re: #139 Talking Point Detective

Thanks for the subtle hint.

That’s why I put Islamist in quotes. I meant it more generically - as someone interested in promoting Islam. I should have been more clear.

Yes - I agree that in the vernacular - what you wrote seems to be the accepted terminology.

But I’m not even clear if there is a legitimate cleavage between someone who has a fundamentalist view and someone who promotes violence against women or advocates terrorism.

I have met Muslims who consider themselves pretty traditional but who would reject terrorism. I’ve met others who see Koranic verses which, say, a husband should beat their wives as a metaphorical reference, and who would never actually advocate the hitting of a woman.

I’m thinking along the lines of a Jim Walis - who identifies as an evangelical - but who rejects rightwing fundamentalism and whose political ideology I accept.

I don’t feel the need to suss out where each Muslim comes down on the issues of his or her religion. It’s when they want to make their view of their religion the state version that public interest is warranted. That’s why it’s important to be clear what you mean by “Islamist”. To me it means a person who wants Islam as the state religion.