how do we know whether it's the religion that is to blame for these events rather than a mentally ill or deranged individual who happens to be part of that religion - Pete Zahut
Islam is both a spiritual and a political movement. The majority of Muslims are only concerned about the former and ignore a central theme of the quran and Hadith to spread the domain of Islam by force - Allah's laws being followed in Allah's land.
Christianity also longs for the day when the whole world will be Christian. The difference is that Christians are to wait for Jesus to destroy the unbelievers and establish his kingdom. Muslims are commanded to act now to make it happen.
The Islamic terrorist's objective is to make us submit to Islam out of fear of the further consequences for not doing so. Muslim terrorists are not insane or mentally unstable. They genuinely believe they are following the instructions of their god and will be rewarded for doing so. Their actions - from that perspective - are entirely rational.