Yes, people can practice religion in a way that's not too dangerous. Perhaps an illustrative comparison would be to drinking in moderation. Maybe an even more apt comparison would be to taking poison in such minute quantities that it has no discernible effects.

There definitely are factors that lead many people to interpret Islam in such dangerous ways.

Absolutely. It is worth talking about the ways that specific beliefs have specific consequences.

To address a comment above, atheism - which is the lack of belief in deities - cannot by definition cause atrocities: people do not take action based on what they DON'T believe; they act on what they DO believe.

As a liberal - one who has had several close Muslim friends - I hesitate to say anything that could be taken the wrong way by racists, but it has to be said: the world right now has a huge problem with Islam (not Muslims and not individuals of any given race, but the religion/ideology Islam.

Burt Reynolds: Ha-ha! Yeah, I found this backstage, an over-sized hat. It's funny.

It's either going to be Al Bundy or George Carlin, a comedian and thinker whom I've idolized since youth.

This is a classic example of how Married…with Children plays with the viewer's expectations.

One more Married…with Children quote:

"Ol' McBundy had a farm, B-U-N-D-Y,
And on this farm there was no wife, B-U-N-D-Y,
With a no wife here and a no kids there and a…hooker comin over on Friday night…."

So do you just fantasize about stuff you've already done?

Simpsons (classic), Star Wars (original trilogy), Married…with Children (I can't wait to post an essay explaining how layered and well-constructed its humor actually is), All in the Family, Sopranos, Futurama (to a lesser extent), most Nintendo stuff.

Contemporiiiiiize, maaaaan.

Good point. There's a bit on Orange is the New Black about how the internet allows groups of weirdos to find camaraderie.

You're right that there's a difference between a fantasy that violates cultural norms and a fantasy that violates values that one holds deeply personal.

Why, I never! You, sir, should consider yourself challenged to a….eh, never mind.

Really? I think there have always been lots of people with basic fantasies ("there's a knock at the door…it's a handsome man…he rips my clothes off")…probably most people. But I also think there's always been a segment of the population with more involved and unusual fantasies. Perhaps media has increased the numbers…

Holy shit, reverse bukkake is an amazing idea!

Most people get skeeved out by it anyway, though.

I don't think there's anything "lame" about being aroused by transgression. I commented in another column that that's a big part of the erotic charge for a lot of people.