Reza Aslan & Jessica Jackley

I have seen Reza on Bill Maher's show on HBO many times, and I find his views very interesting. Reza Aslan (Persian: رضا اصلان‎; born May 3, 1972) is an Iranian-American writer and scholar of religions. He is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the University of CA, a Research Associate at the USC, and a contributing editor for The Daily Beast. His books include the international bestseller No God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, which has been translated into 13 languages, and Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, which offers an interpretation of the life and mission of the historical Jesus. Aslan's family came to the US from Tehran in 1979, fleeing the Iranian Revolution. He grew up in CA. At the age of 15 he converted to Christianity. He was a teacher at a high school. It was during the summer before he went to Harvard that he converted back to Islam. Aslan was named Visiting Professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Iowa, becoming the first full-time professor of Islam in the history of the state. Aslan lives in Hollywood, California. He was elected President of the World Conference of Religions for Peace, Harvard Chapter. Aslan refers to Al Qaeda's jihad against the west as "a cosmic war", distinct from holy war, in which rival religious groups are engaged in an earthly battle for material goals. "A cosmic war is like a ritual drama in which participants act out on earth a battle they believe is actually taking place in the heavens." American rhetoric of "war on terrorism", Aslan says, is in precise "cosmic dualism" to Al Qaeda's jihad. Aslan draws a distinction between Islamism and Jihadism. Islamists have legitimate goals and can be negotiated with, unlike Jihadists, who dream of an idealized past of a pan-Islamic, borderless "religious communalism". Aslan's prescription for winning the cosmic war is to not fight, but rather engage moderate Islamic political forces in the democratic process. "Throughout the Middle East, whenever moderate Islamist parties have been allowed to participate in the political process, popular support for more extremist groups has diminished." He is married to Jessica Jackley. Jackley was the co-founder and CEO of ProFounder. Prior to ProFounder, Jackley was co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of KIVA, the world's first micro-lending website. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a 2011 World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leader, and serves as an active board member on several organizations championing women, microfinance, tech, and the arts, including Opportunity International, the International Museum of Women, and Allowance for Good.  All in all, I say: CHECK HIM out on Youtube or HBO OnDemand.