If one carefully studies the Koran, Hadith and Sharia Law, it is obvious that an awful lot of Muslims want to see the whole world become as "enlightened" as Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan under the Taliban. These fanatics are dangerous nutcases and ignorant savages who think that going back to the barbaric society and thinking of a 7th Century world is progress and will create a Islamic Utopia here on earth! No free will. Only a bunch of power-hungry, hypocritical Imams and Caliphs getting rich and fat off the sweat of the low-lifes by telling them what they can and cannot do according to their interpretation!
Our American founding fathers were correct in making sure that no single state religion held sway over any other. Separation of church and state is a good thing if not carried to the extreme. Religious interpretation is far more fallible than what goes on in a US courtroom, IMHO.
The more I learn, the more I am realizing that extreme Islam appears to be a religion that is enforced through fear, violence and enslavement. There is very little love, forgiveness and above all little choice if one wants to live and think freely. Sounds like totalitarianism to me.
The koran is very complex. There are verses that are complete opposites. In Sura 2:106 (and some others verses too) it is said that although allah knows best, he can replace verses with newer, better ones.
In the beginning (refered to as Mecca period), mohammed tried to convince the Jews and Christians allah was their god. He did that by praising the 'People of the book' (the Bible). But he was rejected and when he went to Medina the koran changed. Most changes were very convinient, even his wife Aisha (his child-wife) told him that.
One time he had a quarrel with a Jewish tribe, and suddenly the Archangel Gabriel came to him and told mohammed to go to war with them and slay them all (but spare the woman and children).
The verses of the Medina period are thus more important than the Meccan ones.
So war and oppression replaced tolerance.
That is the great koran trick: you show the non-believers the nice verses, and the muslims the other ones (check sura 9.1 to 9.5 and 9.28 to 9.30).
The apologist can tell us everything, because people don't know much about the koran. I am Dutch, and the Netherlands are plagued by muslims from Morocco for a long time. So I wanted to know about islam. And since 9/11 people want to listen to people like me.
Islam can be peaceful, but the muslims do what we Christians did: stop our fellow Christians from harming people.
Fatwa on Events Following 11 September 2001 (MUST READ!)
Ask the imam: Why can t the Jews and Muslims live together in peace?
A view on Jews and Israel from Khilafah.com
AN EVENING IN FRONT OF THE TV: JIHAD (ISLAM CALL FOR JIHAD MUST READ)
Arabic Press and the Jews: Antisemitism Worldwide 2000/1
Is Peace With Israel Possible?: The Islamic Verdict
The Islamic Legitimacy of The "Martyrdom Operations"
Also look here: VIOLENCE IN THE KORAN AND THE BIBLE
In the replies I mention some interesting stuff.