Feels Free to Criticize Christians, but Doesn’t Criticize Muslims out of Fear

An atheist professor has stated that he fears criticizing Muslims rather than Christians because he knows he will not receive retaliation from Christians.

CNSNews.com reports that Phil Zuckerman, an atheist and professor of secular studies at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA, recently spoke at an event on religious liberty in Washington, D.C. 

“I see Christianity as a great friend of secular culture,” Zuckerman said. “I see Islam as much more of a threat, much more debilitating. I’m not talking about Muslim individuals that I happen to sit next to on an airplane or are my neighbors. I’m talking about doctrines and those that have the power to enforce those doctrines in the form of Sharia law.”

Kirsten Powers, a Democratic pundit and recent convert to Catholicism, spoke with Zuckerman on the issue of religious freedom in Christianity and Islam. Powers made reference to the Muslim bakers who refused to bake cakes for same-sex weddings.

“If these had been Christian bakeries, it would have been on the front page of the New York Times, so I’m wondering why we’re able to have this amicable, disagreement with Muslims for having this view. Why are we not able to do that with Christians?” Powers asked.

Zuckerman said he fully agreed with Powers.

“I absolutely agree that it is okay for those on the left to critique, mock, deride Christianity, but Islam gets a free pass, which is so strange, because if you care about women’s rights, if you care about human rights, if you care about gay rights, then really Islam is much more problematic – sorry to paint Islam with a huge brush – and much more devastating,” he said.

“As an atheist – where on planet Earth is the death penalty meted out to atheists?” Zuckerman continued. “It’s only in, I think, 24 Muslim countries.

“Where have human rights flourished the most? In Christian nations,” he said.

Zuckerman said he refrains from criticizing Islam on his blog because he has three children and fears the repercussions of speaking out against it. However, he said it is a great testament to Christianity that he feels at liberty to openly disagree with it.

Photo courtesy: pixabay.com

Publication date: November 2, 2015



Professor Feels Free to Criticize Christians, but Doesn’t Criticize Muslims out of Fear