Whiskey16 seems to have made it his project to paint a slanted picture of me on this topic.
I've repeatedly stated my bias against religious extremism and violence. As an atheist, I'm opposed to religious extremism on an equal-opportunity basis. I've praised the reduction in religious fervor and church attendance that we've come to see in Christian and Jewish faith in the West. I believe that a more secular society moves us away from the unquestioning hatred and malevolence associated with Christian extremism which are linked to awful times like the Crusades and the Dark Ages.
Today, Islamic extremists provide a shining example of some of the worst things that can come from religion. Even worse, the more violent, fundamentalist, extremist minority can force an indifferent majority to go along with the hatred and violence by threatening the lives of the people where they live (such as the Taliban in Afghanistan, or Hamas is Israel).
The fundamentalist, violent mindset saying it can only be "us" or "them" creates a situation where compromise becomes virtually impossible. It makes me despair for a peaceful solution when I'm forced to either accept a repressive, militant, fundamentalist takeover of an area, or a violent counter-attack to suppress the radicals.
Yes, I've worried that the inability to compromise or even accept the existence of the other side can lead to genocide. And if the radicals acquire nuclear capability, I worry about nuclear apocalypse. And that's why I vehemently oppose violent religious extremism.
I don't hate Muslims. I reserve that emotion for the violent, hateful, radical extremists who use religious justifications of their violent acts as a shield so their actions cannot be questioned.
