Is there something fundamentally wrong with Islam?

And BTW...  Even though this looked to be a coordinate al Queda attack against the US and they used the film and ensuing riot as an excuse, the question still stands.  There are other examples of violense in response.

I'm just looking to get "schooled" here.  Please help me understand.

Good point.  Judeo-Christians having a top-ten commandment, "thou shalt not kill" and a foundation that killing is not right in most circumstances.  Does the Muslim religion NOT have this?  Do Middle Eastern cultures consider human life with less regard/respect?  Is there a difference?

Not the question.  Christians may have in the past murdered tens of millions in "crusades" and "inquisition" and "colonoization".  But does that happen today?  Is there a foundation in Christianity that promotes, condones, killing and violence?  Did Christians "evolve" out of it?

I don't think it's the religion itself, the issue lies in the religious clerics who are using religion to further their own agenda. One could say exactly the same thing about any religion, we've had many examples of that right here in the USA.

Poverty and lack of education also play a big role. The more you have to lose, the more valuable life becomes. I work with a number of Muslim scientists and physicians, and they abhor this type of behavior. It's as foreign to them as it is to us non-Muslims, they're here trying to raise a family, practice their profession, and enjoy the fruits of their labors.

The Judeo-Christian fundamentals of the West ARE the fundamentals of Islam.

Islam IS a Abrahamic religion, it's Christianity with a newer prophet.  The fundamentals and foundations are the same.

So if Islamic fundamentals are wrong, Christianity's fundamentals are wrong, and Judaism's fundamentals are wrong.

Which may be the case...  How many wars have been started by Abrahamic adhearants, vs. how many by Dharmic or Taoist?

I am not a Muslim, though I was raised in a (one of as many kinds as there are Christian) Muslim culture and amongst my immediate family members half of us are Christian and half Muslim. (Basically, we are just holiday grubbers).

I think there's something fundamentally wrong with the fundamental elements of modern right-wing Islam; in this era it has gained unprecedented resources, organization and numbers. Those are due to a very complex interplay of many factors, only one of which is religion in a strict sense.

For the genuinely curious, and especially the history buffs, A World Without Islam by Graham E. Fuller is an outstanding read. He posits various geopolitical and religious possibilities had Islam never existed or risen as a major world religion ... and comes to some very surprising conclusions.

Before the postcolonial era, Islam as a political entity ruled its subjects and conquests far more peaceably and tolerantly with respect to the other two great monotheistic religions than either did to Islam or each other.

  You've raised a valid question. If Muslims around the world took to the streets in peaceful marches condemning the action in Libya, it would have a profound impact on the way Islam is viewed by a lot of people. I think it would ease a lot of mistrust many Americans have towards Muslims.

  On the other hand it's really not up to the majority of Muslims to HAVE to go out and march to prove that they are peaceful people just wanting to live their lives and practice their faith as they see fit. Public statements by Imams in this country would help, but would likely not have the impact that video of thousands marching in peaceful protest might have.

  We certainly can't expect to see protests against these guys in the countries of the middle east. Nobody there wants to face the reality of losing their head just to make America feel good about Islam.

Most Muslims are not in the Middle East, but in South and Southeast Asia.

I would like some schooling from those who have studied it as well.

My wife and I were talking about this while watching the news this morning.

My theory was that Christianity, Mormonism, Catholicism, etc. The punishment for not following the fundamentals of the religion are hell or a lower level of Heaven. So if you blaspheme the religion or don't follow it, you are already getting your punishment of going to Hell. No skin off the followers nose, you make your bed and sleep in it. That along with the New Testament and the 10 commandments and there is generally a violence against fellow man is bad outline.

What is the case for Islam? Is the rhetoric of death to the infidel part of the religion or is that the radical fringe? What is Islam's view of the non-believer? Are they still human and will just get theirs eventually, or should they be punished now?

My thought is that there is where the difference lies. But I know next to nothing about Islam so I would love to hear opinions of better scholars than I.

I would be curious if there's any type of internal Imam struggle in the Middle East and Asia between the right-wing Imamas who condone violence and the moderate/left-wing ones that don't?  Why no internal civil war?  Why not more of a Muslim outcry against the right-wing?

Personally, as a Jew, and especially as one who served in the IDF...  I'm disgusted at how Israelis have treated Palestinians.  I do NOT condone much of what has been done.  I believe that as a religion that has been persecuted in the past, Jews should be at the forefront of peace!  Jews should be a shining example of forgiveness and peace and not revenge or treating others in even one-tenth of the the way they've been treated in the past.

I travel, but don't get engrained enough to talk turkey with the locals.  BUT, I'm guessing on THEIR versions of BT, they might ask the same thing about Americans and their gun violence/laws.

Just because there a few kooks with guns, doens't mean the MILLIONS of other gun owners are violent.  But outside looking in?  They could easily say the fundamentally, Americans are gun crazy violent people.

Remember the right to assemble and protest is not available in all places.  Nor is the societal urge to do so.

There is both peaceful and violent struggle between some of the (again, hundreds) of Islamic sects. And, as always, there's a lot more going on than religion.

There's an enormous Muslim outcry especially against violent extremists, but also against just plain old whacko fundamentalists with whom the more moderate (and yes, far more numerous) ones disagree. It's probably just not very visible in the U.S.; not much international news is, and not much good or positive news in general. If it bleeds, it leads.

No no no.  Missing the point.  Not only was it 0.000001% of the Muslim world, the indicators are that this was a planned, coordinated, revenge attack by about a dozen al Qada commandoes for the recent drone killing in Yemen.  They just used the protest as an excuse.

The question is why in the religion is it even conceivable to respond with violence to an incident/insult such as this?  The Libyan Consulate may not be the best example, but with other examples, the question still stands:  Does the tenants and foundations of Islam promotoe, condone, accept violence (often deadly) as a means of response?

Is there something fundamentally wrong with the Amish?

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/09/post_49.html

"Mullet, 66, the spiritual and social leader of the Bergholz Amish community, located in Jefferson County about 100 miles southeast of Cleveland, is accused of ordering the beard-cutting attacks, but is not charged with participating in them.

Parker described how Mullet's clan ambushed their victims, invading their homes at night and rousting them out of their beds. Most of their victims were elderly, she said. One was sick and died two months after his beard was cut off. Other victims were women, and one was a 13-year-old girl."

Interesting.  I wonder why it's hidden from the mainstream US public.  I guessed, but have no idea, visibility or clue as to how effective the moderates are in controlling, battling, preventing right-wing extremist violence.

i think she is just making a general comment that international news does not register in the US.  we tend to be oblivious to what is happening in the rest of the world (i am guilty as well).  also, what news show will broadcast "billions attend mosques tonight and don't think of harming westerners and are sad about violence in the world!"  not nearly as juicy as riots and outcry against the infidels on 9/11!!!

http://crg.berkeley.edu/content/fear-inc-roots-islamophobia-network-america

The very short answer is no.

These tenets and fundamentals of Islam, all Muslims agree upon:

The creed: There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His prophet.

The Five Pillars: 1) Professing the creed, 2) Prayer 5x/day, 3) Tithing to the poor, 4) Fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan, 5) Making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

There are also about 40 Prohibitions (which include neglecting the Five above and the Ten Commandments, so around 25 more ... the exact number and details do differ among the sects, and certainly their interpretation, but the basic prohibition in each is universally acknowledged).

In none of the above are violence or deadly force promoted, condoned or accepted; quite the opposite. Most of the Prohibitions proscribe harms to other people.

Most Islamic moderates, like most Christian moderates, are frankly more interested in blue jeans and McDonald's than in controlling the extremists of their religion.