Islam is not a religion of peace

Indeed, Allah is with those who are righteous and those who do good. (Holy Quran 16:129) ISIS does not speak for Islam. They are thugs and killers, part of a cult of death... Moreover, the vast majority of terrorist victims around the world are Muslim. The people in ISIS and who commit these terror attacks are extremists, or a person who holds extreme or fanatical political or religious views, especially one who resorts to or advocates extreme action. Extremists take text like the Quran or the Bible and twist it to suit their own needs. Islam is not a religion of hate, it is a religion of peace. Throughout history they have been victims of death and hate, such as the Christian Crusades where almost 1 million Muslims died. You say that 18,000 Islamic acts of terrorism have been committed over the past decade, which is on average about 1800 a year over 10 years. Sometimes religion is a cause " or at least an excuse " like in the bombings by Christian extremist Eric Rudolph or the genocide in Sudan. But most often it is not. Calling, say, the 9/11 terrorists "Muslim" is like calling Hitler "Christian": true yet misleading. It is Islamophobia, not a serious attempt to understand the world as it is. During his lifetime, Muhammad is not known to have murdered anyone. Neither did Muhammad give any order to kill Jews. The story tells us that Jews were given the sentence of death for their treason according to the Jewish Law by the arbiter who was chosen by the said Jews themselves. Their arbiter made this decision with their willing appointment of him, per Biblical law (not Quranic law), and for the crime of high treason. Muhammad had no say in this matter, and gave no such order. When you say "Muhammad said in many places that he has been "ordered by Allah to fight men until they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is his messenger." In the last nine years of his life, he ordered no less than 65 military campaigns to do exactly that." You are using one of the many misquoted parts of the Quran, that people use as an example of Islam's "hate", but because of faulty translation, what many people read is this: "They question you concerning fighting in the sacred month. Say: Fighting therein is a great/grave (matter); but to prevent access to God, to deny Him, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, to expel its members and polytheism are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease fighting you until they make you renegades from your religion. If any of you turn back and die in unbelief, your works will be lost and you will go to Hell. Surely those who believe and leave their homes to fight in God's Cause have the hope of God's Mercy." (Holy Quran 2:217-218) Again the translation has been altered and before answering the quote, I will provide a clear translation: They ask thee concerning fighting in the Prohibited Month. Say: "Fighting therein is a grave (offence); but graver is it in the sight of God to prevent access to the path of God, to deny Him, to prevent access to the Sacred Mosque, and drive out its members. "Persecution and oppression are worse than slaughter. Nor will they cease fighting you until they turn you back from your faith if they can. And if any of you Turn back from their faith and die in unbelief, their works will bear no fruit in this life and in the Hereafter; they will be companions of the Fire and will abide therein. (Holy Quran 2:217) Those who believed and those who suffered exile and fought (and strove and struggled) in the path of God,- they have the hope of the Mercy of God. And God is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. (Holy Quran 2:218) We see now how detrimental it is for the Islam-haters to use authentic unaltered translations, as it exposes their methods of deception. The context of these verses refers to an expedition of a group of the companions of Muhammad, under the lead of Abdullah bin Jahsh Asadi. You say "Muslims continued their Jihad against other religions for 1400 years, checked only by the ability of non-Muslims to defend themselves. To this day, not a week goes by that Islamic fundamentalists do not attempt to kill Christians, Jews, Hindus and Buddhists explicitly in the name of Allah. None of these other religions are at war with each other." I'm calling this one out as a completely false statement. You have no proof that this is happening, you have no source that says this is happening, and did you know, ISIS mostly kills other Muslims... Not Christians, not Jews, but other Muslims. You say not a week goes by that they do not attempt to kill people of other religions, but this is complete crap. Fundamentalists, or an adherent of fundamentalism, a religious movement characterized by a strict belief in the literal interpretation of religious texts. There are many strict Muslims in the United States alone... Are you to say that every week there are attempted murders in the United States, by only Muslims, but no one hears about these? I hate to break it to you, but that doesn't happen. Let me make a suggestion here, now, I have found 120+ instructions from the Quran to be kind, merciful and compassionate. I'll list 10: 1. The reward of goodness is nothing but goodness. (Holy Quran 55:61) 2. Those who spend in prosperity and adversity, and those who suppress anger and pardon men; and Allah loves those who do good. "(Holy Quran 3:135) 3. So Allah gave them the reward of this world, as also an excellent reward of the next; and Allah loves those who do good. ""(Holy Quran 3:149) 4. So Allah rewarded them, for what they said, with Gardens beneath which streams flow. Therein shall they abide; and that is the reward of those who do good. "(Holy Quran 5:86) 5. And remember the time when We said: "Enter this village and eat therefrom " wherever you will " plentifully; and enter the gate submissively and say: "God! forgive us our sins." We shall forgive you your sins and We shall give increase to those who do good. (Holy Quran 2:59) 6. And when he attained his age of full strength, We granted him judgment and knowledge. And thus do We reward the doers of good. (Holy Quran 12:23) 7. They said, "O exalted one, he has a very aged father, so take one of us in his stead; for we see thee to be of those who do good." (Holy Quran 12:79) 8. Their flesh reaches not Allah, nor does their blood, but it is your righteousness that reaches Him. Thus has He subjected them to you, that you may glorify Allah for His guiding you. And give glad tidings to those who do good. (Holy Quran 22:38) 9. And when he reached his age of full strength and attained maturity, We gave him wisdom and knowledge; and thus do We reward those who do good. (Holy Quran 28:15) 10. A guidance and a mercy for those who do good. (Holy Quran 31:4) You say that Islam is a religion of hate, but I have found so many examples of text specifically from the Quran that say to be kind to one another, to be tolerant of each other. You say that the Quran NEVER speaks of Allah's love for non-Muslims, but I've found plenty of text that says to be tolerant and kind towards people of other religions... But, what about this? That is why Muslims also treat Jews and Christians, described in the Quran as "the People of the Book," with great justice, love and compassion. God says in the Quran: "God does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you in the religion or driven you from your homes, or from being just towards them. God loves those who are just." (Holy Quran 28:12) This says nothing about being Muslim, it says that their God (Allah) does not say that you cannot be nice to people who have fought you in religion, or people you may have had conflict with over religion. It says that God loves those who are just, those who are morally right and fair. This religion is a religion of peace, of love, of kindness. As all religions are founded on. How people interpret that information is up to them, but the Quran was intended by whomever wrote it, whether it be their God or Mohammad or whoever else, to be a book of morals, of peace, and of lessons. Islam is a religion of peace, and it is the extremists who interpret this holy text that give Islam a bad name. Ignorant people who completely refuse to see the facts that are presented to them are the ones who are spreading hate, not the religion of Islam. The people who follow the Quran are misinterpreted people who are overshadowed by the terrible acts that radicals do in the name of what they think is their religion. Throughout history, there have always been scapegoats, someone to blame when things get rough. That is human nature, to say it is another's fault before your own. It was the Jews, then the Poles, then the Germans, then the Russians and the list goes on. But now we look around and see war and destruction, and we don't want to say that, maybe, it's our own fault, so instead we look for someone else. There is a religion of peace, and sadly, it is being destroyed by people who jump to conclusions and look for someone to blame. Sources: https://quran.com... https://www.quora.com... http://www.frontpagemag.com... http://www.dictionary.com... http://waitbutwhy.com... http://www.dictionary.com... http://www.dictionary.com... It has been a great debate... May the best debater win.