I know people who are devout Muslims and the most wonderful people you could know. You look into their eyes and this isn't evil. Still, there can be no doubt that the strict reading and interpretation of the Koran cannot be seen as leading to any other outcome than the oppression of both those who accept it and those who come under its rule, accept the faith or not.
Now, you only have to look back a few hundred years in our own history to find just exactly this sort of behavior towards heathens (non-believers) and folks who rejected Christianity. So, the west is just as capable of the exact same behavior and evil. The only thing is that it isn't written into the Bible. The Bible doesn't exhort the faithful to kill the unbeliever, and to slay those who have walked away from their faith. So the West could find the value of all humanity and all life.. and to cherish those who turn to faith out of faith.
This has been a source of all sorts of trouble.. trouble like we see in the United States.. Where liberals are working to have the religious completely excluded from the operation of the state for fear of the excesses of the past.
This is a time of trial..
Some in the Islamic faith are looking to ward the coming of the 12th Imam, as a response to the troubles of the world.. perhaps even stirring those troubles to cause the 12th Imam to come forward..
Perhaps the west is secretly praying for a new teacher who can edit the Koran to make it more palatable. Otherwise, we are just kidding ourselves that this problem is not going to get worse.
One has to admit, that this is why there are no "moderate" Muslims standing up to point the right direction... because the craziest of the crazies calls the tune."
Read history. There are no moderate MUSLIMS.Only people calling themselves muslim who want to moderate islam.
We appear to be in agreement that it's the religions themselves that are significantly different. Thanks for your careful reading of my post!