And have you ever read how the American Christian Dominionists want to treat women, people of color, the LGBT community, non-"belivers" etc should they (shudder ) ever take over the USA?
Again with the Christian comparisons. Yes they're out there but they pose absolutely no threat in today's society. Because within the small percentage of fundamentalist Christians left in todays society is an even smaller percentage of those fundies who would be willing to use violence to achieve their ends.
wait...i know why Islamic Extremists would want Irvine dead...but why would you be a target? Secular Humanist?
I was talking about the westboro baptist church. And I assume they would want me dead because I was in the Marines. And "god kills soldiers" and stuff so
If I was talking about islamic extremists I think the question would be why wouldn't I be a target.
Christians seem to have adapted to a secular society.
Right.
Islam is still trying to figure this out.
They're not trying very hard. The supposed Arab Spring uprising in Egypt has done nothing but replace a tough but secular dictator was an extremely fundamentalist, "democratic" (unless you're a woman. Or Christian) government. The same will probably follow in Syria.
How come Christians living in Palestine don't blow themselves up? Are they not in the same boat as their Muslim neighbors?
Probably because while they are persecuted and hated by their Muslim neighbors, their religion doesn't preach that. Islam does.
Does the Koran have a New Testament style book with some hippie preaching love
Not really.
Quran (2:191-193) - "And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out,
for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]... but if they desist, then lo! Allah is forgiving and merciful. And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah."
Basically Jesus preached to love your neighbor, whereas Mohammed preached to conquer your neighbor with the sword. The Koran thoroughly preaches offensive warfare against unbelievers.
And it's interesting you mentioned exposure to philosophies. In the medieval period, the Islamic world was known for studying Greek philosophy, and other non-Islamic subjects like astronomy and mathematics. Now the Islamic world and the West have flipped tables - we're expanding our minds while they're being more narrow minded.
They've continually moved backwards and are continuing to do so.
What I'm trying to say is this, if you interpret the Bible literally, you're going to have a shitty belief system. If you interpret the Koran literally you're going to have a shitty belief system. But only the latter advocates for violence and destruction. And it's a lot easier to interpret the Koran that way than it is the Bible.