A conversation with author Reza Aslan

<span style="font-size: 9pt;">Reza Aslan is a Los Angeles-based educator, writer, commentator and Islamic scholar. His new book is, "How to Win A Cosmic War: God, Globalization, and The End of Terror."</span>

<p align="left"><b>In your book, you argue that religion is not in decline but is a "stronger, more global force today than it has been in generations." Why do you think that is and what does it mean for people of different faiths working together? </b>

There are a number of reasons why religion, or religious identity, is on the rise - such as the failures of secular nationalism. There was an idea that, if we just get religion out of the public realm, there will be no more horrible wars as in the past. But some of the most horrific acts of violence [as in the reign of Stalin in the Soviet Union] have been in the name of secular ideology.

<b>Explain what you mean by a "cosmic war."</b>

A cosmic war is a religious war. Globalization has opened up a vacuum to more primal forms of identity to rise to the surface. Many people identify with their religion, and if you live in a society where religion and politics are becoming blurred, you begin to view conflicts in religious terms. Then you turn these conflicts into cosmic wars - wars of good and evil. These ideas can't be contained or won in any real sense.

<p align="left"><b>Is there a place for religion and state to work together, or should they be kept separate?</b>

It depends on what you mean. There is no way for religion to be moved completely out of the public realm. It's only natural and inevitable that religion be in the marketplace of ideas - as long as you are promoting pluralism, including whether or not to have religion as an idea, then you are fine.