This article brings to mind something I often think about. Why does the concept of faith become a stumbling block in our relations with others? Why should I care whether or not a Muslim or Jew believes Jesus is divine? Why shouldn't the common ground we can arrive at through our respective moral codes and our shared humanity be enough?

It seems that so many of the issues that become contentious between adherents of different religions are more about politics and power than spirituality. The older I get, the less I can get my head around a God that cares more about the profession of a creed than the behavior that profession inspires. 

[NOTE: I expect the usual anti-Muslim hysteria to follow. To save time, let me state up front that I won't respond. Every religion has ancient literature with incendiary passages, and most Muslims aren't radicals. They want no more than the rest of us want out of life, which is to live in peace. That's all I have to say on the subject.]