...except yourself.

When one realizes the infinite diversity of living conditions, education, family and associations a person can have, one sees how religion and various "interpretations" of "Allah's" wishes and desires emerge in Muslims.

There are some 3500+ different flavors of Christianity. That the Koran knocks off parts of the Old Testament or that elements in Christianity are borrowed from Zoroastrianism and the worship of Ahura Mazda mean little to rank and file believers who are generally very limited in their outlook, knowledge and perspectives-even of their own professed religion.

Fundamentalist Muslims have brought their own violence and barbarism with them to every nation they have ever emigrated too. Not that these nations were without violence before their arrival, but in this day and age the contrast is far clearer.

Fundamentalist Muslim beliefs are "backwards" and are far more compatible with the middle ages than the 21st century. These beliefs have thrived in cloistered, technologically primitive, poor regions where such fanaticism, prejudice and control can be maintained in a largely illiterate environment.

But not all Muslims are fundamentalist. Many are struggling with their faith as they witness violence perpetrated upon others in the name of Allah. They become splintered and must fear for retaliation by these same fundamentalists. Violence and terror are powerful tools when used by religion. Conformity and silence are maintained against outrageous and barbaric practices, when the raised voices in protest must fear for their own safety.

This is how the inquisition lasted as long as it did. And this is how the Muslim fundamentalists can recruit so easily among the young and uneducated.

Religion has many draws, the largest being a tool to fulfill self worth and supplant insecurity with righteousness. This is true of almost all religions. But one can see why the young are so susceptible to what it offers as they allow it to control their lives and thinking processes.

Biasing these folks negatively is not the answer. Hating them is not the answer. One doesn't hate a kindergarten student because he/she fails to recognize the principles of long division. Likewise religionists must be understood as people with their own unique position of understanding. This does not mean one lets the kindergarten kids deny the existence of long division though, or tear up the long division worksheets just because they don't understand them.

Same is true with fundamental religionists. One must realize that they simply are not at a point to comprehend their own relatively "evil" or "destructive" nature. All the logic in the world mean nothing to a mental framework unable to see outside the indoctrination of some God's desires, rewards and punishments.

So don't bias your neighbors. Understand their position. They are not to be pitied or ridiculed, for we ALL are in the same predicament. We ALL are at varying points of understanding and we would not wish to be ridiculed or pitied by someone standing on a slightly higher hill and pointing out that which we could not yet see.

We'll climb up that plateau and get there eventually. So will many others on an even lower plain.