What makes bigotry possible?

The malady is rooted in our failure to distinguish between the individual & the collective. The man who beheaded the teacher was a bigoted, evil man.

But you can’t use that the paint all Muslims as evil. But we do attempt that subtly.

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We take to the next level by saying Islam is what made the man bigoted; which is partly true. But you need to be clear-headed here. Islam has a few concepts that are open to very easy & popular misinterpretation. Like that of Kafir, or blasphemy or, Jihad. That’s the true part.

Then there is the “seal of the Prophet,” the idea that nothing in Islam can be reexamined b/c Muhammad was the last Prophet.

All these are indefensible in light of history & logic. Nothing should bar us from insisting on our right to reexamine & reinterpret them.

But not every Muslim is a practicing Muslim. Not every Muslim has the same attitude to religion. Not every Muslim views these concepts in the absolute sense or even holds them valid. But fear of blasphemy holds back open discussion among Muslims & hence we are in the dark ..

.. about how Muslims actually view these edicts. Remember, blasphemy is not just a state policed crime. Any random Muslim may kill you for blasphemy which makes the thing really atrocious b/c blasphemy turns you into a hunted animal.

But the fact remains that Muslim attitudes to religion are as diverse those of Hindus and Christians towards their respective religions.

You cannot treat Hindus & Christians as individuals while treating Muslims as a monolithic collective mass.

That’s the bigotry.