for such a "Peaceful Religion", it was certainly spread by pain, fear, dismemberment, and out-right murder.

There are some high points...But let's face it, for all the acts of horror that are committed in the name of Islam, few Muslim leaders actually seem to despise or condemn those acts. Few are willing to stand against the Radical clerics who are giving Islam such a bad name, who are making/encouraging hatred of the West because they are to stupid and ignorant to try a defend their religion in any kind of meaningful, those who revel in death but hide the very people they are manipulating. Those are that are among the most despicable and pitiable of creatures.

Islam is at the point now where Christianity was just before the Inquisition. Will the radicals continue to preach and influence? Will the more peaceful clerics rise to the challenge and cast down those who profane their 'peaceful' religion with incitements to violence and hatred? There is an opportunity to avoid such dark days, but they won't bother to learn from others' mistakes.