By all accounts it is a big board. No-one is impeding you from showing the even-handed and fair-minded manner in which you assessed the competing evidence to arrive at the conclusions:
Because to some people, the apparent bigotry driving these conclusions is overwhelming.
Feel free, take as much time as you wish. Throw in ad hominems, whatever you need.
Great, now organized religion has replaced the boogeyman in my nightmares! 
Anybody that can’t wrap their head around how awful and unreasonable this whole story is, need only look back into Christianity’s history a couple hundred years.
I am very glad Qadgop the Mercotan brought up that other sects of religions have some very brutal and inhumane ideas for non-believers as well.
I have a question I hope somebody can answer.
Would the death penalty apply to somebody who openly didn’t believe/follow Islam? I mean in contrast to somebody who was muslim and rejected it for christianity.
I have to ask, so fucking what if the Christians were just as bad back in the day! There is a reason we call them “the Dark Ages” (yes, I know there was religious intolerance much more recently than that). People have fought for secularism for centuries. Are we now to let a fanatical, backward, medieval religion destroy all that in the name of political correctness and “understanding”? Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Perhaps you mean “a fanatical, backward, medieval* interpretation* of a religion”? Certainly, many religions have a lot of tenets that could be interpreted in a fanatical, backward, medieval way, not just Islam.
Now, if you were to say “the interpretation of their religion by muslims as being on of fanaticism, etc, is much more widespread presently than the interpretation of their religion by christians/jews/etc along the same lines”, then you’d have an argument.
If he were originally muslim, and was publically denigrating Islam (as opposed to just not following the religion, plenty of muslims do just that) , it wouldn’t surprise me. An intellectual was declared apostate in Egypt, by comparison a haven of religious freedom and tolerance, had his marriage dissolved against his and his wife’s wishes and has to live in exile for less than that (he still considered himself muslim).
Converting to christianism is merely an even more egrerious way of becoming an apostate.
I so totally agree !!! I’m so sick of it !
The only reason that I can think of is that there may be this idea out there that if christianity evolved into something we can live with then with enough patience we can expect the same from islam. I don’t think so.
All the furor and result in how islam is impacting our concience is very very disturbing to me. I learned a lot over the last two or three years. Yet all the things I’ve learned recently about this religion are not good. The latest of course is that Islam demands the death of someone who converts to Christianity.Support for this “Demand” consumes a lot of people. Islamic people. It just tells me folks that these people are really really fucked up ! Sure, they are just like you and me, but their minds have been hijacked by Islam.
I hate this religion with a passion that embarrasses me. I once was caught in the grip of religion and I’m greatful to be released of it. Thank God I don’t have a death sentence over my head.
I agree. It seems to me that the extent to which a religion opens itself to the spirit of ecumenicalism is inextricably connected to the extent to which its relevance has been eroded by secularism. I really, really hope that, for non-muslims and muslim moderates alike, such frequent exposure to the 7th century barbarism of their fundamentalist co-religionists has a cumulative shaming effect. Such an effect may just act as a catalyst for a more forceful promotion of moderation in the Middle East.
I’m pretty sure I’m hoping in vain, however.
And they are a power to be reckoned with in Afghanistan?
I know other people have made the point that “Christianity was just as bad in the day.” I want to make clear that I think all religions are equally dangerous. I wasn’t trying to make a case for Islam by pointing to Christianity’s past. I was merely trying (albeit unsucessfully) to point out that almost all religions have potentially destructive messages, and destructive people. Now AND in the past.
I am constantly hearing from some of the Christians I work with how awful/backwards/unreasonable Islam is. It frustrates me as a pot-calling-a-kettle-black sort of situation.
I couldn’t agree more. I have been educating myself on Islam and Christianity for just over 2 years. Like you, I have yet to see any good. Perhaps one day I will, but I’m not holding my breath.
Thank you very much for answering my question clairobscur!
The “good” teachings of religion are just as much interpretations as the bad ones. Until God comes down and tells us what he meant, it’s all pretty much the same.
Thanks The Flying Dutchman, I feel the same. [though I’ve never been caught in the grip of religion]
Funny thing is: I didn’t mind religions. Never thought a lot about them. Untill Islam reared it’s ugly head.
Now I’m looking askance to every religion.
I blame Islam for that, too.
"All Muslim jurists agree that the apostate is to be punished. However, they differ regarding the punishment itself. The majority of them go for killing; meaning that an apostate is to be sentenced to death.
Many authentic Hadiths*) have been reported in this regard. Ibn Abbas reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever changes his religion, you kill him." (Reported by all the group except Muslim, and at-Tabarani also reported it with a sound chain of narrators. Also recorded in Majma Az-Zawa’id by Al-Haythamiy.)
There is also the Hadith of Ibn Mas`ud that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The blood of a Muslim individual who bears witness that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah, is not to be shed except in three cases: in retaliation (in murder crimes), married adulterers (and adulteresses), and the one who abandons his religion and forsakes the Muslim community.” (Reported by the Group)
The actual example of one of the greatest Companions, `Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) gives credit to this also. He himself carried out the punishment on some people who had deified him. He gave them three days respite to repent and go back to their senses. When they proved adamant, he put them to fire.
From: DEPLORABLE Bloggers Alliance: Apostasy in Islam - Ridda
What is worrisome is that most Muslim leaders in the West do not distance themselves to the classical punishment of apostasy. In doing so they foster an environment of religious intolerance and confrontation. What is beyond comprehension is that most Western political leaders do not dare to criticize the practice of punishment for apostasy. And when some few do dare - it is always in light and careful terms.
Here are some examples of recent cases :
Doctors in a Cairo mental hospital are holding an Egyptian Christian against his will, telling the man he’ll be a permanent resident there until he recants his faith and returns to Islam, reports a leading monitor of Christian persecution.
Zakho (AsiaNews/MEC) – A Christian convert from Islam was killed for his faith. Ziwar Muhammad Isma’il, who worked as a taxi driver in Zakho in the autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq, was shot dead by Abd al-Karim Abd al-Salam at a taxi station early on the morning of February 17.
Abd al-Salam approached Ziwar and told him to return to Islam. When Ziwar refused he opened fire with an automatic rifle.
Ask Samer and Abeer. Last September Jordanian security police connected to the country’s Mukhabarat, or intelligence agency, showed up at the couple’s home unannounced. They arrested Samer and detained him overnight. Samer’s crime: coming to faith in Jesus Christ 14 years ago. Originally a Muslim, Samer over the years since his conversion has been questioned several times by security police but never detained.
This time, the police turned him over to the Islamic courts. The judges convicted Samer of apostasy. In a Nov. 23 decision the court decreed that his identification papers must be changed from “Muslim” to “no religion;” that he had forfeited any inheritance; that his marriage to Abeer is now illegal and therefore he is not entitled to custody of his son.
IRAN - Christians in Iran have expressed great fears for the life of pastor Hamid Pourmand, a lay leader in a church and a convert from Islam, who will appear before an Islamic court next week to face charges of apostasy. If found guilty he is likely to face the death penalty.
Also in Malaysia (the current example of well functioning Muslim democracy) Muslims can be punished to leave Islam:
In July when the Sharia court sentenced four Kelantan Malays to 20 months jail for apostasy, the rights of Muslims to quit Islam has come under intense discussion over the Internet.
ANOTHER six Christians have been arrested in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia as part of a new crackdown
On August 19, three other Eritrean Christians were arrested, known only bytheir first names of Gabayu, Kebrom and Mesfin. There are reports of more arrests, but these have not been confirmed.
There is particular concern for Mr Buliamin, a Christian whose passport say she is a Muslim. This means he could face the charge of apostasy from Islam, the penalty for which is death under Sharia law.
And there’s Ayaan Hirsi Ali, ofcourse.
I don’t know what happened to Mr Buliamin, but Allah knows best, huh.
*)*Bukhari, volume 9, #17
"Narrated Abdullah: Allah’s Messenger said, “The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Messenger, cannot be shed except in three cases: in Qisas (equality in punishment) for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts from Islam (Apostate) and leaves the Muslims.”
Bukhari, volume 9, #57
Narrated Ikrima, "Some atheists were brought to Ali and he burnt them. The news of this event, reached Ibn Abbas who said, "If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as Allah’s messenger forbade it, saying, “Do not punish anybody with Allah’s punishment (fire).” I would have killed them according to the statement of Allah’s Messenger, “Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him.”
Bukhari, volume 9, #271
Narrated Abu Musa: A man embraced Islam and then reverted back to Judaism. Muadh Jabal came and saw the man with Abu Musa. Muadh asked, “What is wrong with this (man)?” Abu Musa replied, “He embraced Islam, and then reverted back to Judaism.” Muadh said, “I will not sit down unless you kill him (as it is) the verdict of Allah and His messenger.”*
I’ve heard this quite a bit. It is the fanatics who are misinterpreting the religion. How do you know that? Maybe it is those few others who are misinterpreting it?
Take a look at what gum posted just before this. Those calling for this person’s death are the ones following the religion correctly. What is fanatical about that? Maybe that is the way most Muslims feel about the matter which would make it the ‘moderate’ opinion.
They let this guy go. “Lack of evidence” they said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060326/ap_on_re_mi_ea/afghan_christian_convert_39;_ylt=AlMNKTZ0bfxfzasYu0.uFxnOVooA;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl
I do my happy dance, but wonder how long 'til there’s another.
I’m happy-dancing with you, Okay? 
From your link:
Can’t speak for my government, but for me: He’s very welcome to go into exile here, in Holland.
After all: We’re getting good at protecting people who are being threatened to be decapitated by Islam-nazis.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Geert Wilders, Rita Verdonk, Job Cohen and Afshian Elian still have their head attached to their bodies.
I think all of the governments that have expressed their dismay at his treatment, including the US, UK, Canada, Italy, and others, should all offer him asylum as a show of support. And Mr. Rahman can choose amongst them.
I predict massive demonstrations by Islamic extremists that will threaten the Karzai regime.
I predict peals of laughter to follow the shame-faced *‘Muslims are all mindless terrorists’ *dopes as they retreat further into bigotry.
That’s the thing, if you are a human being, capable of evidence-based reasoning then you don’t buy into such tosh in the first place. Conveniently, the world of reality has a happy habit of asserting itself. Right on cue, it delivers the needed slap to the ass and heavy fists around the head and neck as follow up.
And haven’t we seen a lot of that lately? Oh yes indeedy we have an abundance of examples.
I predict reading glasses and/or a brain transplant for Sevastopol
“There will be big protests across Afghanistan,” said Faiez Mohammed, a Sunni Muslim leader in the northern city of Kunduz. “This has shamed Afghanistan in the eyes of other Muslim countries.”
That’s the thing, if you are a human being, capable of evidence-based reasoning then you see what Islam is all about. Right on cue, it delivers the burning of ambassies, killings of priests and threats to non-muslims - over a couple of cartoons.
If you agree with Bush, however, saying that ‘Islam is a religion of peace’, then we might find some ignorant posts, right here, on the Straightdope.
And haven’t we seen a lot of those lately?
Nah… Not so much.
The bigotry of muslims has an abundance of examples. Enough to find the more intelligent views of dopers. Right here, at the Straightdope.
Yep - Islam historically was ‘tolerant’ of other religions as the farmer ‘tolerates’ the milk cow.
‘Tolerance’ loses all meaning so long as Sharia Law is in place. The death penalty for changing religions - what century is this?
But Islam and The Submission to the Will of God, is encoded into law in very great detail although there are more than one school (none of which in any way supports a liberal interpretation). It is not open to individuals to pick and choose.
I wish people would give up the fantasy that Islam is a religion like Christianity with only a few fanatical bad eggs spoiling it for the rest of them. Islam as now exists is an intolerant religion laying down in Sharia Law wherever it has power what anyone in the West would consider fanatically intolerant laws that govern politics and social life.
This apostacy thing isn’t a backward, minority, lunatic stretching of Sharia Law. It is Sharia Law. Just like the abuse of women as second class citizens is.
Like others here I had a very laid-back approach to Islam - until I started reading the Koran and reading about Islamic beliefs.
Maybe in 50 years it will have some sort of enlightenment blossoming from the scattered attempts to radically reinterpret Islam in the light of the modern world. Certainly there are forces at work, mainly in compromises being reached in places like Indonesia between secular and sharia law (but even there ‘moderate’ Islam is strongly opposed by more traditional forms and the outcome still in doubt).
But that is not the Islam extant today (and not the Islam immigrating into western europe) and so people should not be surprised if Muslims get more upset about god being insulted than the punitive treatment of apostates. They are more upset - its most cherished beliefs are under constant attack by the West - mostly in the way the cliff is attacked by the sea.