Takfir

A kafir is someone who rejects Islam. This we should all know by now. The labelling of someone as a kafir, is called takfir. It's actually not wholly clear what it is that makes one a kafir, even though Muslims seem pretty settled on what it is. I'll tender this as a definition: "Someone who doesn't believe in Islam after some number of Muslims has grown frustrated with trying to convert her. " This is not an exactly serious definition but rather it points to the root of the problem with delineating the concept. Muslims don't say every non-Muslim is a kafir, only those who are "clearly aware of [Islam] and what it entails" and yet still remain non-Muslim. On this they're settled. But then what is the method to determine who is "clearly aware"? On this they offer nothing. Essentially what happens is that Muslims will just assume the group of kafirs are clearly aware based on what these kafirs have been told already, and from that I get my definition. What underlines all this is the Muslim assumption of indubitable knowledge on the subject. Here's some quotes:

"...don't give up on a non-muslim because most people are good people who simply need a break from the anti-Islamic propaganda around them."

"Guiding a Non-Muslim to Islam only possible by the Grace of God. Our job is to help others understand Islam - that is our basic duty. And only then inshallah, will non-muslims move in the direction of becoming one of us." (From here.)

"In my view, most people in today’s world did not reject the message because simply they are not aware of what Islam is. This is largely due to the biased international media" (From here.)

And that seems to be the fundamental position of the Muslims. That they do not enter into dialogue when they discuss religion -- they only lecture their position, because they already assume that they are right (before they have even heard your position!) -- you, the kafir, is the one who is wrong and merely needs to see the truth. I've never once seen anything like a Socratic discussion between a kafir and a Muslim on the issue of religion. Have you?

We always hear about how there should be more dialogue and less outright criticism which is just really "speaking past" one another. But what would this dialogue look like? One must be willing to change his beliefs in a dialogue, not just be professorial. But are Muslims willing to change their beliefs? I have yet to see any evidence of this. So I'll stick with doing that evil of "speaking past" and just continue to criticise them, and I suggest this approach to everyone else who is still willing to defend a non-Islamic position. What's the point of dialogue if it can't get anywhere? Might as well take up defensive positions and hunker down in "Fortress West" behind our walls of syllogisms and scientific method. But hey, prove me wrong.