According to the Koran a Muslim who renounces Islam should be put to death. Once you are in you can't get out. I don't know exactly what the questioner means by 'religion of violence' but I think a religion that kills adherents for wanting to get out ought to be considered violent.

Islam means peace. The religion divides the world into two zones: the house of peace (Islam), and the house of war. If you're not in the house of Islam, then you're in the house of War. Gee, I wonder what that means...

Terrorists or freedom fighters. Depends on your point of view. From my point of view a lot of muslims are violent in the name of islam. The so called moderate ones remain quiet. The sharia law can be quite unforgiving. In the past laws in christian countries were not much different, but christians have grown beyond that and appear more humane now.

Since the beginning of islam, it has been opposing other religions agressively and it does not seem this will end anytime soon.

Muslims want one world-wide base religion only; Islam. Non muslims are lesser beings in their view, fit to do away with, at best tolerated if useful.

To islam, not believing is unthinkable. Eradication of undesirables, reason and inconvenient science justifiable. Their message of peace includes putting nay sayers to the sword.

You could say that the other mainstream religion has not been that much different in the past, and you would be right. But dealing with the here and now, islam is violent.

Any Religion that promisses you 72 virgins if you die bombing someone else is a religion of violence. Just like Christianity was a religion of violence in the middle ages when the pope said that any Crussader who was killed in battle would go to heaven. Both are really one and the same.

Kill, enslave or convert all non-muslims, as it says quite a few times in Quran and proven more than enough in southeast europe does not sound like a peaceful religion. Even the beginning of the Islamic movement (6th cent.) was started with war...and one of the first victims of those who did not wish to join Mohammed were Jews living in the areas of Mecca & Medina.

let me tell you something, if you say your a follower of Islam, and say its peaceful or act peaceful, your not really Islamic at all. your a sub-division believer who has chosen to follow some preacher who speaks of Islam is his own version, of course i would rather have some fake peaceful Islamic religion then the other kind, but thats irrelevant to the question. Muhammad was a war lord, if you do not believe me, read his bibliography, but not the liberal version of course. when he started off "peaceful" you could say, the merchants in Mecca got worried his ideology would ruin their business. so they kicked Muhammad out of Mecca. he goes to a nearby town and uses his religion as a recruiting tool to take back Mecca. when hes ready, he has about, o, just around ten thousand men only. so a big battle happens, Muhammad wins, they raid Mecca and conquerer it. after that new rules and rituals are added to the religion, such as the most unpeacful one invented which is, if a person who is captured, dose not turn to the Islamic faith, he is a slave, he must pay a slave tax such as giving up a daughter or money etc, if he refuses to be a slave, you then decapitate them. when the Ottoman empire pushed into Europe, instead of giving slaves their two options when captured, they were enlisted into the military life the second they were captured, they became janissaries, elite soldiers who were used to be European christens, who then get brainwashed with the Islamic religion. and now adays, the whole idea of a suicidal bomber killing innocents is praised and deemed the most highest form of martyr possible in the Islam religion. so if you still think the Islamic religion is peaceful, read some educating books like " guide to the Islam religion" and things like that. they will show you the true Islamic religion in its bloodbath cult.

Please see this and decide..

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-871902797772997781

I think most religions were started as peaceful religions and they are still based on peace. The only reason any religion has violent history or followers is because there are always individuals who are too ignorant to follow their own beliefs and treat others with peace. They see the rule of "treat others peaceful" as "treat your own kind peaceful only."

Violent peace but peace just the same ;)

The Quran says:

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error ( 2:256 )

This verse makes it clear that Muslims are not allowed to force others to accept Islam.

The Quran also says:

1. Say : O ye that reject Faith!

2. I worship not that which ye worship,

3. Nor will ye worship that which I worship.

4. And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship,

5. Nor will ye worship that which I worship.

6. To you be your Way, and to me mine.

( 109:1-6 )

It says that others can have their Religion and we will have ours. Islam allows freedom of Religion. So then where do all the arguments that Muslims want to make Islam the only Religion on the earth come from?

People look at Muslim Terrorist and say that Islam is a Religion of violence. Why look at them. Why not look at the majority of Muslims or look at the Prophet Muhammed ( SAW ). When the Prophet Muhammed ( SAW ) conquered Makkah with his army of 10000 Muslims all the Makkans thought that He would have them killed for oppressing him and the Muslims but instead the Prophet Muhammed forgave them all and said they could keep their Religions.

Islam not only allows freedom of Religion but it also says the we Muslims must deal justly and kindly with non-muslims:

8. Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for (your) Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just. ( 60:8 )

I think that at it's root, Islam is a religion of peace. However, extremists who have an agenda to push brainwash millions of young Muslims in to thinking that their purpose on this Earth is to kill anyone who's not a Muslim. This is not the teachings of the Koran, yet these people make others believe that it is.

I suppose it is much like the Mormons, it depends on the sect. not all Mormons are polygamists, but they all call themselves Mormon. So, for the most part, I believe that the "main stream" religion is peaceful, but it is the 'stray' sects that we most remember as violent.

Welcome to the third world, where tribal ties are still in play and violence is considered an acceptable means of societal control. The acts of Muslims extremists are pretty much the same as rebels in Africa, Islam just gives an effective point of focus, regardless of its doctrines - this is the same for any other religion. I seriously doubt that if Islam and Christianity's positions were switched - if Islam were popular in the West and Christianity were popular in the Middle East - we'd see an appreciable difference in how the world is today.

I am Muslim and I don't think any of this non-sense is true. I have read the Quarn many times. Islam is the meaning of peace. There are some people that make bad choices when there not so pose to be doing that. Youngsters that are Muslim all over the world think that its okay to go outside and go shout someone down. Just because of 9/11. People discriminate me so many times, just because I'm Muslim. Can you believe that?

Islam is a religion of peace. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Our prophet(peace be upon him) was ranked no 1 in the world by a christian guy.Nobody have to fear islam.The only time people will fight in islam is to protect the religion if there is people that wants to attack islam.the wars in the past was not started by islam.it was always the other religions that attacked.like the christians believe in Jesus but dont defend him if they use him in a cartoon.But when our prophet(peace be upon him) was mocked islam right over the world defended him.Where is the other religions structure?

We shouldnt be attacking each others religion.Islam teaches us that we need to respect one another and respect there religion and practices.Islam is our religion and the prophet is our example.If everyone can just work on the respect part then we wont have war and fighting over religion.its an individual choice of he's beliefs.A person can tell another person about the religion but still it depends on that individual.the fighting in this world is not about wiping out people but more about owning worldly things,to be in control.If only people can realise that everything on this galaxy only have limited time in this world.Have you ever seen somebody comes back from he's or her grave?We have much more better things to worry about.the people that want to attack other people is people that have no commen sense.what do they gain out of killing people.in the end they are just losers.

extremists are not part of islam, those who commit violence are seperate.

Most muslims are peaceful, then they get some crazies wrecking everything.

islam is the only way

Here is an easy game. You name me one Muslim terrorist, and I name you one Muslim who is very peace-loving. While your list stretches to the thousands at most, I can guarantee you my list can stretch to hundreds of millions.

Not all of us are extremists. Some of us suffer from this war. While the people outside of the third world do not comprehend this, it is easy for a fourteen year old. And to all those Christians out there who think we hate Noah, Jacob, Isaac, Solomon, Joseph, David, Moses, Abraham and Jesus,

Think again.

The Qu'ran is written and should not be adjusted to fit anyones opinion or beliefs, what is written is what should stay, and we should analyze our own convictions and align it with what the Qu'ran says, trying our best to live righteously and at peace with our fellow man. The world is loaded with hypocrites and sinners, can we follow the Qu'ran totally? I seriously doubt it.

Islam instructs its followers never to kill any one, but for just reasons, i.e. after a death sentence or in self defense, as unjustly killing a person is like killing all humanity.

Islam teaches us that oppression is even worse than killing and we are forbidden to commit suicide as well. Also there is no compulsion in religion so we are forbidden to forcibly convert anyone to Islam.

We know how many wars have been instigated by other religions fired with the will to convert people at all cost.