A fair response, for the most part, but I would like to point out a couple of things.
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Originally Posted by wretched34
...Yes, it may very well be a coincidence, and at no time did I say the accused's actions were because of his religion, because I don't for a second believe he committed these heinous crimes simply because he is muslim.
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You have clearly assigned at least some of the responsibility for his crime on his religious convictions when you said:
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Originally Posted by wretched34
...It's no coincidence that this newly found muslim decided to behead people in protest.
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Perhaps you misunderstand me. While it remains possible, it is in no way certain that his conversion to Islam has anything to do with his actions. It is best to withhold making these sorts of generalisations—which may be true—until we know the facts.
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Originally Posted by wretched34
I was simply stating, again, that any religion can be used as justification to commit a heinous act in the mind of an unstable individual. It gives them the ability to feel as though they are in the right, if they are following their god's order. Crucifixion was merely a lewd comparison. I don't believe religion is the motivation for the actions, merely a justification of the actions, in their own mind.
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It was an extremely poor one, since it strains credulity to imagine even in the most twisted interpretation of Catholic doctrine how one arrives at crucifying the infidels.
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Originally Posted by wretched34
...the radicals of all religions can be blamed for doing so. They are the black mark on their beliefs. I have no issue with religion as a whole, and accept all peaceful followers, as friends, family, co-workers, whomever.
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I totally concur and will join you in condemning the assailant on this basis
if there is actually an established link between his behaviour and his religion. So far, there is no link. The point here is to restrain ourselves from drawing these sorts of conclusions prematurely.