RealityStudio.org

I was reading a bit of Naked Lunch today and (not literally) pissing myself laughing. The stuff about Islam and Mohammed in it is pretty raunchy and disrespectful (as well as absolutely hilarious). I almost wonder why WSB never got any shit about it, or why publishers of the material still don't. Just lucky, I guess.

That's a good point. I always wondered why no one made a big deal.

I'm sure a big deal would be made of Burrough's comments about Islam were Naked Lunch coming out for the first time today. I do notice that many in the mainstream critical/literary circles simply don't take Burroughs very seriously though; they write him off as simply some drug addled guy who is not really in the literary cannon. I'm sure if he was more mainstream, and especially were he still alive (after 9/11 etc.), then there would doubtless be various articles in the literary pages asking, 'Was/Is Burroughs an Islamaphobe?' and so on.

I wouldn't be surprised also if those who might be prone to criticise him simply don't get very far through his books, and even if they do, they have plenty more to be offended by, which may diffuse this relatively small aspect of his multitudinous potentially offensive sentiments.

'they have plenty more to be offended by, which may diffuse this relatively small aspect of his multitudinous potentially offensive sentiments.'

That's a great and funny line that made me smile at the truth of it.

I did chuckle at: "Oh, Allah." For anyone who can remember in the scene in which it was used. "Hang me!"

Burroughs poking fun at Islam is quite refreshing.

A lot of people who like to consider themselves irreverent towards religious dogma suddenly get cold feet when it comes to any religion other than Christianity.

Even though everything that such people claim to hate about Christianity (irrational faith, dogmatism, intolerance) is doubly true of Islam, criticizing non-Western religions and cultures is too "politically incorrect" and therefore unfashionable.

Then there's also the fact that you're more likely to get death threats for offending Islamists than for offending Christian fundamentalists.

I completely agree with your statement that religious critics tend to shy away from really evaluating Islam. Even Richard Dawkins in the God Delusion focused his argument towards Christians, only hinting that it applied to all monotheistic faiths. I love the passage in Naked Lunch (was it a radio show?) where all the religious leaders are revealed as frauds, always makes me laugh