Until I arrived at that paragraph below, I thought that our Irfan had taken the advice he gives to others and taken his pills.

“Leslie has taken an enormous step. She has changed her faith. It will take her some time to change her lifestyle. Human beings are not robots or computers that can be programmed into a new set of habits and behaviour.”

But, here he seems to be assuming that Michelle Leslie will eventually slip into a lifestyle more favourable to the likes of Ameer Ali, whom he rightly castigates. Dr. Ali should refrain from all public comment and find a hobby. His constant whinging does absolutely nothing to encourage people to be Muslim-friendly.

Don’t hold your breath, Irfun. I don’t think you’ll see Ms. Leslie at a mosque anytime soon.

Irfan has mentioned his boozing young friend before:

“I have a Kiwi Muslim friend who sometimes works behind a bar. She serves alcohol, and she enjoys drinking white wine or champagne mixed with orange juice. Both are habits regarded as sinful by mainstream Islam.” - as though the way to a non-Muslim’s heart is to have the occasional snort. But, non-conformist Christian churches also see drinking alcohol as a sin, and some atheists like me don’t drink alcohol, smoke or use illicit drugs, so that makes no impression at all.

I think the idea of Muslims fitting into the fabric of Australian society is about as realistic as Michelle Leslie praying five times a day.

Leigh I think you need to re-read Irfan's piece I'm an atheist too but I find wisdom in his words and it sounds as though you need some.
I've always liked this buddhist saying..

Work out your own salvation. Do not depend on others.
Buddh

Irfan you say: "Islam teaches that a good heart and noble intentions matter more than appearances. Some rednecks claim that Muslims believe all martyrs go to heaven into the arms of 72 virgins. But the prophet Muhammad taught that a martyr who dies with the intention of being glorified will in fact be sent to hell. He made the same remark concerning the cleric and the philanthropist who do good deeds just to be seen."
Thank you for clarifying that and i am sorry for the time I once had a go at Islam for supposedly holding that belief. I wonder why people would twist that so? However, I still don't like the idea of people being told that there is heavenly rewards for martyrdom. The terrorists have mostlikely been conned into thinking that they are true matryrs.
Christianity teaches that there will be many self-righteous ones who will be nashing their teeth on judgement day too.

I actually want to go to hell without a doubt - it is the only way I'll get a chance to see Johnny Rotten punch the EMI sell-outs out.
Re: rednecks. Some are okay others can be downright bullies. Don't fall into the trap of your detractors and paint them all with the same brush. I am a bit of a hayseed myself. I spent my formative years on a wheat and dairy farm.
Sometimes, I am easily bored, I like to go on about the things we do. I usually prefer to do this with a little bit of self-effacement and humour. I am, however, often attacked by people who seem to have a bad conscience. There is a kind of cross-over between the flanny crowd and the rural rednecks.
I see ignorance of academic material on one side and ignorance of rednecks on the other. Ignorance isn't being stupid. Smiles are nice.

Fellow_Human rednecks are not generally mentally "challenged" -just as Muslims are not all demons. Please keep that in mind F_H and Irfan.
An ignorant academic for instance would most likely grip a crank handle with his thumb clasped over and end up with a broken hand. A city mate of mine visited me on the farm once. He wanted to have go at shooting my shotgun. We headed off towards the back paddocks. Walking by the tractor shed which also housed three 44 gallon drums of fuel, a speedway car and a few drums of avgas we noticed a rat working its way along the back wall. Without a second thought, old mate lifts up the shotgun "boom!" - the shed didn't blow up but the back fibro wall received nice new window. The chooks went everywhere, the horse jumped the back fence, me missus came running, the neighbours called the cops and the rat went on its way.

Then there is the time we were spotlighting, silly me in the passenger seat with the spotlight, gets out to try and stay on the reflection, at the same time the rifle was plonked across the bonnet - right at my head. Sheeit Marks.

Then who knows that you don't get directly behind a Coastal Brown.

City folks are likely to drown in a wheat silo.

So what, if we love to sit and watch "Smokey and the Bandit" over few beers and drool over Sprint cars? I have moved away from hunting, and politics can be wrong (Mike Horan is the nicest man in politics), but I still embrace the good things in my hayseedness.
We're all ignorant on some things - if you have read this now you're a little more informed. Stupid, or mentally challenged people, are generally afflicted in a way that is beyond control. Everyone else can learn and grow.
I wish for all of us to learn good things - Irfan. Welcome mats are nice.

Rancitas, I think Irfan was using the term "redneck" as "persons who are ignorant and close-minded and celebrate the fact" rather than "rural-dweller". There are certainly as many ignorant folk in the cities as in the country, location is hardly an indicator of sense!

There are too many Muslim spokesperson who consider their opinions are world shaking in importance and there is far too much publicity devoted to airing those opinions.
What may be terribly important in the Muslim community matters very little out of it.
There appears to be an establishment per every two Muslims and each wants their comments given due space.
So far as the young woman is concerned the sooner she sinks into obscurity the better......we have heard enough of her.