How dangerous are religious extremist and did they create this hateful climate we live in today ?

Religious fundamentalists are united by fear. Whether they are Christian, Muslim, or Jew, fear is the common denominator. They fear change, modernization and loss of influence. They fear that the young will abandon the churches, mosques and synagogues for physical and material gratification. They fear the influence of mass media and its ability to subvert the young with song, dance, fashion, alcohol, drugs, sex and freedom. They especially fear education if it undermines the teachings of their religion. They fear a future they can鈥檛 control, or even comprehend.





Perhaps it鈥檚 not surprising to realize that it is fear that also connects the myriad of nationalist, separatist and independence movements who also engage in political violence. Although experts, academics and analysts hypothesize about a multitude of causal effects that lead to violence and terrorism, fear is the underlying.|||Religious, extremist, ideological extremist, eco-extremist, see a pattern? The problem is that individualism is dying, unless we choose not to let it. Groups of people of any sort gradually draw lines delineating who ISN'T them, and alienating people. Hate and fear ensue. Individualism doesn't mean isolationism, just a mutual respect and cooperation only among those things that can be cooperated with.


Each person who chooses not to be a sheep - to agree to the mandates of any group weather right or wrong, is a step in the right direction. There will be those who are violent, but as long as it's just an individual, that's just one person. It's organized people that make true evil happen.





It's fine to be YOU, you have enough power to do whatever you want much of the time, and the only thing holding back people from being generally peaceful is fear, hate, and a pack mentality for blanket instruction.





Dependance on any group, government, religion, (NOT faith) can lead to hate, evil, or at least delineation, and as it's been said, separate is inherently inequal.|||Only the violent ones.|||Yes Bush is so dangerous. I am scarred of WW3. It's all about fight fight fight. Hate the other religions.





I have been sharing ideas in a yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/isaveameri鈥?/a>





it seems like America is screwed and we need to get our voices heard. Maybe if enough people speak up we can fix what Bush has done to America.|||Good grief, nice broad generalization there. Not to mention an implied defense of islam.





Oh well, keeping things in broad, sweeping generalizations, you're forgetting two very important facts. First, Christianity went through a reformation and has been progressively evolving since; islam has not and has been steadily regressing. Secondly, very few modern versions of mainstream religions have never really had a rule-the-earth, convert the masses or kill them mentality; islam's stated purpose is just that.





So, when you throw out the broad brush of religeous extremism, you might want to be more specific.|||Religion in general is dangerous. It makes non-negotiable claims about the world that we can't question. Religion is a safety net for people to spread hatred and intolerance. You'll notice most religions hate everyone outside of their religion. They tend to have little respect for anyone except their own. I think we should abolish this BS and get with the times. It's time we stop accepting medieval fairy tales over 21st century technology.|||Wrong, your deductive reasoning does not work here. This hateful climate you speak of is chattered when, no matter where, a natural catastrophe occurs.





Since when do academic, what experts, and any one can be and analysis, know a blooming thing about Religion to make the stand that fear is the key to violence?





The Christians, do not have to be violent, when ever the end time comes, God Wins.


With Christianity, it is important that the Word of God be pertinent to the times to spread the Word, how can that be interpreted as "fear."





It is common knowledge that the religious war, in the middle east is, about ,Jerusalem, and it is never ending.





The education thing, is to keep the people in the fold, a man made doctrine. If an element, chooses violence, they face the consequences of their actions, from within and out.