Robert Spencer's books

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Petrus1

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I just started reading "The Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Crusades’ from Robert Spencer, and I’m simply enjoying the sheer ammount of info he gives about the Islamic faith and it’s founder.
Has anyone here read this specific book, or any other book from mr. Spencer?

I must say that his website https://www.jihadwatch.org/ is quite good and informative as well.
 
Spencer’s book ‘The Complete Infidel’s Guide to the Koran’ is revealing and informative.
 
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This is the first book I’m reading, but I googled him a bit and found about his other books.
Certainly I’ll get the others.
 
Are you at all concerned that the Spencer books might be propaganda? Why not read something by actual scholars of the religion like Bernard Lewis?
 
tomarin said:
Are you at all concerned that the Spencer books might be propaganda?
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I’ve read the Koran and studied Islam to a fair degree, it’s origins, prophet, history, doctrines, texts. Have also listened to many genuinely knowledgeable scholars on the matter.
Spencer’s books are not propaganda.

Popular deluded ideas about Islam often propagated throughout the mainstream media, by progressive and liberal politicians, within our universities, and many other places…
Now THAT’s propaganda.
 
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tomarin said:
Are you at all concerned that the Spencer books might be propaganda? Why not read something by actual scholars of the religion like Bernard Lewis?
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Are you actually asserting that Spencer writes propaganda?
 
If you’re accustomed to studying the topic from books written by scholars trying to be objective and fair, it certainly looks like Mr. Spencer has an axe to grind, yes.

I don’t quite get why if someone wanted to learn about something (as opposed to just having your stereotypes confirmed), you would turn to books written by someone who has a bias against that thing.

If for example I wanted to learn about Catholicism I might turn to books written by actual Catholics, not ‘Ian Paisley’s Guide to Everything Catholic.’
 
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There was an excellent debate called “ Is islam a religion of peace” sponsored by Al Kresta at EMU and spencor was there. As was this other academic that wrote “Not Peace but a sword.” Also very good. The debate was good and well attended by Christian’s and Muslims. The only bad part was that one of the individuals who debated Spencor was really debating from the position that Islam could be a religion of peace not that it was- his name was Mustapha. CAIR tried to force EMU to have it shut down.
 
Nmc said:
There was an excellent debate called “ Is islam a religion of peace” sponsored by Al Kresta at EMU and spencor was there. As was this other academic that wrote “Not Peace but a sword.” Also very good. The debate was good and well attended by Christian’s and Muslims. The only bad part was that one of the individuals who debated Spencor was really debating from the position that Islam could be a religion of peace not that it was- his name was Mustapha. CAIR tried to force EMU to have it shut down.
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Thank you.

Have not seen the debate. Don’t agree with CAIR trying to shut it down. Flight is the weakest of arguments!
 
There are several other debates on this topic. It will be interesting to listen to them all–thanks for mentioning this!
 
tomarin said:
If you’re accustomed to studying the topic from books written by scholars trying to be objective and fair, it certainly looks like Mr. Spencer has an axe to grind, yes.

I don’t quite get why if someone wanted to learn about something (as opposed to just having your stereotypes confirmed), you would turn to books written by someone who has a bias against that thing.
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It’s common to come across the claim that only adherents of a particular system are able to assess, critique or discuss it - particularly with respect to Islam. It’s usually used to deflect criticism without engaging in specifics, but it just doesn’t hold up; often those outside a system are better positioned to reach objective conclusions about it.

It would seem strange if - for example - an English historian’s works on communism were written off as propaganda simply because of the author’s own political views.

Spencer has been studying, teaching and publishing on Islam for close to 40 years. His assertions may be unpalatable to some - that doesn’t make them wrong, just as his own religious beliefs don’t invalidate him as a source of information on Islam.
 
Nor do I think people shouldn’t read Spencer’s books but it would be wise to first get a grounding in the subject from neutral sources.

I mean, would you read a book explaining golf by someone who detests golf?
 
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I suggested Bernard Lewis, who wasn’t Muslim, and there are a lot of other credible scholars of Islam who aren’t Muslim, so you’re barking up the wrong tree here.
 
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Not really, in that I was responding to your post which concluded with “…If for example I wanted to learn about Catholicism I might turn to books written by actual Catholics…”.

It’s reductive & unhelpful to be dismissive of an author simply because they hold a certain point of view: equating their output with propaganda and saying they have an axe to grind is a poor substitute for critical analysis. The questions need to be - are they accurate and are they honest?

I agree that there are a lot of other credible scholars of Islam who aren’t Muslim. I hadn’t seen that you’d suggested Bernard Lewis in an earlier message, so I’ll issue a single bark for missing that.

Lewis’ legacy is certainly a mixed bag and he displayed great inconsistency in his analysis and understanding of Islam. His ongoing influence on disastrous US foreign policy is not to be envied. His exhortation that the West should deliver freedom and democracy to the Islamic world hasn’t aged well; nor does it sit comfortably next to his earlier conclusion that the principal defining characteristic of Islamic society, tradition and thought is totalitarianism.
 
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