Here is the text of my recent interview with the Bosnian news periodical
Magazine Start BiHQ: Is secularism in danger today and is it more dangerous to be Muslim or atheist in Great Britain today?
A: Yes, secularism is in danger, but fortunately more and more people are realising it and speaking out. The current British government panders shamelessly to religion, especially to Islam, because there are votes in it, but the British people are not as apathetic as they used to be, and many are now waking up to the real threat that religion poses to their freedom.
Britain is not a particularly dangerous country, but if you criticise Islam, whether you're Muslim, atheist, Christian or anything else, you'll be inundated with death threats.
Q: Religious leaders in Bosnia present our type of Islam as a best possible type of Islam for Europe because it is moderate and is not extreme by their opinion. How well do you know Islam in Bosnia and is there, by your opinion, type of Islam which is the best for secular society and can religion dogma and tolerance exist together at the same time?
A: I'm not familiar with Islam in Bosnia, but I think the best form of any religion is one that doesn't try to force its values and beliefs on others. Religious dogma is intolerant and unreasonable, and I believe it should be kept out of public life entirely. All religion should be kept out of schools, and women should be free to dress however they like and to be whoever they want to be without any interference from men.
Q: Few months ago we had great social discussion about religion education in kindergartens and schools and now we have it. How one atheist parent can save his child humiliation and segregation from majority of religious educated children?
A: Segregation is not the answer. Children should be educated together as equals, not segregated on the basis of their parents' prejudices. The best thing for an atheist parent would be to tell their child the truth, that there are many different religions and they all contradict each other. When a child understands this they'll be better equipped to step back and see religion for what it is.
Q: Is there a difference for you between Muslims in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Bosnia or Islam extremist or all of the Muslims are the same for you? And to be more precise is there a difference for you between any religious person?
A: I take people as I find them. Iran and Saudi Arabia are theocracies and I believe their governments are literally insane, but that's not true of all the people who live there. I'm sure if the people in those countries had a real choice things would be a lot different. I have no problem with any religious person, be they Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Jew, Sikh, Buddhist or Jedi, as long as they don't insist that their beliefs should influence my life.
Q: Here in Bosnia we have atheist minority who is afraid to publicly speak about disagreement with religious society because it would be called Islamofobic or otherwise. How can they get back their rights which they had, by the way, given up by their selves?
A: Nobody should be afraid of being called Islamophobic. It isn't a real word. It was invented by Islamists with the connivance of the guilt-ridden political left as a way of excusing unreasonable behaviour and stifling criticism of it. "Islamophobia" is a word without honour, and anyone who uses it deserves contempt.
Q: Is the fear of Islam in western countries made Christianity stronger and made secularity weaker?
A: It has made Christianity more demanding, and some Christian clergy like the Archbishop of Canterbury have spoken in favour of sharia because they believe strengthening Islam will strengthen all religion and Christianity will be stronger. But I think the opposite is happening. People are seeing through this cynicism and losing respect for the church. The Archbishop of Canterbury is now a figure of open mockery and ridicule and is seen as a man with his head in the clouds.
Q: Your well known statement is that religion is counting it's last days and that it will disappear soon. Why do you think so?
A: As I say in the video, we can't stay this stupid forever. I believe a slight evolution in human consciousness will embarrass us into dropping this nonsense, and we'll be much the better for it.
Q: Is your intent to convert religious people to atheist and if so, did you have any success?
A: My intent is to get other people's unprovable beliefs out of my life, and out of government, the law and education. I don't care what people believe as long as I don't have to keep hearing about it.
Q: Why do you want to offend Islam, as you say in one of your video when you say you are buying beer not because you like it but to offend Islam? Do you think that offense is an right answer to another offense?
A: The remark about beer was a joke. I don't set out to offend anybody, but it's inevitable that some people will be offended because religion is a sensitive subject (for reasons which escape me) and religious people have been conditioned to believe they're entitled to more respect than they are. I think being offended is a choice and nobody has any business being offended by honest opinions.
Q: Watching your video one can get feeling of you as a priest, isn't that paradoxical and do you feel like preaching or is it still just a modern stand up comedy?
A: I'm using my experience as a comedian to express some serious opinions. I don't particularly care if the videos are funny or not, so I wouldn't call it stand-up comedy. You can call it preaching if you want to, but I think I'm saying things that need to be said.
Q: If people by your opinion should not believe in god, what should they believe in?
A: People should believe whatever makes them happy, but I think belief in God is fear of death, which is absurd because death is part of life. If more people believed in themselves, and if they were allowed to believe in themselves as children, they'd have no need for God.