moderate/secular

Reader comment on item: Is Islam the Problem? Is It the Solution?
in response to reader comment: Yes, but Dr. Pipes are you not skirting the issue?

Submitted by no dhi (United States), Jan 2, 2006 at 23:00

...Why don't you say "Secular Muslims" rather than "Moderate Muslim"? The term "moderate" is too confusing.

"secular" makes it more like Catholic Americans. I don't know anyone, including my aunt who is a nun, that would want the Pope to rule our country, or the world for that matter. Use secular, please, it makes more sense.

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Daniel Pipes replies:

"Secular" has two quite different meanings, which are often confused:

-- a non-religious person and
-- a person who believes in separation of religioin and state.

I am referring to the second meaning but the word "secular" also conjurs up the first one, so I don't rely on the word.