A high percentage of Muslims believe in medieval barbarism and iron-fisted theocracy

"Total number of those Muslims who want sharia law and also want death penalty for leaving Islam = 269450621
in percentage = 32.69% worldwide."

from https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-90-of-Muslims-think-you-deserve-death-when-shifting-away-from-Islam

Find "death penalty for leaving Islam" at:
http://www.pewforum.org/2013/04/30/the-worlds-muslims-religion-politics-society-beliefs-about-sharia/

more info:
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/opinion-polls.htm

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/01/64-percent-of-muslims-in-egypt-and-pakistan-support-the-death-penalty-for-leaving-islam/

Nearly 270 million worldwide. And these people love their prophet more than not only their life, but more than your life also.

Tariq Ramadan to speak in Salt Lake City - commentary

The Salt Lake City Public Library & several other public & private groups have invited slick Islam apologist Tariq Ramadan to speak. Speech title: "Islam and Human Rights: How will the Arab Spring bring Peace to the Middle East?" Some of the sponsors of his March 20, 2013 visit: Friends of the City Library, University of Utah, Westminster College, Gandhi Alliance for Peace, with more listed at http://www.slcpl.lib.ut.us/events/view/1965/

My commentary in response:

Links, videos, and books for your research:

Ibn Warraq's review of a book by Caroline Fourest on Tariq, a book entitled Brother Tariq: The Doublespeak of Tariq Ramadan. Book review: http://www.city-journal.org/2008/bc0229iw.html
                       
Ibn Warraq speaking at the Secular Islam Summit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lTjhxBk_b8

In the book Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Christopher Hitchens wrote the forward. On page xviii Hitchens states the following about Tariq Ramadan:

...end of quote.

Here are links to views & videos critical of Ramadan's views & history:

Article including an interview with Fourest:
http://www.newcultureforum.org.uk/home/?q=node/236

Tariq Ramadan’s Arab Winter by Samuel Helfont
http://www.newrepublic.com/book/review/tariq-ramadan-islam-arab-awakening#

The Flight of the Intellectuals: The Controversy Over Islamism and the Press by Paul Berman
http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Intellectuals-Controversy-Islamism-Press/dp/1935554441

Terror and Liberalism by Paul Berman
http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Liberalism-Paul-Berman/dp/0393325555

Panel discussion: Independent Voices on the Middle East, which includes Paul Berman and Ibn Warraq
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD4MXr-wEzU

Ibn Warraq and Paul Berman talk about "Is the West Best?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOO2-yflku0

Ibn Warraq's review of Fourest's book on Ramadan:
Brother Tariq and the Muslim Hoods: Towards a Taxonomy of Islamic Subterfuges
http://www.newenglishreview.org/Ibn_Warraq/Brother_Tariq_and_the_Muslim_Hoods%3A_Towards_a_Taxonomy_of_Islamic_Subterfuges/

NER Interview with Ibn Warraq - The Albatross of Liberal Guilt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yQc9yx519M

Christopher Hitchens and Tariq Ramadan Debate: Is Islam a Religion of Peace?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA5CXjS05pU

Ayaan Hirsi Ali has debated Ramadan in the past on more than one program. Hirsi Ali worked on the film Submission (a film critical of Islam) for which Theo Van Gogh was killed. Thus Hirsi Ali's views are a counterweight to that of Ramadan's.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali speaking at the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies. Has a lot of great background & research info which is critical of the apporach of people like Ramadan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKv2CRreXI4

Hirsi Ali responding to questions at Ohio State University - further background info:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmIBFTEUqz4

Additional background info from Hirsi Ali on Islam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe_cuzsmmHU

Irshad Manji debates Ramadan about cartoons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cLDNPgg-Uw
part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjrBYYLhU30

My own blog post on all these issues:
Liberal Socialist Democrats against Islam - yes we are here too
http://jonathanshome.blogspot.com/2013/02/liberal-socialist-democrats-against.html

I frankly feel like all the groups who are sponsoring Ramadan's Salt Lake visit have been hoodwinked by his charms, charisma, and slick presentational style. Your own presuppositions have allowed you to be sucked in. But, the City Library is a public institution, and as such they're subject to public comment about events and about how public money is spent.

So, how about having Ayaan Hirsi Ali or Sam Harris in to speak about "Islam & World Peace" and how to achieve it? Hiding the truth & facts about Islam & it's founding prophet is not a path toward peace. Neither is forcibly sticking our heads in the sand. Honesty, and being willing to state that the emporer has no clothes is perhaps the most important thing we can do in this case, and in the case of all religiouns founded by charismatic charlotans.

Discrimination again atheists in Islamic countries

Moohamed didn't like detractors. In his Quran he states:

"...4:56 Lo! Those who disbelieve Our revelations, We shall expose them to the Fire. As often as their skins are consumed We shall exchange them for fresh skins that they may taste the torment. Lo! Allah is ever Mighty, Wise..."
http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/quran/4/index.htm#56

Even today, in Islamic countries atheists are threatened with death or jailed:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discrimination_against_atheists#Islamic_countries

For example, we have the case of Alexander Aan - jailed in Indonesia for posting "God does not exist" on facebook. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Aan

Group advocating his freedom:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/307997139292825/

Lars Hedegaard - Danish journalist narrowly escapes death:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2273988/The-bullet-flew-past-ear-Danish-anti-Islam-writer-narrowly-survives-doorstep-assassination-attempt.html#axzz2KnjRINo9

A quote from Mr. Hedegaard:

“Criticism of religion is not only the starting point of all criticism. It is the prerequisite of any kind of criticism. In a society where religion cannot be criticized, everything becomes religion from the length of your beard to what hand to use when wiping your backside. Where there is no criticism of religion, life and society in their entirety become religious and the littlest squeak against the existing order is an act of blasphemy.”

Additional info:
http://www.economist.com/news/international/21567059-ex-muslim-atheists-are-becoming-more-outspoken-tolerance-still-rare-no-god-not

Info about other people persecuted by Islam - about Theo Van Gogh, Salman Rushdie, and 9/11 liberals:
http://jonathanshome.blogspot.com/2013/01/sam-harris-on-when-crazies-get-guns.html

Happy World Hijab Day! It's gonna be a good one.

Hey. Guess what? It's World Hijab Day!

News about the issue:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21283301

And a very appropriate response:

https://web.archive.org/web/20160709130948/http://freethoughtblogs.com/maryamnamazie/2013/02/01/world-hejab-day/

From Maryam Namazie:

"What next?

Maybe we can all try to mutilate our daughters on World Mutilation Day or marry off our girls on World Child Marriages Day? How about a day when our male guardians can track our whereabouts to make sure we aren’t leaving the country.

I know adult women have a right to wear the hijab (given the threats and compulsory nature of it in most places – this is very often just a formality but nonetheless) but to ask others to wear it is a tad absurd – if I’m being polite.

I am sorry but I don’t think I am the cause of fitna/chaos in the world and therefore find the veil abhorrent.

So here is my tribute to the hijab..."

Click here for the original article. The above image comes from there.

Videos with Maryam:
https://www.youtube.com/results?q=Maryam+Namazie

Here's a related video by Tawfik Hamid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxfo11A7XuA -- about how sexual repression in Islamic cultures has bad effects on men & women.


-----------------------------------------------------

February 2nd addendum:

I found a discussion board on the issue, where UK soldiers seem to hang out:
http://www.arrse.co.uk/naafi-bar/193904-world-hijab-day-2.html

And also check out where some Islamists are chatting about the issue:
http://www.sunniforum.com/forum/showthread.php?101696-Feb-1st-World-Hijab-Day

Here's a relevant quote from the second site:

"...Islam and muslims have a hugh PR problem in the West. We need to help non muslims understand our religion and Islamic culture. Seriously, you need to think of it as a form of dawah..."

Indeed, and World Hijab Day isn't helping our view of your religion.

options in Utah for meeting with secular advocates

Here's info on local atheist groups in & near Salt Lake:

Salt Lake Valley Atheists. Meets the 1st Sunday at Sizzler on 4th South at 11:30AM. Kirk Robinson is the speaker this month. Eat if you wish, but it's not required. Come to the back room. For more info: http://nowscape.com/a

Many attendees are exmos. The group is purposefully politically liberal for what it's worth.

Another group, Atheists of Utah, has coffee chats every Thursday. More info on that:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/atheistsofutah/
or
http://www.meetup.com/aofuslc/#calendar

Atheists of Utah is a 501C3 type group and so is "officially" politically neutral, but attendees can have whatever views they wish & debate & discuss freely. The coffee chats tend to be a churning type of experience, and they can be fun if you decide to simply talk to your neighbor. Location Mestizo's Coffeehouse, 7-9:30PM. More info on the website.

The above groups, and this group, are members of UCOR, the Utah Coalition of Reason. http://reasonutah.org/

The yearly Exmormon Foundation conferences in Salt Lake have never had a "Christian" agenda per se - mostly a secular one of learning to live life after being in the circle of the cult. http://www.exmormonfoundation.org/

There are two Unitarian Universalist congratulations in the Salt Lake valley and some former mos attend. My own personal satisfaction level with each congregation has varied & wavered over time. From a cultural perspective the meetings & layout are more similar to Catholic & Anglican services rather than Mormon. The kids are, for example, sent away to rooms instead of being allowed to stay with their parents. Also they tend to have a paid preacher - who does admittedly tend to be very socially liberal, but still it's usually the same person speaking every week. The UU's in general have some taboos about being truly honest about he problems with religion though, and so sadly they have their heads in the sand as much as other religions to some extent. But nevertheless they are a socializing option you could consider if you wish. My further concerns about UUism: http://tinyurl.com/beqls4b

There is one or two decidedly "Christian" exmo groups locally.
Example: http://www.meetup.com/Salt-Lake-City-Ex-Mormon-Meetup

My view on such things is that people are unfortunately jumping from one cult to another. That's my view, and I won't belong to any group that would seek to censor my trying to speak my mind. I try not to be a cultural relativist, so I could say "if that what floats your boat, so be it" but I won't because doing so makes me feel bad.

Here again is a more full list of groups that ARE stronger advocates for secularism and the fruits of the Enlightenment: http://reasonutah.org/groups/

Try them all - as on that site. And don't forget that in some there is a weekly or monthly churning. So if irritating people show up one week, maybe next time you'll find more interesting people - or you could be the interesting person yourself.