77can interpret scripture if she is suffi ciently learned
in that scripture, which means that even extrem-
ists may interpret scripture. The best way to under-
mine extremists’ insistence that truth is on their
side is to argue that theirs is merely one way of
looking at things. The only truth is that there is no
correct way to interpret scripture.
When you open it up like that, you’re effectively
saying there is no right answer. And in the absence
of a right answer, pluralism is the only option. And
pluralism will lead to secularism, and to democ-
racy, and to human rights. We must all focus on
those values without worrying about whether
atheism is the most intellectually pure approach. I
genuinely believe that if we focus on the pluralistic
nature of interpretation and on democracy, human
rights, and secularism— on these values— we’ll get
to a time of peace and stability in Muslim- majority
countries that then allows for conversations like
this. Questioning whether God really exists would
become a choice, open to all.
Currently, that focus is an impossible task in
most Muslim- majority contexts. I’d also argue
that we don’t approach any other text, whether it
be lit erature or anything else, with a deterministic
understanding—
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