I've said it before: the only things that distinguish a "cult" and from a "religion" are money and political power.

It seems like Islam has become too much of a violent political philosophy instead of a peace loving religion, and we have a right to defend ourselves from it. Where were all these terrorists back in the 50's and 60's? Islam has been around a lot longer than that and has changed.

Clay - The same thing could have been said about Christianity at one time. Keep in mind tthat Christians were occupying and exploiting their land and resources at one time and that might give you a clue. Then of course there is the obvious that you know little or nothing about Islam to make such comments.

I have talked about Islam on other blogs and all I hear from you or someone else named Anonymous is that I dont know anything about it. It has changed ,as other posters here have commented, and why. Thanks.

Clay,

I think what Anonymous means is (and, Anonymous, please forgive me if I am wrong): the West (i.e., Christians) has exploited the Arab world for centuries -- exporting its one real resource and allowing revenues to be concentrated in the hands of immensely wealthy and corrupt rulers. One read on the resurgence of Islamic militancy (and, yes, terrorism) is deep-seated resentment for this history. The creation of Israel, on historically Arab land -- by (again) the West -- hasn't helped.

This is not to excuse terrorism, but it may (at least partially) explain it. Note that nothing in what I say has anything to do with religion, per se. That is my point. The conflict is political/economic ... religion is (as is so often the case) a smokescreen for the "real" issues.

Islam hasn't "changed." What has changed is its availability to fuel discord and fear.

Ramsey is a dolt. To call one of the major monotheistic religions of the world a cult clearly shows that the man has taken leave of his senses. What's the matter with politicians today? They are such undereducated ignoramuses-- all they want to do is fuel mob furor against some bugaboo of the moment that appeals to them--in Ramsey's case that happened to be Islam on the day he chose to give this speech. Yes, some Islamists are violent and it is inadequate for these killers to explain away their furor as stemming from the West's callous exploitation of their oil resources or the West's predilection for installing tyrants as leaders in the Arab World.. The killers of Islam are sadists--they want to return their part of the world to medieval times and primitivism. They see in this mode of thinking power for themselves and acquisition of power in one form or the other is their ambition. Look at the Taliban or the war lords of Afghanistan. They defeated the yoke the Soviets threw on their shoulders but when they actually acquired the power to rule themselves they turned out to be corrupt bastards. They exploited the land--they stripped all citizens of any rights--they killed women, men and children for trivial reasons--the lack of a beard in the case of men, the desire to attend school in the case of children, the desire to go out in the case of women--anything could set the Taliban off into a frenzy and push them into a killing spree. The war lords of the Afghani plains are no less autocratic. In Islam the killing is a thrill provider--it puts people on the map of the extreme Islamists--it makes them celebrities--among the Hamas and the Hezbollah suicide bombers are illustrious doers, movers and shakers--this tendency to elevate the killers, telling them that they are doing Allah's good work while they are plundering and beheading innocents is what keeps the Islamic killing machine in action. To explain that this bloodthirstiness has anything to do with the West's exploitative greed or with dictators of the Arabic World or even with Israel coming to claim its so called biblical roots is to simplify matters--terrorism, as I have said before, is big business in the Arab World--it is a sort of fraternity of Islamic killers who become euphoric with their ability to kill with impunity. Let's not think for a minute that this killing spree of the Islamists has anything to do with anything rational.
R Anon

Read what I wrote under "The Image of Islam Under Seige." It will explain how things got started and perhaps why they are the way they are today. Thanks.

ALL religions are cults, of one form or another, so technically he was correct, but in a bigoted way that did not include his own delusional beliefs.

Clay,

Your "explanation" of the current world scene, based as it is on mythology of very dubious provenance, can't really compare to documented history. The tragedy is the extent to which you and others give those myths any credibility at all and ignore reality. More than tragic ... such naivete is so incredibly dangerous.