If evolution is outlawed....

Only outlaws will evolve. -Jello Biafra
One of my favorite album titles of all time... well, that and NOFX's "Heavy Petting Zoo". Which is only fully appreciated when gazing upon the art work of a man lovingly holding a young lamb.

This has no bearing on my post.

I was bouncing around online earlier and happened upon some of the more conservative sites and remembered why I'm truly disgusted with the conservative ideology. However it did bring a couple of points to mind, which I would like to expound upon.

Assertion #1 "Islam is a dangerous, misogynistic, and violent religion"

Well, of course it is. It's a religion that grew in an extremely hostile environment, much like Christianity and Judaism. Actually very much like Christianity and Judaism as all three religions trace themselves back to Abraham. The "officially approved" (coming from the texts) clothing is similar, as are the rules for the treatment of women, and what you should eat.

The problem is NOT Islam. The problem is that the areas where Christianity and Judaism have flourished have been ruled by large bureaucracies, which allows for police, prisons, and non-lethal methods of punishment. The areas where Islam has taken flourished however, have predominately been tribal, and local. The goal of the penal system in the bureaucratic model is one of either reform or punishment. The goal of a local penal system is one of preventing crime in the first place. The easiest way to do this is fear; the easiest way to invoke fear is to use religion. Especially when you can say "No man is capable of judging you, so we will send you to the almighty for judgment."

(Aside) It may also be worth comparing the areas of the world with the most violence today with the areas of the world divided between the European powers during the colonial period.

Assertion two: Liberals are whiny weenies who will run away from a confrontation.

Two words. Gandhi and King. Avoid confrontation? Or accept that confrontation does NOT have to be violent?

Assertion Three: The Muslim world is evil.

By whose definition? Here's the dictionary.com definition.
e·vil Audio pronunciation of "evil" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (vl)
adj. e·vil·er, e·vil·est

1. Morally bad or wrong; wicked: an evil tyrant.
2. Causing ruin, injury, or pain; harmful: the evil effects of a poor diet.
3. Characterized by or indicating future misfortune; ominous: evil omens.
4. Bad or blameworthy by report; infamous: an evil reputation.
5. Characterized by anger or spite; malicious: an evil temper.
n.

1. The quality of being morally bad or wrong; wickedness.
2. That which causes harm, misfortune, or destruction: a leader's power to do both good and evil.
3. An evil force, power, or personification.
4. Something that is a cause or source of suffering, injury, or destruction: the social evils of poverty and injustice.

Ok, now that we have a base definition the only way I can see that Islam is evil, is if we look to the reputation it has been given by an opposing theology. Which instantly makes that reputation suspect, as it is being proposed by people with a vested interest in our perceptions.

The reputation truly belongs to the few rich leaders of the movements who have poisoned and bent peoples relationship with the almighty for their own personal gain.