I certainly don't disagree. I have the same kind of feelings for fundamentalist religion of any brand.

What Tom says is true. all religions go thru a period of extremism. When the members of a religion are in poverty, the religious leaders use strict dogma to convince them that all their suffering in this life will be rewarded if they toe the mark. This is the reason that a large segment of Islam rejects technology. They know that once this life becomes bearable, secularism is not far behind.

Unfortunately, I am not sure they will ever get it. Their religious leaders are too closely tied to to state affairs and there is much to be gained by keeping the faithful poor as dirt and working for the reward to come.