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.

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.

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.

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

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