There is no such thing as a "muslim mentality" - the represent people from hundreds of cultures some completely different. The people being attacked no more deserve than any other people yet essentially get blamed for being attacked simply because they are Muslim and are some how asking for it. That is bigotry plain and simple and it's bigotry in UK just as it's bigotry in Egypt when the Copts were attacked.
Hard to believe? I think I have slightly more experience than you do with Muslims and Arabs in general, I recommend you watch the video where David Wood explains the origins and the references in the Qura'n, the most studied Muslim-only book which is the source for the differences.
There is a mentality for everything now you must have missed a discussion we had here about Tribalism and why the M.E. is burning, or perhaps the documentary I posted here on this thread by Zvi Yehezkeli, open your mind and watch - later judge and conclude, its not wise to conclude before judging or to judge before knowing.
I think your experiences are limited to Muslim Arabs and your perceptions are influenced by your personal veiwpoint and experiences. I'm not denying their validity, I'm just saying they are colored by your own views. Let me put it this way: Palestinians who have plenty of experience with Jews and Israeli Jews in particular have some pretty negative things to say about Israeli's and Jews in general. Are they accurate?
When you talk about tribalism etc. in Arab culture - I agree with you. If you talk about a need for a reformation in a religion that is still stuck in a Medievil mindset in many parts of the world and which the other major world religion, Christianity, has moved beyond - I agree.
I did not find David Wood convincing at all, so I went and looked him up:
David Wood Christian apologist - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
Christian apologetics - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
The American Muslim TAM
Exposing David Wood Of Mosques and Men Pt. 2 loonwatch.com
Rebuttal to David Wood s Article Muhammad in the Bible An Analysis of the Muslim Appeal to Biblical Prophecy
If I want to learn about Islam, I would do the following: read a decent history of Mohammed that included the cultures of the era, read a history of it's spread and it's different sects, written by reputable historians, read some works by modern Islamic writers and scholars (not self-professed experts), read the Quran and interpretations/explanations of what it means both today and in the context of the times, and read some works on Islam in the the modern world and on Islamic culture. I would read books by Muslims themselves on what constitutes Islam and what their faith means to them. That is what I've been in the process of doing.
If I want to learn about Judaism, I would do the following: read a decent history (or histories) of the Jewish people that would include ancient history, diaspora and spread, the differing sects, their status in Europe and Muslim countries, the events surrounding the founding of Israel and modern Israeli culture, and Jewish culture and views in the modern world. Read about what the actual beliefs are - what makes a person Jewish in faith. I would read the OT, read a good historical analysis of the OT (for example Issac Asimov's The Bible as History) and works by modern Jewish writers and historians. That is on my bucket list.
If I want to learn about Christianity, I would do the following: read some decent histories of the religion and it's spread throughout the world from ancient times, through reformation and to the modern world. I would read the NT and try to find some good books interpreting it and looking at it's history. Read about the different sects and divisions. Because Christianity is so wildly diverse - I would try to find a selection of books on the many divisions and what their beliefs are, written by people of those faiths. I would look for books by modern Christians on what it means to be a Christian in todays worlds. That is partially done but kind of on the back burner.
Lastly - I would look for good fiction by Jews, Christians, Muslims. Sound silly? Not necessarily - fiction provides a look at cultures.
What I would be very careful with is material written with obvious agendas and bias' against something though that can still be worth reading because it can give you the downside of particular religions - for example an athiests view of Catholocism or a Christian Apologist's view of Islam.
That's just my opinion Daniel. I grant you know more of Arab culture than I do - but that is not all of Islam and it is likely colored by your experiences as an Israeli. I think we all colored by our experiences (or lack of them) and mine are limited but include Muslims in N. America's Muslim communities as well as foreign students. They comprise a variety of communities though - Bangledesh, India, Somali, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Malaysia and of course - American.
