Don't you find that Islam is based on quite brutal and oppressive rules?

I couldn't possibly comment, as it's not a subject I know much about. I don't know if you do, either.

No. I think extremists, of every religion, are wrong and it's unfortunate that people discriminate against Islam, and by extension all Middle Easterners, because of current events.

Ironically, it doesn´t appear to me that you gave 1Thought to this question.
You are mostly speaking out of anger and bigotry. Get a book and get educated.

Read the Koran, and have a religous teacher e.g an Imam explain it to you. Don't judge a religions fundamentals by the actions of SOME people.
This question is biased. . .

You are totally misinformed of what you rant bout. No, religions have not caused all the hurt and damage you claim.
Next time do not go to a Catholic Hospital. They are evil and please at all costs avoid the Baptist ones. They are heretics.

The trouble makers are always the extremists.

I don't have nearly enough info to answer this- but gosh, you sound very angry about it! Why not just let people believe what they want?

Times are changing, but it's only been less than 60yrs...it's taken more the 400yrs for America to change...but most of Islam derives from the First Testament...ex: most people don't sacrifice animals for sins any more...the "Extremists" are the dangerous people...like Osama Bin Laden and Suddam Hussein or Adolf Hitler...all the brutal stuff doesn't come from Religion...it's just mean spirited people using Religion as an excuse to apply violence towards others...Islamic people can be just as extreme as Jehovah Witnesses or The Pope...It's just that they've dedicated the entire life to worshiping something that was learned to them and may not have ever experienced other cultures or life styles to understand right from wrong...for ex: can you imagine yourself waking up and watching your cartoons every morning, then after school...instead, Islamic kids read the Quran before school, during school, after school and before bedtime...even if you wanted to watch a different cartoon...your parents would tell you that you have to watch the same cartoon all day, everyday for the rest of your life...eventually, you would be an extremist too...

thought1, that's a good question. i had heard that Mohammed had some moral issues, such as promiscuity. those that follow the Koran (sp?) seem to be polite and unassuming. i believe it's those that have broken off and become radical (remember the Taliban and Al Qaucada *sp?*) are breakoffs, not the real worshipers of God, as they know Him.

Though i am a strong secularist, I feel it is my duty to stand up here. Islam is much more peaceful than what existed at the time. Actually, Islam's rights for women were higher.
Islam stemmed from the corruption that had infected christianity. Islam was kind of a purification.
Its violent tendencies came from Mohommad's tribe's need to defend itself from annihilation.
The actions of a few don't constitute the beliefs of the majority.

No. Interpretation of any religion always alows for it to be swayed to meet the desires of people within it. Having experienced various 'degrees' of Islam in a number of countries I think that it depends on how the 'rules' are interpreted.

Don't forget the Catholic church burned scientists at the stake not that long ago, there current stance on birth control condem people to death through HIV and starvation through overpopulation. Compare that with other denominations and perhaps you will see that any religion has those who like the control that brutal and oppressive rules support.

Try reading and exploring not just about Islam but all religions, I believe in God, I just don't know which flavour they are!!