Michael,

I caught your debate on Sirius on my way home from work. I just wanted to commend you for the points that you brought up. You are quite correct when you say that your opponent only had one argument, "Christians and Jews" are just as bad.

The thing he doesn't seem to understand is that although there are a few extremist Christians and Jews that might blow up an abortion clinic or a gay pride parade, the vast majority in those religions would condemn these actions. Also, in the western countries all of these people are subject to the rule of law and they would be dealt with by the state. This is not the case in Islamic countries where the law is the Koran.

Please keep on saying what you're saying. There are many gay men out there who agree with you.

Hey!!! The Garden of Eden was a fucking nightmare!!! Think about it. There was one man and one woman. What the hell was a guy supposed to do in that situation? It's not as if you can use an apple as a dildo, you know!

It is patently ridiculous to get into the business of saying which religion might be worse than the others. Each has its own problems, and each problem has to be dealt with separately.

I mean, which is worse, liver cancer that has metastasized, or a heart condition requiring a quadruple by-pass? You could blah-blah-blah about which you'd rather have but if you actually have one or the other or both you have to deal with them separately, no? Treating the cancer won't help the heart and vice-versa.

All religions are forms of mass brainwashing. But it is true that in the last century for example we have not seen any Christians sacking embassies over Muslim-made cartoons about Jesus.

Bottom line: Islam presents a particular challenge and a particular menace which objectively viewed is more of a threat to human liberties and specifically to the liberties of gay people than does any other religion in our time, and that is largely true because of what is written in its supposedly "holy" texts.

I'd like to see Belonsky's rational rebuttal to that. There is no persuasive, rational rebuttal to that. Is Belonsky enough of a Mensch to come to this site to post one, or to admit that he has been in the wrong about what he says? Don't hold your breath girls!!!!!!

Michael,
Keep up the good work.
Sorry I missed the Signorile show. I was driving back to Palm Springs, after having the plesure of seeing you in New York. Looking forward to the transcript.
I have gotten some hate mail, thought there must be some media reason. Maybe I will get a fatwa from the Middle East soon for burning the terrorist manual, the Koran. Bring it on.
The following letter I receivedis an example.
"You filthy discusting NAMBLA rat, I hope a pissed off Muslim cuts your ugly faggot head off & mounts it on a pole.
Oh, and last,
Fuck Merrill Lynch!"
Unisgned, but the return address on the envelope, P.O. BOX 11118
Atlanta, Ga.

P.S. Gay Americans are superficial and in denial about the viciousness of Islamic teachings. They associate Islam with blacks and their stuggle for civil rights, and a fondness for Mohammed Ali plus his "dancing with the stars" daughter. They have never read the Koran to realize that those words from Mohammed's "holy books" produced 9/11.

please continue Michael, islam is indeed a completely fucked up religion and dangerous as hell. I feel very sorry though for gays born into this kind of society. Most of the time though they lack the brains, the courage (partly understandable) or whatever to get out of there.

I want to point out something about Ricci's comment above, saying that gays don't get out of Muslim countries because "they lack the brains and the courage" to do so.

That is completely wrong.

The problem is that few if any non-Muslim countries grant gay people from Muslim lands asylum on the basis of their being gay.

So the problem is really a political one.

When was the last time you heard George W. Bush call for Muslim countries to respect the human rights of their gay citizens?

Mr. Lucas,

I missed it.......But i do come from a family that equal parts jewish and muslim...ME.....I like to call myself AMERICAN.

I admire your calm. I would have gone off on that idiot with his condescending, ad hominem attacks. Keep the focus on how muslims are still in the Dark Ages and Christianity came out thanks to Thomas Aquinas/Aristotle. Yes there are a few christian idiots who have shot abortion doctors (about 9 to date) that does not by any means compare to the political/religious machine muslims use to kill women, gays, and Jews.

Hmmm, what country mainly populated by Christians and Jews recently invaded and virtually ruined a mostly Muslim country called Iraq for no good reason, killed up to a million people, caused billions in property damage, set off a civil war and forced thousands into exile?

I'm an atheist and have no love for Islam, but most terrorism by Muslims has political, not religious reasons.