Reply #26: Religions are perfectly happy to take responsibility for the good they bring, but not the bad

[PurityOfEssence]

The undeniable reality about that particular religion is that it has plenty of scripture to cite to justify aggressive xenophobia. The tiresome refrain that this is a twisting of the intent is itself a form of bigotry from those who start with a different premise than I do: that the religion is good. If one starts with that premise, then anything that doesn't fit is a misinterpretation.

The fact that the scripture is the justification is precisely the point for me, yet for the faithful, it can't really mean such things, since the faith is by definition so good.

That is the principal problem with religion: accepting things without proof and refusing to question the belief in the face of contradiction. Couple this with the clannish "specialness", and it's big trouble in a cosmopolitan, modern society.

Let's be serious about this, too: there are plenty of upright, decent, mild and soft-spoken members of the faith who secretly harbor a snickering delight that these guys might get what they deserve. It's not just the extremists who are a problem, and when this is coupled with a victim complex, vengeance is merely righteous self-defense.