The Misrepresentation of Sam Harris's Words by Some of His Critics

[Debater Slayer]

On the misrepresentation and quote mining aimed at Sam Harris by some of his critics.

Discuss.

 

[icehorse]

In our increasingly anti-intellectual society, anyone who needs to discuss a situation that isn't easily reducible to sound bites is apt to encounter this sort of response, and of course it's even worse when the topics are controversial.

I guess my takeaway is that we should all be suspicious of sound bite answers on complex topics. (And a lot of these get spewed from our feckless leaders in Washington.)

 

[Lyndon]

Who are you kidding, Sam Harris has a long history of spouting Islamophobic rhetoric, as well as a whole lot of nonsense about Buddhism. The Arabs he's quoted as supporting are Islamophobes themselves. I think he meant exactly what he said. He's hardly a liberal, he's really just another right wing bigot IMHO

 

[The Holy Bottom Burp]

I'm not super familiar with everything Harris has written or said, but when I have heard him talk he has always been incredibly insightful and lucid with the points he makes. Lots of penetrating observations to expose the ridiculousness of religion, intellectual honesty writ large, and that is why he gets this sort of treatment from theists. He is their enemy because he calls them out in public time and time again, and they don't have good answers to his criticism. So anything to deflect away from that fact right?
If Harris needs to learn anything from this, it is that whenever he speaks in public there will be theists of various flavours looking to take his remarks out of context, and paint him as something he isn't. A little naivety on his part, give them an inch and they will take a mile. Overall though, I seriously doubt this will do his reputation any serious long term damage, the only people who listen to the likes of Reza Aslan are people who share his views I'd like to hazard an educated guess at!

 

[Lyndon]

Sam Harris is actively promoting his twisted version of Buddhism, pretty much claiming to be some kind of guru. He's not anti religion, he's just promoting his religion over all the other religions.

 

[Altfish]

I've a lot of time for Sam Harris, he speaks a lot of sense.
Islamophobia is a made up scare tactic. Why do we never hear about Christianophobia or Atheistophobia? Fear of a religion??

 

[Lyndon]

I think its disgusting when people use there own religion or beliefs to belittle and ridicule other people with different beliefs, Sam Harris is a Buddhist bigot like many others I find on Buddhist forums, terrible things to say about Christianity, even worse things to say about Islam, ridiculing Hindu beliefs in a soul or Atman. This is so infantile and childish, just because other people have different religious views doesn't give you the right to ridicule them just because they're different from you, its like they're so focused on the splinter in their adversaries eye, they are not aware of the mote in their own eye.

 

[Altfish]

I think its disgusting when people use there own religion or beliefs to belittle and ridicule other people with different beliefs, Sam Harris is a Buddhist bigot like many others I find on Buddhist forums, terrible things to say about Christianity, even worse things to say about Islam, ridiculing Hindu beliefs in a soul or Atman. This is so infantile and childish, just because other people have different religious views doesn't give you the right to ridicule them just because they're different from you, its like they're so focused on the splinter in their adversaries eye, they are not aware of the mote in their own eye.

But criticism of ideas is not a phobia or make you a bigot.

 

[Lyndon]

You can be an agent for hatred and division, or you can be an agent for tolerance and understanding, religious wise I take the latter, politically I will still put up a fight, because that effects everyone I care about. Religion or lack thereof is just a personal thing, no reason to get all bent out of shapes unless they're sacrificing virgins or spreading hatred.

 

[Lyndon]

Sam Harris is definitely in the category of someone spreading hatred, no better than the TV evangelist, or the crazy Imam from ISIS, we don't need any of those people having influence in our world.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Who are you kidding, Sam Harris has a long history of spouting Islamophobic rhetoric, as well as a whole lot of nonsense about Buddhism. The Arabs he's quoted as supporting are Islamophobes themselves. I think he meant exactly what he said. He's hardly a liberal, he's really just another right wing bigot IMHO

Would you mind providing examples of this "long history of spouting Islamophobic rhetoric"—with emphasis on the word "long," since even if only few examples existed, they wouldn't justify the description—and naming the supposedly Islamophobic Arabs he's quoted as supporting?

 

[Sunstone]

On the misrepresentation and quote mining aimed at Sam Harris by some of his critics.

Discuss.

A lot of his critics certainly froth at the mouth when speaking of him. He gets a visceral reaction from people.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I've a lot of time for Sam Harris, he speaks a lot of sense.
Islamophobia is a made up scare tactic. Why do we never hear about Christianophobia or Atheistophobia? Fear of a religion??

Most ironically, a lot of Sam Harris's critics actually do engage in what would comfortably fit any sensible definition of "atheistophobia," except that their hatred of atheism also extends to hatred of atheists, the people, rather than only their lack of belief.

 

[Altfish]

You can be an agent for hatred and division, or you can be an agent for tolerance and understanding, religious wise I take the latter, politically I will still put up a fight, because that effects everyone I care about. Religion or lack thereof is just a personal thing, no reason to get all bent out of shapes unless they're sacrificing virgins or spreading hatred.

Which is why Harris criticises Islam so much, it is a religion which, if taken literally, has problems and that is exactly what he says.

 

[vijeno]

Who are you kidding, Sam Harris has a long history of spouting Islamophobic rhetoric, as well as a whole lot of nonsense about Buddhism.

Could you please provide at least a few quote from that supposedly long list?

I have heard claims like that quite a few times now, and every single time I listen to Harris, it seems incredibly thoughtful and full of concern, but without any hate towards people.

Thanks a lot.

 

[icehorse]

Who are you kidding, Sam Harris has a long history of spouting Islamophobic rhetoric, as well as a whole lot of nonsense about Buddhism. The Arabs he's quoted as supporting are Islamophobes themselves. I think he meant exactly what he said. He's hardly a liberal, he's really just another right wing bigot IMHO

I think "Islamophobia" is a nonsensical term. Can you give me your definition of "Islamophobia" ?

 

[Kapalika]

@Lyndon you are the kind of people the article was talking about lol. I can actually find a lot of articles discussing his views on Buddhism and he doesn't claim to be a Buddhist just think there are a lot of good teachings the Buddha had.

Sam Harris Talks Spirituality : Secular Buddhist Association
http://www.samharris.org/media/killing-the-buddha.pdf

As for Islam he has valid points I believe. I wouldn't consider him an Islamaphobe but Islam aware. His observations are mostly accurate when you put it in the right context.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

@Lyndon you are the kind of people the article was talking about lol. I can actually find a lot of articles discussing his views on Buddhism and he doesn't claim to be a Buddhist just think there are a lot of good teachings the Buddha had.

Sam Harris Talks Spirituality : Secular Buddhist Association
http://www.samharris.org/media/killing-the-buddha.pdf

As for Islam he has valid points I believe. I wouldn't consider him an Islamaphobe but Islam aware. His observations are mostly accurate when you put it in the right context.

One thing I like about Sam Harris is even if you don't agree with him, his positions and arguments are very well thought out and researched, and you're going to have to put some effort into your own legitimate rebuttal against him. As for his "Islamaphobia," funny how criticisms of religion are never actually criticisms but attacks and irrational hatred and fear. And, seriously, what's up his this claims against him "spreading nonsense" about Buddhism? As far as I can tell, he has way more good things to say about Buddhism than he does the Abrahamic religions. (or are we all a bunch of children living by "my mommy says if I don't have anything nice to say I shouldn't say it all?")

 

[Lyndon]

its because he espouses nonsense interpretations of Buddhism, at least according to Buddhist experts.

 

[Kapalika]

its because he espouses nonsense interpretations of Buddhism, at least according to Buddhist experts.

Dude, he reads Buddhist scrptures and I linked a Buddhist group agreeing with him. He isn't perfect in his understanding but no one is.He clearly states he's not a Buddhist but thinks the Buddha's teachings, before Buddhism, are good and quotes a famous teaching about slaying the Buddha and he's kinda right I think. Read my links before going off again or get pwnd.