Religion, Nationalism, and Identity - Reza Aslan

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/09/01/Islamic_Identity_in_the_US_Reza_Aslan

Religious scholar and author Reza Aslan argues many Americans who claim to be Christian are actually declaring their nationality, not spirituality. "The cross and the flag have bled into a single icon," says Aslan.

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What does being Muslim in the United States mean today? U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East greatly affects the everyday relations for Muslims living in the United States. How does our foreign policy shape the identity of Muslim Americans or put their identity in crisis?

Scholar and author Reza Aslan discusses Islamic identity in the United States, how the U.S. media portrays Islam, and to what extent the media factors into the formation of identity and stereotypes. - Comonwealth Club of California

Reza Aslan is a writer and scholar of religions. Born in Iran, Aslan is currently a research associate at the University of Southern California's Center on Public Diplomacy. He was a visiting assistant professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies at the University of Iowa and the Truman Capote Fellow in Fiction at the Iowa Writer's Workshop. A frequent commentator on television, radio, and in print, Aslan is a graduate of Santa Clara University, Harvard University, and the University of Iowa. He is the author of No god but God: The Origins, Evolution and Future of Islam and How to Win a Cosmic War: Why We're Losing the War on Terror.

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[thunderpants10]

Learn to stop defining yourself as a member of some group. Don't be a christian or an arab, just be a dave or a hussein.

And accept that people who think they are a group member first and a person second are suffering from a mental disease.

[FormulaWill]

Why must we identify ourselves beyond members of the human race? Reza should be trying to break down the walls (religion, race, nationality) that separate people rather than build them up.

I want to live in a world were people identify themselves not by the color of their skin or the random location of their birth, but by the content of their character and principles by which they live. Give people liberty and freedom to make up their own minds without the shackles of nationality or religion.

[Irresistibleization]

@FormulaWill religion is something you believe in based on your thoughts and ideas! You cant compare religion and nationality

[zangir2007]

Which Moslim can prove that Engel Gabriel who appeared to Prophet Mohamad was not SATAN?

[humansaretheworld]

 People are innately tribalistic. People have a group identity as well as an individual identity. The world will never live in peace as long as people can not accept all people as a member of their group identity.

[jingel89]

The resources for Taqiyyah: Quran 3:28, 16:106, 5:51

Allah allowes Muslims to lie to non-Muslims

in advance to Islam till Judgment Day

[AMF4love]

@jingel89

What`s Taqiyya and its conditions?! don`t forget to mention the sources..

[jingel89]

Islam will dominate the world

8:39 + 2:193 ...and religion should be only for Allah

Taqiyyah(3:28, 5:51)-visage Reza Aslan

Lying to non-Muslims in advance of Islam is allowed by Allah till "Judgement Day"

[iammready]

Additionally..I am certainly by no means an expert, but my understanding is that according to Islamic law once one is indoctrinated as a Muslim one REMAINS a Muslim..for the remainder of his/her life here. Please correct me if I am wrong about this. However if I am right, why not just tell us the truth..I personally would have no problem with the fact that Prez is Muslim. In fact, might be refreshing. Thanks-

[iammready]

An additional related note- Even our President has falsely stated to us; his constituents that he is in fact a Christian. I surmise this is to appease us, in light of the fact that many in the US are under the false impression that all Muslims are “terrorists”. I say falsely stated, as Obama recently stated that he is indeed a Muslim, but only to the Egyptians, (who are primarily of the Muslim faith) during his recent visit there.

[iammready]

I strongly agree with Mr. Aslan’s analysis here...the often touted declaration of many Americans’ that they are “Christians” is often misdirected, in that most are; in reality- identifying themselves within a cultural context, and not in an actual “religious affiliation” manner. I feel Mr. Aslan is spot on, as per usual for him on these kinds of topics.

[thunderpants10]

I understand that older cultures represent a very different context than the one I live in. But if someone is causing harm the only solution is that they stop. Clearly that is much harder when everyone around you has been causing the same harm for 1000 years and you were raised to think it is normal. But they still have to stop. That is the only thing that I can say to them. There can be no age limit when it suddenly becomes tolerable.