[punster]

"Sure, you can find good people here and there, but the religion of Islam is itself evil and pernicious."

My response is: It is not so much the religion itself, it is the religious leaders that are evil and pernicious. Organized religion is actually more a business than altruism. Of course, the religious leadears want to destroy the competition and frighten the people, so they will have more money in their own coffers.

Sorry that I am so cynical about organized religion, but history does not paint a nice picture of organized religion.

Some examples:

1. The Pharisees and Saducees during the biblical era.

2. Spanish Inquisition. There was a wholesale effort to torture and kill Jews and Muslims and others so their property could be confiscated and added to the coffers of the Church.

3. Salem Witch Trials. Religious leaders taking advantage of hysteria to further their own power.

4. Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. Profiting from whipping people up to milk them out of millions of dollars in donations.

5. Jesse Jackson (Jesse Jackoff). Race Baiting to further his own power.

6. The Clintons. Carrying a Bible to cover for his promiscuity and questionable ethics.

I am sure that in the eyes of God, it is the effort that people make to be better people is what counts.

[samtheman]

You're missing the point. There are good and bad people in every religion, in every group, in every walk of life.

But the difference with Islam is in the doctrine itself.

It's in the Koran.

Kill those who refuse to convert.

It's in the Koran.

Beat women who don't cover their bodies.

It's in the Koran.

Stone women (not men) to death for adultery.

It's in the Koran.

Good people may come and go but an evil doctrine ends up subverting the minds of many.