Why do Atheists defend Islam?

[CapnAwesome]

I get that Christianity, which has been around for over 2000 years, has gone through its dark times. But they were just that - times. Every group has had its bad times with very bad people, including American history. It's only normal. But its the extent of how much it happens within Islam that causes pause. Christianity hasn't been non stop bloodshed and fighting since Jesus till now a days, like it is with Islam. Islam has existed for 1400 years. Since Mohammed himself until now, it's been violent.    

Oh, please! This is really pissing me off, since it's that ignorant. Get some history lessons, damn it. Look at the Middle Ages and tolerance towards other religions. Want to make a bet where society was more tolerant in general? Towards jews, especially? Want to make a bet, where science flourished and where people were even too ignorant to keep the Roman aqueducts in shape? Do you have any idea what numbers you're yotting down and where they have their origin?

Also, since you're so proud of your South America - might want to look at all the conflicts, the Contras and every other brand of violent terrorists wanting to overthrow one government or the other. True, they don't do it in the name of Jesus, but the Contras, being as despicable as they come, fought the godless regime of the Sandinistas.

Maybe, just maybe, the spread of Islam, which was never a homogeneous mass, but a set of warrying kingdoms and territorries, was mainly political in nature too. But to understand that, one has to look over the rim of the comfy teacup of public opinion and get an informed opinion.

I don't know how you think it can be mainly political in nature and yet separate from Islam. Islam (Not all of them!) is a political system as well as a religion. There was never meant to be a separation of Church and State in Islam and in the early days there certainly wasn't. You guys always talk about it like Muslims (Not all of them!) just happen to come from these conflict areas and that Islam itself has nothing to do with it. That's just plain wrong. While some Muslim countries have separation of church and state, Islam has influenced the politics and culture of these areas for hundreds of years. It's not like they grew up somehow separate from one another and Islam and Muslims (Not all of them!) are just unforunate to have shitty cultures/economies/etc. Islam is essential to all of that and to act as though it isn't is pretty mind boggling.