Religion (or any strongly held belief) is used by many to gain and maintain power. The religion or belief system is manipulated to commit excess and outright evil. For example, around 500AD apostasy became a capital crime in Christendom. If you lived in the Christian world, anywhere from around 400AD to maybe as late as 1800AD, what conclusions would you have reached about Christianity? Would you say that Jesus preached burning witches, killing pagans and torturing Jews? If there were a Christian of that time who tried to explain to you the message of Jesus would you tell him that Christians kill pagans so that must be part of the religion? Would you point to the edicts issued by the Popes and the speeches of so-called scholars of the time as proof of your claim? St. Augustine argued, "There is a righteous persecution which the Church of Christ inflicts upon the impious. She persecutes in the spirit of love. that she may correct. that she may recall from error. taking]measures for their good, to secure their eternal salvation."
There is great ignorance in the Muslim world which is in a pathetic state at this point in time. Much of what is being preached about Islam is in fact anti-Islamic.
This is correct and people should learn from the past. Christendom went through a reformation, but there is a reason for that. Someone here posted that explained why Christianity was able to go through a reformation when they looked back at the New Testament text, and this simply might not be possible with Islam. Skip to 4:45, but really watch the whole video:
The original video describes why Islam can't go through a reformation. You're saying Jews didn't go through one therefore Islam doesn't need to. The guy explains that Muslims interpret the Quran as final and Mohammed was perfect and should be emulated.
Basically in order for a reformation to occur, the example we have is Christianity, but can the parallels be applied? Looking back at the scripture and reaching a different conclusion that is tenable to adhere to for a reformation? There is no evidence muslims are going this route because "if they look back at scripture" they won't find the avenues that will allow for a reformation.
I actually doubt any change will come soon with Islam at this point in time. Islam should actually change in this modern world and maybe it will but I don't have high hopes for it happening within this century. "that's not real Islam" from the moderates every time someone does something bad in the name of Islam sounds like that's the strongest pushback we've seen. And that pushback is targeted at the wrong people.
It's not non-muslims opinions that need changing, because it's not us doing the bad things, and it's not our responsibility to accommodate arguments about "who is the real-Islam and who isn't" other than to look out for ourselves.
The destabilization in the middle east is correct to be highlighted as a blight in the modern world. Seems to be universally slammed, even by
Trump iirc, those decisions are government decisions and I don't think can be pinned on the American people or people the west. I think that's a side topic to Islam itself. If religion can be used to suit their own agendas and propaganda, gain power and influence like you said, than the governments have their own agendas and propaganda in instigating wars, but that's not on the regular citizens to shoulder the blame.
Islam would probably still have the same problems in those Islamic countries regardless if U.S. invaded Iraq. Destabilization didn't change anything in the Quran, Hadiths etc. or how they're used by muslims and Islamic governments. It did kick a hornets nest though which everyone is regretting (except those well insulated).