@brodehouse: I agree, but think there's a more specific point to be made as well. (and since this thread is old and mostly concluded, why not just throw it off the rails!)
Holding a religious text and not its followers responsible for those who commit crimes in its name doesn't hold up as well when you consider, as I do and think you do as well, that the Torah or Bible or Quran are books just like any other and therefore cannot be changed over time. As you said, there are many, "parts of their holy books that moderate believers either don't follow or don't believe in anymore.". But the fact that those sketchy parts remain a part of those books, that as a whole are claimed as ultimate truth by their followers, serves to validate the more extreme and dangerous interpretations.
If I spread a book around that says Bob is all powerful, he created you, he wants you to love everyone, and kick puppies. And explain to the folks that believe in Bob as I do, that the puppy part was just an ancient thing, "puppies" was actually a mistranslation anyway, and you can now see it as a metaphor for confronting evil and serving good, there will still be some Bobians who insist on puppy kicking. And I think I'd be partially to blame for that.
There are endless variations and sects who follow various parts of these texts and dismiss others, but if they aren't willing to actually omit or edit the parts that pretty clearly lead to some nasty shit, they're enabling people to act upon it.
(I myself (an Atheist) might go so far as to consider myself a Christian if the Jefferson Bible was held any actual religious esteem)
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