[Nate]

Well actually during the middle ages Islam was much more pluralist than Christianity. There is a principle in Islam that Christianity, Judaism and Islam all worship the same god and as such Christians and Jews are considered good people, at least better than pagans. How well Christians and Jews were treated depended on the country and the ruler. For instance, during the Golden Age of Spain (fourteenth century), when the Moors were ruling that country, it was the only place in Europe where Jews could live freely. In fact the second in command to the King at one stage was Jewish.

Then Spain was reclaimed by Christians, Isabella and Ferdinand expelled the Jews and started the spanish inquisition to get rid of any who had stayed.


Now you may ask why Islam is so anti-west these days. Its a complicated answer but the quick version is to say that over the centuries the conservative stream of Islam has won out, helped by Britain's support of the Saudis after WWI. At the same time the western world has been going in the opposite direction - free-er and less conservative about many things that Islam holds fundamental.