But I think there is a difference between, oh say, going out and going up to unsuspecting people or targeting them and snowing them with 'information' and all that and putting together a resource that they themselves have to choose to come to and choose to read - in other words, the choice, the power is with them all the way. It's there for the reading. Not like dawahgandists or Christian witnessers for that matter.
The thing is, I'm not too keen on getting involved with a project that seeks to paint Islam as 100% evil. Obviously, every religion has both good and bad things in it, and it is completely false to claim that Islam has nothing good in it or nothing redeeming about it.
One might argue that on balance Islam (and probably most organized religions taken in their totality) have more bad things than good things, however I think it is arrogance to pretend -- as we liberals and progressives often do -- that history began with us. Religion, like it or not, has shaped humanity, and as imperfect as it may be, it gave humanity a starting foundation in morality. I see religions as immature attempts by humanity to cultivate ethical and moral lives. Sure, we are outgrowing religions now, but, having said that, the whole "religion-is-the-root-of-all-evil" agenda doesn't fly too well with me.
I think it is entirely possibly to set up a website that is critical of Islam but also sympathetic toward Muslims and that is capable of recognizing some of Islamic civilization's undoubtedly great achievements. The ideal such website should also have some understanding of why people turn to religion in the first place -- for a sense of moral structure, for a sense of community, out of a fear of loneliness or emotional isolation, a need to have meaning in their lives, etc. Ideally such a site might also include actual dialogues with Muslim scholars, if possible. Hassan's videos for instance struck me as having this sort of conciliatory flavor (which is what lured me to COEM in the first place).
What bothers me chiefly about Islam are the messianic political/militant dimensions of the religion which are difficult to do away with without criticizing Muhammad himself to some degree, and secondly its sexism and social conservatism. It is really a religion for social conservatives, and it is not surprising for me to note that most people who convert to Islam are social conservatives who abhor liberal values, feminism, etc. Those are the two dimensions of Islam that I am interested in critiquing on a personal level.
I just want to see Islam become politically irrelevant and to surrender its political and imperial ambitions -- I don't care about deconverting Muslims. Let them have their faith. It's only when their faith violates my boundaries that I react -- for instance, the discrimination I've faced my whole life as a woman, or having to deal with the horribly regressive ideas most Muslims have about LGBT people, punishments for apostasy, intolerance of criticism or "blasphemy", etc. and so on. Depoliticize and privatize the religion. That's all I ask.
Topic: Add your Apostasty Testimony to Wiki Islam