"Muslims and Catholics on Thursday issued a joint call for religious freedom, non-violence and a fairer world after landmark inter-faith talks at the Vatican." - Sean McBride from Bookmarklet

The Reuters FaithWorld blog is a great place to keep a tab on stuff like this. - /Users/genieyclo

Thanks for the pointer. Talking is better than fighting. Even better than lobbing nuclear bombs. - Sean McBride

@Greg Why? - /Users/genieyclo

On one point all monotheists should come to agreement: we don't want to be killing or oppressing one another. We need to respect one another's beliefs and give each other space. - Sean McBride

Peter - then it should be possible to agree upon democratic rules for spreading the faith. One can use intellectual persuasion (that should be a basic free speech right) but not physical coercion. Any group that initiates physical coercion should be subject to physical counterforce by the rest of the world community. - Sean McBride

Al - American forces are already in Afghanistan, fighting the Taliban. But the war seems to be going quite badly. - Sean McBride

Mr Pasternak, the IRA is primarily a Catholic organisation that has, for years, waged a bloody war against the UK funded by America and Libya. Your response, sir? - Prolific Programmer

Roughly, yes. - Sean McBride

I don't understand your point. - Sean McBride

Al - is this an accurate quotation from David Ben-Gurion (May 1948)? "We must use terror, assassination, intimidation, land confiscation, and the cutting of all social services to rid the Galilee of its Arab population." There are more factors in play in Israeli/Palestinian relations than militant Islam. Militant Orthodox Jews in West Bank settlements are also embarked on a holy mission to seize territory and build Greater Israel. - Sean McBride

Another quote from David Ben-Gurion: "If I were an Arab leader, I would never sign an agreement with Israel. It is normal; we have taken their country. It is true God promised it to us, but how could that interest them? Our God is not theirs. There has been Anti-Semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault ? They see but one thing: we have come and we have stolen their country. Why would they accept that?" - Sean McBride

Al - I oppose Hamas and other Muslim fundamentalist groups trying to impose their ideology by force on Jews in Israel. You missed my point: other factors are in play in the conflict between Jews and Palestinians besides militant Islam. Militant Zionism and militant Judaism played a key role in triggering the current mess. David Ben-Gurion himself admitted that Palestinians were poorly treated by invading Zionists from Russia and Eastern Europe and have legitimate grievances. Zionists attempted to impose their will by force on native Palestinians, and Palestinians responded with counterforce. - Sean McBride

Gregory -- if you examine the core memes of Exodus carefully, with clear eyes, and understand the psychology in play, you might conclude that perpetual apocalyptic conflict and tension is an essential feature of this branch of Abrahamism. Members of the cult derive their sense of identity from their separation from, and superiority to, "the nations" -- all outsiders and other groups. Apocalyptic conflict is built into the ideological model. - Sean McBride

Al - one of the most admirable things about Judaism and the Jewish tradition is their ability to adapt and revise their beliefs and practices in light of new facts, new science, cultural evolution, etc. I don't know enough about Islam to comment about the presence or lack thereof of progressive thinkers. I do know, however, that fundamentalists are a problem for Muslims, Christians and Jews. Fundamentalism is not exclusively a Muslim issue. - Sean McBride

Al - I agree with all your points. - Sean McBride

Gregory -- the window of opportunity for a two-state solution has probably closed. It's either going to be a one-state solution (based on American standards of democracy) or Armageddon. That's where we stand now. - Sean McBride