[_Tom_]

The easy (and redundant) answer is to say that all religions aren't peaceful or that there are non peaceful people in other religions. But all other major religions have reformed and have been modernised. Christianity had a reformation which purged it of its most intolerant and violent aspects, hence the New Testament. Pointing to intolerant passages in the Old Testament which no one has acted on for hundreds of years is not an argument. Islam is the only major religion that hasn't reformed their doctrine to make it compatible with modern civilisation. It is in dire need of a reformation.

Radicalism is not representative of all Muslims, but illiberal ideals, violence and extremism are representative of Islam and, unfortunately, many Muslims do condone such things. At least 10 Muslim countries impose the death penalty for apostasy and for homosexuality - and stone women to death for allegedly committing adultery. Executing people for being gay or for not believing the same thing as you is violent and wrong. It's not peaceful. Polls have shown that the majority of Muslims of various countries support the death penalty for these supposed crimes.

Islam is an ideology. We are allowed to scrutinise, even ridicule other religions like Christianity and Scientology. But not Islam. Why should it be above criticism? No ideology should. It should be just as easily mocked as any other faith. It's far easier to act as if critics of Islam have a problem with Muslims as people than it is to accept the uncomfortable truth.