ParanthropusBoisei

Your Wiki page says you grew up in Toronto. Where in the city did you grow up and how do you think the culture there influenced your thinking today compared to if you had been raised in America? Also, can you share any interesting stories about yourself from your childhood that are relevant to your career?

Directly exposing people's beliefs as false is a surefire way to make them double-down on their beliefs. What's needed is the massive dissemination of "alternative" interpretations of Islam that don't give the impression of abandoning one's lifelong principles.

For example, one alternative is believing that violence, sexism, etc. of any kind is never permissible anymore in the 21st century because it would tarnish the reputation of Islam when compared to broader society which abhors those things. Presumably, Allah would understand if Muslims didn't want to follow certain parts of Shariah Law because it would make Islam as a whole less popular. Therefore, maybe Shariah Law should only be on the table if the whole of humanity converts to Islam by completely voluntary means.

What is your personal approach, if you have one, towards talking to the average person about their religious beliefs (or their beliefs about religion as an institution) and how it contrasts with your views on those topics?

Islam the religion isn't unique. Islam as it is currently practiced is different from most religions because it hasn't undergone a reformation like Judaism and Christianity have. Most of the Eastern religions didn't need to reform in the first place.

Haven't you heard? Genocide might be immoral for our society but Rwandans got pretty damn close to making it moral for theirs. It's arbitrary, really.