"People picture Muslims with a Quran in one hand and a sword in the other"

I do have plenty of pictures with me and my family, even some at Christan activities like x-mas parties.

Good for you. Perhaps you can find some of the guys in those pictures, convince them that your version of islam is the correct one, put their ak-47's down and attend your next x-mas party with you.

I'm sorry...I did not realize that I was the one who forced all of those guys to pick up their ak's in one hand and the quran in the other. Of course that says nothing about the guy with the knife.

The point of the pictures is this: westerners have this impression that islam is a violent religion that we are told is so wrong. The radical muslims have it all wrong and they are going against the quran. Well, many of those pictures aren't of terrorists, which by the way I could care less about. Some of those pictures are at demonstrations; one is even some guys praying in front of a picture of the quran + ak. Not exactly "terrorists". "Radicals"? "Moderates"? Where is that line drawn? Who draws it?

Are "radicals" only "terrorists"? Are the "moderates" the ones advocating jihad and worldwide sharia, but only through non-violent methods?

So the point is, if the "radical" muslims, who are "terrorists" are getting it all wrong, what about the "moderate" muslims who are not "terrorists" who also get it wrong?

To answer your question, I'm not the one generalizing. They are generalizing themselves...I'm simply pointing it out. Islam is the only thing to blame for those generalizations. The only thing forcing those dudes to hold up the quran and an ak at the same time is islamic ideology. The only people that seem to be incapable of recognizing it are muslims themselves, regardless if they are of the "radical" or "moderate" variety. The true victims of islam are muslims. They can't wake up from a bad dream, and are completly incapable of looking at their own religion with anything resembling honesty.

Until muslims are capable of looking at the quran and the sunnah with any honesty, and actively work to reform something that obviously inspires violence; until muslims remove the concept of quranic and sunnah inspired jihad from their thought process and islamic theology; until muslims give up calls for worldwide implementation of sharia and the overthrow of inferior man-made laws; until muslims learn to accept all other non-believers as equals and partners; they will have to accept that some people reject these things and wish to inform others.

If you had any integrity, from your point of view you would not be worried about the nonsense that non-believers spout off regarding your religion, as it is a symptom of the disease. Instead, you should focus on curing the disease, which is the current islamic belief system that relies totally on the quran and sunnah that drives the ideology that myself and others are concerned about.

You act like I forced them to do so

Victim card already? Figures...I have not accused you of anything beyond lacking integrity.

The quran didn't force them as well.

Ummm, hellooo! Did you see the pictures? You know, the ones with the dudes holding a quran in one hand and an ak-47 in the other? Oh my bad...one dude had a knife. Ok, the quran didn't force them...yet there they are brandishing the quran and a weapon simutaneously.

Hmmm...maybe they were upset at losing their job, or perhaps upset from living in poverty, or the lack of government interest in their overall sense of being. Maybe they were mad at rising oil prices, or maybe they were just hungry. Maybe they were upset at us support for israeli policies, or because they didn't get a good education. Maybe they are upset at the over-commercialization of x-mas and easter or maybe momma just didn't give them no attention...

whatever they are upset about, somehow they felt they needed to express themselves by simultaneously holding up a weapon and the quran...whatever, dude. Take your bs somewhere else...

And believe me friend I always push to establish peace through the proper means according to the Quran.

Oh, I have no doubt that you do. Have to strive/struggle until religion is all for allah, right?

Jihad is a duty on every Muslim

Yes I know...that is the problem. Heart, tongue, pen, hand, and sword...until religion is all for allah...