yes, you missed something, I did not say all Muslims-I didn't. You made an assumption.

I said -
You are pulling out something ancient in order to take offense at my words.

I'm sorry- but I don't think being ostracized is the same as being beheaded or gutted in the street by a Muslim extremist who is mad that you drew a picture of his god or made a movie he did not like.

Or how about a power drill to the skull? ... the new fave, all the rage among Muslim Death Squads.

In fact, let's just get out of the way, and let them all kill each other.

No, but you implied that the Muslim religion has some special property in it, as opposed to any other religion, that predilects it. And THAT'S the point of bringing up the Crusades. Obviously it has nothing to do with Christianity now. And obviously, as I mentioned, the extremist Islam movement is the most motivated and organized currently. But the crusades, the holocaust, and countless other examples disprove the notion that Islam is somehow special in that regard. At this time in history, that's where the religion is, but it's not a unique feature of the religion by any stretch.

No- I said that no other modern religion reacts with mob violence and threats of death or actual murder these days. Though if you want to start taking the Koran apart there are many verses that encourage and support that violence.

Sadly the Muslim faith has been like this for a long time- they just have scarier weapons now.

It just seems ironic, and throwing other faiths in is IMO a distraction. The Pope cites a quote that says that Islam is evil and inhuman and in response some Muslims demand his death- they demand his execution as the only way to right the "wrong" which I think- turns around and proves the point of the quote.

You come to me, and say that Christianity is evil and inhuman, and I'll likely be annoyed...but I sure as hell don't think Christians will rise up and demand your death as atonement.

Violent anti-aborition protests by "christians" who claim the bible says that life begins at conception? Organized abortion clinic bombings?

Violent gay bashings by "christians" who claim the bible says being gay is a sin?

All in the name of the bible. Any of that ring a bell?

I think there might be a slight apples and oranges here. My perception is that the types of violence are different. My impression is that much of the violence linked to the Muslim faith is reactionary - and to very specific triggers. Certainly some Christian violence is reactionary, but not to the same degree. For example, some Christians might choose to protest a local action (judicial ruling, political speech, funeral, etc...) but it tends to stay localized to the action.

I could be totally wrong. Maybe when the Supremes handed down Lawrence v. Texas Christian groups across the globe bombed bath houses. I don't know. I didn't hear about it, but it's not something I would have been listening for.

On the other hand, the Pope says something (in Germany?) that Muslims don't like and someone kills a nun in Somalia.

There's also a sense of tacit approval. Again, this is perception, but it seems like when a wacky Christian group blows up something many people nutter about how wrong-minded those people are, how they don't represent the right way to go about things, and there seems to be a sense of indignation. On the other hand, the impression the Muslim world gives off is more of a "well, *I* wouldn't have done it, but they had it coming."

And maybe it's a cultural variation. Maybe within the culture they're having the same response we're used to seeing in our culture, but it doesn't translate.

I was going somewhere with this but I lost the train of thought.

No, that's exaclty it. I get a tacit approval or downright approval from the Muslim community at large ... those that are not hiding within their residences. I sure get that impression from the crowds that dance in the streets.

And yes, perhaps there was some irony in the Crusades. But today we are talking about the fantastic irony that in objecting to a 600-year-old quote painting Muslims as violent extremists, modern-day Muslims have a field day painting themselves as violent extremists.

By whom? I know clinics have (very rarely) been bombed (though rarity does not make it OK), but there have been organized conspiracies by large groups repeatedly? Why haven't I heard about that?

And the fact that you put "Christian" in quotes is a good thing. I would suppose many call themselves Christians and have no idea what it is to be so, those who bomb clinics included of course. Christian leadership will typically speak out against such actions and be asked if they condemn it, and they do (there are the odd exceptions, though). Islamic leaders either will not condemn it or will not address it. I don't hear any of them condemning it.

Fundamentalist/Extremist Islams are like the Borg. They want us to be assimilated.