I thought the questionnaire was interesting. That chart doesn't show all the columns - there's one for 'often' which isn't included. What I found interesting was that outside of Jordan (in 2005, curiously enough, it was at 24%, stark contrast to the 8% it returned to this year. What's happened since then?) support for 'often' was in single digits.

As for the other questions there are some really interesting ones, but they didn't ask everyone. I would have really liked to hear American opinions, for example, on question 38:

On a different subject, do you believe that groups of Arabs carried out the attacks against the United States (the World Trade Center and the Pentagon) on September 11 (2001) or don’t you believe this?

It would be interesting to see just what impact propaganda films like Short Change have had on the US population.

On the whole though there wasn't much in the report that was surprising. It was heartening to see a general decline in support for terrorists.

By significant, I mean near majorities or outright majorities.

In 2005, sure, but the survey also suggests those majorities have largely disappeared over the last year. Or have I misread the figures? I mean Jordan's support has halved (and absolute opposition quadrupled!) since 2005, Pakistani support has declined dramatically and Indonesia's is almost a third of what it was in 2002.

I think the survey is quite positive really, considering the events of the last year. Change is actually happening!

Thanks for providing the link. Look at how having the facts available got you a much better quality of response (yay cactoblasta). Hope I have some time to look at it later.

Waves, back to whip. Interesting survey.

... and in other news Christians for 1500 years killed Muslims, Jews, and anyone that dared actually use their brains in the name of religion and the furthering of Christian Doctrine and thought nothing of it. Spanish Inquisition, witch hunts, Friday the 13th anyone?

... and in other news, Christian leaders in the south have been supporting the Jews monetarily in Israel. Why? Because they believe that it will hasten Armageddon and the unbelievers will be washed from the face of the earth. (i.e. murdered in the name of God)

... and in other news, the Christian right seeks to ban gay marriage, bring back prayer in public school and basically make the United States a Christian state. If they ever gain power will the next Crusades be far behind??? Oh wait, Iraq... after all that nutbar named George Bush meets weekly with religious leaders (including a closet homosexual hooked on drugs and prostitutes) to get directions on what he should be doing in his administration....

Why exactly is this news? Religion breeds hatred of all others that do not believe the same thing because of the very concept of faith. If you can't prove what you believe, and there is no evidence that what you believe is true, and in fact most of it has been disproven by rational minds through science, what do you think is going to happen? You're going to feel threatened, which breeds fear. Fear and hatred are the same emotion largely so the result of proactive action against fear is hatred and ultimately the desire to destroy anyone who dares to believe different unprovable things than you. This isn't news, this is 9000 years of human history where 99% of all wars have been caused by religion.

Wow John Galt, equating objecting to gay marriage to suicide bombings. Nice.

Christians and Muslims in 1500 were killing each other.  The difference is that Christianity grew out of that.

If you can find a survey that demonstrates that a significant % of Christians support murdering innocents in the name of Jesus or whatever, feel free to post it. I thnk you'll have a difficult time finding any such evidence.

Not all religions are ideologies, John Galt.

As an agnostic, I have no particular care for Christianity or any other religion. But I can make the distinction between say Hinduism and Islam. For someone who's handle comes from Atlas Shrugged, you certainly don't behave as an objectivist or anything similar.

Not all religions are ideologies

How so?

It's a thought process, it's:

"An ideology is an organized collection of ideas."

WWW Link">Link

i·de·ol·o·gy (d-l-j, d-) Pronunciation Key

n. pl. i·de·ol·o·gies

1. The body of ideas reflecting the social needs and aspirations of an individual, group, class, or culture.

2. A set of doctrines or beliefs that form the basis of a political, economic, or other system.

[link="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=ideologies"]WWW Link2

So, how can you say that religions are not ideologies, when it fits the definition

If you can find a survey that demonstrates that a significant % of Christians support murdering innocents in the name of Jesus or whatever, feel free to post it. I thnk you'll have a difficult time finding any such evidence.

Granted, as a whole it's not like that, however there have been christian bombers and such, i.e. abortion clinic bombers. So, you can't really say that it has grown out of christianity when it still exists. It may have grown up, and shrugged most of it off, but...it still exists.

Because they believe that it will hasten Armageddon and the unbelievers will be washed from the face of the earth. (i.e. murdered in the name of God)

What's wrong with believing that G-d will kill unbelievers Himself?

For someone who's handle comes from Atlas Shrugged, you certainly don't behave as an objectivist or anything similar.

Ha!

What's wrong with believing that G-d will kill unbelievers Himself?

I personally find it hard to believe, that a God who preaches compassion and love...would strike down non-believers. It's...well, unbecoming and hypocritical.

~L

Brad, you just became one of my favorite bloggers. Nice reply.

The whole point is that when fanatical Christians blew up abortion clinics they were roundly denounced by other Christians, caught by the police, and put in jail. It's obvious from these poll results that Islam embraces its lunatic fringe rather than distancing itself from it...which means the lunatics aren't "fringe" at all.

This is something that most Americans (and heck, most Westerners) just don't want to think about, because the consequences are terrible no matter what actually happens. The fanatics are in control. They kill moderates who call for peace with non-Muslims. If they stay on the path of jihad against the rest of the world, a whole lot of people are going to die. It will not be avoidable.

"Violence against civilian targets in order to defend islam can be justified"
=
"intentionally murdering innocents in the name of Islam"

...hmm. Not sure that you interprete this the same way as the people interviewed here. If that was the original question. Anyway, in light of recent happenings in Beit Hanoun, wonder what would come out if they substituted "Islam" with "Israel"

I think you're overdramatizing a bit here. Just a thought.

Better put me on that blacklist again   

Décidément, le ridicule ne tue plus !!!

Corio: Note the phrase "civilian targets". The poll wasn't talking about accidental deaths of civilians. It was asking how many people supported the deliberate targeting of civilians in defense of Islam. And of course, we all know how easily "Islam" can be offended; just ask Salmon Rushdie or the Danish cartoon publishers.

Never said it was. I merely pointed out that the question on the survey might evoke a different response than Draginol's interpretation of it. And yes, there are always zealots that will find almost anything other than their own views offensive. So?