fallstuff
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That raises an interesting question: is the 'other' forgiving of Christianity because it has reformed, or simply because it dominates the world financially, technologically, militarily and culturally?
It's hard to hold a grudge against your banker, your teacher, your policeman or your favorite entertainer.
Judaism has also had a reformation, but Israeli politics is dominated more by hardliners, including ultra-Orthodox fundamentalists. Yet countries, including India, want to do business with them, partly because they have excellent technology and can provide benefits to their partners.
So, while I agree that Islam needs a reformation, for its own good as much as for the rest of the world, I am not sure that it will be enough to garner respect from the world.
China has always been respected, in a nebulous way, for its ancient culture but proper recognition and respect only came recently with its economic might. Same is true, to a lesser degree, about India.
Sunni, the dominant sect is non-hirearchical, which means you don't have a group of mosques controlled by one diocese (district). The mosques are independant. Isalm is not an organized religion like Christianity. Crusaders were blessed by the pope, the folks fighting crusaders were not part of an organized muslim movement. It is almost same today even after a thousand years. In US there is organized Catholic church, Southern Baptist church, and other organized church that also holds conference/meeting between different denominaions. No such thing exist in Islam.
Some folks look down on Christianity because they believe that its been compromised. They believe as mere mortals we can't edit words from God.