@nnoble, OK, they shouldn't. But as for god's army, I'm more worried about the ones currently fighting in the field, and the support they get from the 'souls' that their nations have won.
Yeah, a little off topic, but an attempt to examine the context within which we are all operating. Not to understand the context means not really understanding the elements within it, and their relative importance.

OK. Sadly I have first hand experience of this, first as a child and now watching the same thing happening to innocent victims here. Personally, I'm vehemently opposed to organised religion but understand it's a fact of life, albeit lesser now in developed countries. The Irish comedian Dave Allen, himself a target of a fundamentalist Catholic upbringing, had the best philosophy: "Goodnight, and may YOUR god go with you."

"I think evil is too strong a word."

but why are they allowed to use it and not me? doesn't that give them an unfair advantage? i like it precisely because it's a strong word.

"religious fanatics/Jesus freaks"

but this is where it gets hairy. what's the difference between a fanatic and a casual sunday church goer? the difference is that the fanatic goes deeper into the bible, spends more time at church meetings, etc...

but their behavior and attitudes are caused by the belief system. the same belief system that the average sunday churchgoer believes. so basically, the deeper you get into it, the more evil it gets. but that begs the question, why would anyone want to be associated to this at all if there is some evil behavior taking place by some of the members?

because it's the only religion available and people need to cling to some kind of belief system? just to cover your butt in case you miss out and get "left behind" (new film with nic cage is out!) if you don't believe in jesus?

Most students I come across in China know their parents and grandparents provide for their basic necessities. Thank god for putting food on the table? No, thank your parents and their parents. If you are taught to believe you can have bread and fish for lunch using a conjuring trick, then that can begin to erode the family unit. And there's the problem. The family unit in China is 'the' welfare system. Mess with that by introducing a higher authority and you're undermining that family and thus society as a whole. You can afford a mythical god and believe in the conjuring tricks only if there is a safety net, i.e. a welfare system.

When I said I was a victim, it was nothing more sinister than having to sit through hours, days, weeks, years of knowing adults were lying to me: parents, teacher, clergy. Thanks to being part of a big family I knew this was happening by the age of five or six. Father Christmas and the tooth fairy and the virgin birth were all bullshit and belief in this had gone by the age of four or five. I was cynical before I knew the word. How can you trust people who lie to you? Christians and Muslims believe mostly the same thing right up to whose profit left the last message. So wars happen because of who left the last message! Imagine when some mullah or pope comes out and says god has revealed more stuff on his Facebook page........

@Magnifico, I think it's more about them having the wrong interpretation from the beginning. There are many regular non-fanatical church goers who get deeper into the beliefs and don't turn into evil fanatics. Some people use any mainstream means (including religion) to spread hate on groups of people or ideologies. Like the several groups of "religious" protesters during the recent legalisation process of gay marriages in the US. The media loves to feed on that for more views. A few friends regularly hear similar reports through the media and ask me why Christians hate gays. I don't hate gays. My religious friends and family of different beliefs don't hate gays. The only person I know who is constantly nagging about anything anti-gay, anti-commie, anti-jew, anti-arab is an American dude who's in a small sect. I've only heard rumours, but is it true that you only need less than 5 people to start an official Protestant ministry? In that case, any good orator can find an attractive niche, then get a growing following of people who decide to only hear his/her version, get their loyalty by using the bible and then spread any wrong message he wants.

"whose profit left the last message."

profit or prophet?

"Too late," the prophets (profits) cry
The island's sinking, let's take to the sky — Fool's Overture

ha ha, Facebook. Jesus will return and set up a facebook page, maybe? Thanks for liking and sharing.

Agh, yes. I'll cringe over that mistake foe eternity. I could more easily believe in profit than the latest prophet.

"I think it's more about them having the wrong interpretation from the beginning"

yeah, but that's part of the problem. the fact that the bible is so cryptic is dangerous, isn't it?

and.... maybe the "real" teachings of Jesus have been hidden in a cave somewhere. or maybe the Bible was written in a secret code whose true meaning has yet to be deciphered by anyone.

@magnifico.
"but why are they allowed to use it and not me? doesn't that give them an unfair advantage? i like it precisely because it's a strong word."

Because people who use that word can sound like an extremist, and then they lose credibility with most of the audience. When the fundamentalists use this language they lose credibility. You are free to join them.