All very interesting and obviously plenty of food for thought but two observations: 1) No action nor solutions are presented and 2) He is an 'ex'-fanatical Islamist extremist who loves the sound of his own voice. You can just imagine him o Speakers Corner in 2000 spreading the gospel of Jihad.

He is into the blame game and so are you. Direct action to nullify the death cult that is violent extremism is needed not millions of words. That's progressive.

Big chest and massive boobs

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I regard this 'they are all equally as bad' attitude as part of the problem.

Perhaps in the middle ages I would have agreed with you....But your equivalency isn't a realistic appraisal of what's going on today.

For example, do you think that if you wrote a play criticising old Mo, portraying him in nappies and as gay...you know like they did with Jesus in the 'Springer' stage play. Do you think that you would not need security protection....As that play's writers or actors didn't nor live in fear of your life?

The actions of people who are paid to mock....for example...writers and comedians towards the different religions also shows that they aren't 'all equally as bad'. Those that do mock have consequences to deal with.....There are families of cartoonists still grieving.

Fundamentalists of any religion are dangerous people and yes, I agree all religions contain them because...well, humans. There are a given set of potential or actual fruitcakes in any given set of people.

However, the sheer numbers of Muslims who agree with or have sympathy for problematical or anti western attitudes brings this....'they are all the same' nonsense into the sharp glare of reality.

I don't regard Islam as the worst religion of those I know because of some 'convenient popularist bandwagon'. No, I regard it as the worst because the affect it has in countries where its tenets become law.

The nearest I can compare it to are backward states in Africa who pursue an aggressive form of Christianity. However I'm not aware of our security services having to track large numbers of adherents of this religion in this country. I'm not aware of Monty Python having to be scared of visiting or meeting people from those countries.....The massive increases in internal security budgets is not tracking Christians or Hindus or Sikhs.

I agree that there is a difference between a Muslim and Islam. They both deserve to be viewed differently and upon what affects they have. Just being born this or that is not a judgement upon a person

But the concept of the religion itself...No Jamie, they aren't 'all the same'......Islam's main problem is that its texts are viewed as the pure and unchanging words of God by the vast majority. There simply aren't vast numbers of people in other religions who believe that. That leads to far less problems.

Edited by Stirlingsays (16 May 2017 12.29pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

Pretty much agree, but in for a penny in for a pound. The assorted churches and faiths in the UK all have a bit of history in the UK (like Ireland and abortion), Hindu honour killings, Catholic and protestant terrorist groups in Ireland, sectarian violence in Glasgow and Liverpool. Groups like the UVF cannot really be separated from the religious leanings.

Then of course you do have the social pressure to conform of moral standards of faiths, with those who step outside (Muslim or otherwise) often being targeted and persecuted within their community.

Just because they're not as 'bad' doesn't mean they should get a pass because they're not 'the current problem'. Christian Fundamentalism in the US is a bigger problem nationally than Fundamentalist Islam - The mad Mullahs don't have someone in the White House.

And what happens in the US, tends to occur in the UK. Evangalist faiths, and fundamentalism in the UK is growing, and there is a strong emerging Christian Right Wing here as well.

Might as well deal with the problems on mass, rather than single out the low hanging fruit.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
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No one's giving a pass.....But equivalency is dangerously close because it is deliberately not recognising nuance for idealogical purposes. The reason Islam is the 'low hanging fruit' is because the other fruit isn't costing us.

As far as I see your position is an excuse for inaction. Basically what has classically led to where we are now.

Aside from having faith schools...the the conflict that causes for secular education...I just don't see what problem Christianity causes for society here. If there are some perhaps I would agree with you but I'm struggling to think of some outside of it being myths told as truth to children.

Your comparisons on scale and extent of the problem when you talk about Christianity in the US is truly 'out there'. I feel this does deserve criticism.

Again, while I recognise and also criticise this lot there is little point in talking about the tiny number of attacks from fundamentalist Christians.

When I watch the 'Atheist Experience' phone call show on Youtube I see a connection between Islam and Christianity in the area of social exclusion and cultural pressure. Many of the calls talk about these problems and what to do about it. I would agree that much damage is done in these areas by those who follow these backward beliefs......The US seems to be the most problematical western country in this area.

By the way, I would recommend the 'Atheist Experience' show to any interested....Look it up on Youtube.

Matt Dillahunty's star is rising and rising from it....though I think he can be a little too harsh sometimes.

Edited by Stirlingsays (16 May 2017 2.28pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)

Without trying to sound crass, what do women in full burqa do when they sneeze?

Hindu honour killings, Catholic and protestant terrorist groups in Ireland, sectarian violence in Glasgow and Liverpool. Groups like the UVF cannot really be separated from the religious leanings.

Having loyalist family in Belfast I think that the religious aspect on this problem is rather too easy stated.

It has a connection but it's more in the creation of the problem than its continuation.

Though obviously the division of Ireland and its troubles can't be disconnected from its huge influx of 'a different religion'......though it obviously had other causes as well.

It's like saying that the American civil war was just about slavery...Mainly it was...But there was a lot more to it....though no one's saying that this war wouldn't have happened without those differences on the approach to slavery.... Once Lincoln was elected the die was cast.

Edited by Stirlingsays (16 May 2017 2.50pm)

'Who are you and how did you get in here? I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.' (Leslie Nielsen)