I’m actually really glad for the fact that — around here at least — the community as a whole largely ignores us atheists. In my experience, random strangers tend to react with mostly disappointment or apathy when they discover that I am not religious. As someone who was never even truly a member of any organized church, I haven’t even had to deal with familial issues upon leaving Religion X, which I understand happens nearly 100% of the time. It’s hard enough to make yourself known as an atheist given the threat of losing the respect of friends and family, or even being disowned entirely. I can’t imagine having to cope with threats of violence and death as well.

Husibi, who has an unlisted telephone number, said he received about 30 calls Saturday from people who were cursing him, calling him a traitor and threatening him. Most were foreign-born, Tulsa-area Muslims whom he knows, he said. He also received angry calls from friends and relatives in Syria.

One caller, whom Husibi would not identify, said that if he spoke at the meeting and said anything against Shariah (Islamic law), he would be killed. Another caller offered Husibi’s young Muslim wife $10,000 to leave him and return to her native Syria, he said.

“Someone from Tulsa called my 76-year-old mother in Syria and said, ‘You’re not going to see your son anymore,’ ” he said.

Sabri Husibi was studying to be an imam in Damascus, but learning more about the Quran did not strengthen his faith. Instead, as often happens, he found many glaring problems with his religious text.

“The more I learned, the more paradoxes I saw,” he said.

Husibi said his rejection of Islam was cemented during mandatory military service in the Lebanon civil war in which more than a million people died, a war he says was religiously motivated. He said al-Qaida, which is respected by many Muslims, has been responsible for 2 million deaths. He also rejected other religions at that time and became an atheist.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam share 80 percent of their beliefs, he said.

After becoming an atheist, Husibi felt a sense of relief “that these silly stories cannot control me anymore,” he said.

After becoming an atheist, his clothing business went under in Syria. He moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma and now buys and sells cars.

He said he loves the freedom of American society and the respect and understanding of the people.

“I came here for freedom,” he said. “I love this country more than anyplace else. I love Tulsa. Of all the people I’ve met, Americans are the best people. They’re really nice people.”

He spoke at a gathering of Tulsa Atheists a week ago yesterday. The original article came out on Saturday, in anticipation for the Sunday talk. The organizer of the Tulsa Coalition of Reason offered to cancel the talk in the wake of threats. Husibi refused:

Husibi said he takes the threats seriously. Before Sunday’s talk, Dusenberry notified Tulsa police, who said they would be alert to any possible trouble.

On Tuesday, a clearly shaken Husibi asked that any future articles emphasize that he is not attacking Islam alone but all religions, including “fundamentalist Christians like Timothy McVeigh and fundamentalist Jews who kill Muslim children in the Gaza Strip.”

He said Tulsa Muslims are awaiting an apology from him. “I won’t apologize,” he said. “I’m not going to be a chicken. This is my right, to give my point of view.”

He has also said that his brothers are denying that they know him, either out of shame or for their own protection. He is still receiving threats, but is now in contact with the Tulsa police. Hopefully nothing horrible happens to this courageous man.

(Hat tip to the Friendly Atheist