Is Islam really worse than other religions?

Just as with most religion-related issues, there is no simple answer to this question.

From a historical perspective, and using religious text alone, Islam introduced a couple of concepts:

1. A return to Old Testament values, in terms of enforcing the concept of God on the people, by force if necessary, and preventing re-conversion.

2. A new, revolutionary, family code, giving women and children, for the first time, a say into marriage, divorce, kids and financial security.

Christians, hundreds of years later, implemented #1. For those who are not familiar with it, look up "Inquisition".

#2, may be a surprise to most, because the only thing we hear about today, is how women are abused under Islam, and how Mohamad was a pedophile.

The Qur'an, specifically in the Chapter on Women, introduced some strict rules, covering the males responsibility toward the women they marry. It dictated a pre-nuptial, covering how much money a woman is owed, upon divorce, what happens to the kids, how they will be cared for financially, a man's responsibility to provide sexual companionship, a home, etc.

The marriage can only occur, only if the financial obligations, are placed into escrow, and a woman can demand a divorce, if her sexual needs are not met.

It also specified that a girl can marry, once she reaches puberty. It also allowed men to have up to four wives.

Mohamad, married an 11-year old girl.

You may see this as proof that Mohamad was a pedophile.

So, why was this an advancement? Because, at the time, whether the tribes were Christian, Jewish or non-believers, it was a common practice, for powerful men, to "take" any girl, of any age, or any woman (or women), rape, and abuse as they please.

Mohamad's child-bride, was promised to her uncle (Father's brother), and it seems as Mohamad managed to keep her uncle from claiming her, until she hit puberty.

Women in these societies (Europe as well), had no rights. They were taken as wives, concubines, or raped, by the well-to-do, and then abandoned, with their offspring. Islam gave women rights, they did not have.

Fast forward to today. Strictly speaking, and if we go by religious books, are religions are the same, so the issue, is how those who adhere to a particular religion, behave.

In first world countries, Christians evolved beyond their religious book, and although culturally Christian, they don't adhere to most of the Commandments.

Non-Israeli Jews, are, for the most part secular as well.

Israeli Jews are split, with Orthodox Jews following nearly the same dietary, marital, family law, etc. rules as religious Muslims. No big surprise, the Qur'an is a combination of the OT and NT.

Western societies, had the luxury of ruling the rest of the world, so the bulk of the Muslim world, did not get the chance to evolve. For the most part though, people in the Muslim world, simply want to live and let live.

Just as with every group of people, statistically speaking, you have the psychopaths, who turn fanatic. In the case of ISIS, it's even more complicated, as when they started out, it was not all about religion. It was about a group of Sunnis, who got shafted by the US invasion of Iraq.

Yes, Islam needs to reform, but islamophobia does not help. The latter accomplishes the opposite. It's easier for us in the Western world, to pass judgment. We've had the luxury of ruling the world, and exploiting these folks, for the past two centuries (minimum). It's our duty to help them ease into the 21st Century, and accept our responsibility.

There's so much more that can be written about this, but this is all the time I can find today, on a single post.