To Pong: Here is the proof. Hot off the presses.
“How could I have any opinion on the matter when, as I admitted, I have not read the Koran?”
also
“To have a more solid opinion, I’d have to do the kind of deep reading in Islamic scriptures that Spencer has, and I have no intention of doing that.”
As I stated, he knows little to nothing about Islamic theology, because he has no intention of doing “deep reading” and has never read the Qur’an. Finally, we have a clear statement from Mr. Derbyshire that he does not possess the requisite background knowledge. I was happy to see him state this so explicitly. Also, I think you do have an opinion and it comes through loud and clear.
“The present state of Islam can be sufficiently divined by reading the newspapers; the deep meaning of Islam’s core doctrines, and their implications, can be extracted only by relentless study such has been undertaken by Spencer,”
No Mr. Derbyshire, the “present state of Islam” cannot be “divined” in this way. This is what the majority of today’s newspaper reporters also believe. However, anyone who gets their knowledge only or even predominately through today’s newspapers is very poorly informed. This is an amazing statement coming from a learned person such as you By the way, when did you get into divination?
I mean no disrespect to you Mr. Derbyshire, but you do not have the bona fides (2 treated as pl. informal a person’s credentials, Oxford Dictionary) to write this review. However, I do agree with Spencer that you are very “entertaining.” For my part, however, I will take informative and/or enlightening, to entertaining, any day.
