Why do Atheists defend Islam?

[Mister Agenda]

The point is that people don't become radicalized on a whim.  Radicalization is the symptom of other problems.  A big problem is Islam itself, and those indoctrinated in it from an early age/the start of their lives.

But, the people who come from decent lives to become ISIS are very obviously trying to fill some kind of void.  And that's what we need to figure out.  I mean, it's one thing for people living in the shithole that is the Middle East to become radicalized.  It's, sadly, something to be expected given the last 50-100 years of conflict in the region.  But what makes ISIS not just palatable, but desirable to certain people living in the West?

You don't just decide to blow yourself up, or run the risk of suicide by cop without there being a deeper issue.  And it's intellectually lazy to lay that at the feet of Islam, which strikes me as being no more credible than any other religion.  We need to figure out and address those underlying problems that cause people here to fly to the Middle East, drink the Kool-Aid, get training/equipment/money, and decide to kill people.  Because that's the actual threat.  Not the assholes fighting over land in the Middle East, but the nice quiet neighbor down the street who decides to kill 10-20 people in glorious Jihad.

I think a lot of it has to do with Al Qaeda and DAESH's success in persuading an appalling number of Americans that Muslims are all terrorists waiting for the right moment to stop taqiyya-ing around and do us all in. Open bigotry against Muslims, a demographic that was pretty innocuous in American prior to 9/11 has increased dramatically. Convince Muslim Americans that they're hated by government and the citizenry, make them listen to Muslim-bashing long enough. let them experience it...and some of them are going to snap. And the people who see themselves as brave critiquers of Islam are contributing to this when they focus on the religion instead of the radical extremists.