Does Islam Have a True Nature?

Reza speaks as a "theologian" with The Malaysian Insider on 12/22/14 about the true nature of Islam:

“The very notion that a group of old men gets to decide for me or for you what is the proper interpretation of my faith, that goes against the very fabric and nature of Islam,” Reza told The Malaysian Insider in a phone interview.  

He questioned as to why Malaysia should have a single official version of Islam for its citizens to follow, given that Islam is one of the most diverse religions in the world.

If each religion is only a mirror for our prejudices, as he seems to believe elsewhere, how does Islam have a "very fabric and nature"?

Here Islam doesn't need to be "protestantized" because its very "fabric and nature" is protestantized.  By this logic almost every religion's nature is "protestant."

“Malaysians are free, democratic citizens of a modern, diverse nation-state. They are not children who need to be told how to protect their identity, how to protect their faith by a bunch of bureaucrats.”

Which nations' citizens need to be told "how to protect their faith"?  If Malaysia is an example of a democratic Muslim country, why is it telling people which theological concept "Allah"can refer to?  And in that case, why does he need to appeal to not telling Muslims how to protect their faith rather than not telling non-Muslims what epithets they can apply to their god?



http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/putrajaya-should-not-dictate-muslims-beliefs-says-reza-aslan