This argument will never cease to go in circles until you learn the meaning of "vocal extremist minority." Until then, I have no more to say.

the violence of Christianity and Judaism? yes, it happens and you do have extremists. But, I don't see Jews murdering Moslems in the streets just because they are Moslems. Why don't you do some research from the Jewish side. The arabs revel in the death of Jews. One only has to look at the children shows that sing about stoning Israelis, celebrations in palestinian villages celebrating the deaths of Jews from suicide bombers, the list goes on and on. Meanwhile, Jews are tired of fighting, sing about peace, and mourn the deaths of civilians (even palestinian.)

Islam strictly forbids suicide bombing, the only reason it took on is because of the success Hezbollah had with it in Lebanon, 300 american soldiers dead? israel retreating from lebanon? that went a long way to rid them of worry of any religous wrong-doing.

Muslims were not the first to use suicide bombing, muslims are not inherinetly violent, it is one of the most peaceful religions in the world.

What is your response to the violence of Christianity or Judaism? I warrant that our answers will be the same.

I view Muslim suicide bombers in no different of a light than I do Christians who bomb abortion clinics. They are extremists, not at all representative of their religion. Every religion has that sort of vocal fringe group. It is more noticeable in Islam only because it is a religion the majority of Westerners are unfamiliar with. The only thing they hear about are the deaths caused by Islamofascists. And so they view the whole religion in a negative light. This is patently not the case, since Islam has some of the same directives against violence as do Christianity and Judaism.

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have you studied Islam? I have, and I know what I'm talking about.

yes I have...thanks for asking.

but what is your response to the violence of Islam?

the term Jihad is in reality the name given to the struggle that occurs inside oneself, the inner war that one has to fight against all that is sinful.

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It actually means "holy war"

You're not one to understand connotations, are you?

Let me ask you a question: have you studied Islam? I have, and I know what I'm talking about.

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yes infact a lot can be learned from the crusades, such as saladdins compassion towards civilians, and the christians brutality towards them.

yes, I agree. However, How did the crusades start? it started with the Moslem agression into the Byzantine empire AND Spain. The byzantines had to ask for help from the pope and thus started the crusades. So, in reality moslems started the crusades and Christians responded to it....and I have NO clue what the jews were doing .

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Actually, the term "jihad" refers to more of an inner, spiritual struggle.

It actually means "holy war"

In my opinion, Islam was never a religion of peace. one just has to see how Moslems respond to slander, when they are called a violent religion, they kill. I do not see christians and Jews killing random Moslems and beheading young school-girls.....Why isn't Judaism called a "violent religion?" after all, the Old Testament (the torah) is probably the most violent and justifies killing in the name of god the most. However, because of new teachings (the Talmud) they teach their children to love peace....and to fight for peace if need be.

I agree the saracens did not become the brutal monsters the Crusaders made them out to be except in response to crusader atrocities and even at their most brutual they were kinder then the crusaders ever were

yes infact a lot can be learned from the crusades, such as saladdins compassion towards civilians, and the christians brutality towards them.

it can also be employed as a term for total war. It's first usage as such was in response to the brutality of the christians invaders during the crusades (3rd Crusade as I recall, Saracen Forces under King Saladin

Actually, the term "jihad" refers to more of an inner, spiritual struggle. It most certainly does not mean killing non-Muslims.

check out old testament law on some of the same subjects bro, it's just as brutal and jewish law includes many of the same punishments for similer crimes, their god is not the chritain God of the new testament, a creator full of love and compassion, rather he is the god of justice

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Do you know that the majority of muslims in the world dont know how to read the koran coz it is unlawful be translated into other languages from arabic

i have an english copy of the bible, and have extensive knowledge of islam from turkey where i have spent a lot of time, they all fully understand it, infact most elderly people there were taught to read it in school. The youth understand it from classes etc, and yes turkey is secular and there is no religious agenda in state schools.

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Do you know of the brutal nature of the sharia or islamic law where a husband has the right to beat his wife with a stick if he finds her disobedient

this is one interpretation of islam, how many states instigated sharia law to its full extent? one, the taliban afghanistan.

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There are judgements like being stoned to death if the wife is adulterous

the death sentance has been dealt out by christians for centuries, hands were cut off for theft, adultery was always a great sin. It is not unique to islam, some christian countries still practise the horrific act of capital punishment at alarming rates, the country which carries out the most executions is not muslim, it is china.

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Do you know that every muslim has the right to carry out jihad(kill any nonmusim who refuses to convert to islam).

and do they? no, any killing is in the name of a cause: palestinian liberation, to rid the mddle-east of americans, or for chechnyan or tamil independence - all non religous causes.

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Do the extremists show the true nature of islam?

there could be up to 1.2 billion muslims in the world, if that statistic is true as recommended by the Council on American-Islamic relations, then 22% of the worlds population are muslim. 210 million live in indonesia alone, 50 million plus in turkey, and millions more through the middleast, africa, central asia, india and scattered across the world. So in answer to your question do extremists show the true nature of islam then NO BECAUSE THEY ARE CALLED EXTREMISTS! ie. they are an extreme form of their belief, the percentage of extermist muslims is tiny, just as is the percentage of extermist christians.