But Muslim fundamentalists regard the Koran - every word of it - as God's own language, and they have violently attacked freethinking scholars as heretics. So Muslim intellectuals have been intimidated, and Islam has often been transmitted by narrow-minded extremists. (This problem is not confined to Islam. On my blog, www.nytimes.com/kristofresponds, I've been battling with fans of the Christian fundamentalist "Left Behind" series. Some are eager to see me left behind.) Muslims who offend fundamentalists are at serious risk of waking up with their heads missing.
Mr. Kristoff has Christian fundamentalists who argue with him.
Therefore, (wait for it!) Christian fundamentalists are exactly like Muslim fundamentalists.