Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV
Adonis: "The [Arab] peoples will not progress without carrying out revolutions, and unless they break away intellectually from their past – just like in Europe. If Europe had not broken away from the Church, it would not have developed. Similarly, we must break away politically and intellectually from our history, without renouncing this history. Europe rebelled against the Church, but Christianity survived. The fusion of political rule and religion prevents not only progress but knowledge and thought as well. Therefore, if we really want to embark on a new phase, we must conduct a new reading of Islam. We must examine the relations between text and life."