Sheema Khan encourages Canadians, in an opinion piece for The Globe and Mail today, to visit a mosque during upcoming open houses, to participate in Ramadan and generally to correct their “perception vs. reality” view of Muslim life in Canada. 

First, let me get this off my chest. Perception is Reality. I can forgive Sheema Khan perhaps for not understanding this but not The Globe and Mail editors. One can have mistaken conclusions but your perception is infallible. 

Now then, Khan goes on to suggest that because of some Angus Reid poll it seems Canadians hold a dim view of Islam as it affects public life in Canada. No other religion is so vilified she infers.

As one who holds a dim view of all religions and other such mystic approaches to existence I of course see a mistaken conclusion by Khan fundamentally. 

In this concrete example however I would encourage Sheema Khan to talk to individual Canadians outside her faith and try to understand their views rather than draw them into the world of Islam.

Other individuals hold different values and have come to different conclusions about reality. How are you going to understand without appeal to rational discourse? 

It is the abundance of examples of force wielded in the name of religion, most recently in the name of Islam that cause many Canadians to be concerned, even as our government and intellectual establishment attempts to end all debate with such measures as Bill 103 in the name of combating “Islamophobia”.