I'm not sure what it is about this faith that engenders such fanaticism, passion and utter delusion among the *majority* of its followers. I don't mean to merely deride Islam, but I genuinely am struggling to understand why these characteristics are so prevalent among its followers - blind faith and delusion. Across the world, they rise up as one for the "civil liberties" of "oppressed" muslims in non-muslim states (India, Russia, Israel, France, UK, etc..), but there isn't a peep about Muslim states oppression of minorities within them, or lack of civil liberties for the general muslim population of these states. It is really curious, because it really seems as if they genuinely believe in their hypocrisy...it is to the point of mass delusion, and is a common characteristic whereever in the Islamic world you look. Witness the recent argument made by a poster that Muslim Spain was a utopia of religious freedom. Can anyone attempt a serious explanation of this phenomenon (Sp?)?

Could it be that Islam as a religion is much more political than any other religious teachings?

I'll try answering. I think the concept of sin is the main religious difference - that is something is wrong, even though nobody notices and everybody gets away with it - and you can't escape it, only be sorry. The Arabs have a very developed sense of SHAME, that is being found out to be a liar, but not of SIN, i.e. lying is basically wrong.