I think terrorism is not so much of a problem of Islam itself, but the deranged people who call themselves Muslims and attempt to convert people by violence. As far as I know it is a religion that promotes Peace, Love, Justice, Respect and Understanding, regardless of Religion. Terrorism is extremism, it's madness and I say that terrorists are tragically misinformed individuals who are taking things way too far.

Examples from the Quran (from http://www.submission.org/terrorism.html):

[Quran 5:32] "......, we decreed for the Children of Israel that anyone who murders any person who had not committed murder or horrendous crimes, it shall be as if he murdered all the people. And anyone who spares a life, it shall be as if he spared the lives of all the people. .............."

[Quran: 7:199] ......You shall resort to pardon, advocate tolerance, and disregard the ignorant.

[Quran 60:8]"GOD does not enjoin you from befriending those who do not fight you because of religion, and do not evict you from your homes. You may befriend them and be equitable towards them. GOD loves the equitable."

[Quran 4:90]"...... Therefore, if they leave you alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then GOD gives you no excuse to fight them."

"It is a deplorable and horrendous act that can never be condoned by any God fearing people. Like many other attacks in the past, the terrorists are linked to groups that abuse the name and laws falsely attributed to Islam to commit crimes that are abhorred and strongly condemned by God in the Quran. "

Don't get me wrong. I despise Bin Laden. I loath terrorism and murder under the name of religion, but surely the attacks and such are not valid reasons for me to condemn an entire religion. The extremists merely represent a minority of the Muslims, with it being the second largest religion in the world and all. Judging a group from its minority examples that you see is unfair. We only see the terrorists because they make the news more often than the devoted Mecca pilgrims, and saying that the extremists represent Islam, I believe, is faulty.

If I should answer the question of what is the real truth of Islam, I would say that Islam is a religion that promotes what are universally considered 'correct' and 'moral'. How many times were you told to tolerate and not judge others? Or, 'get into their shoes and walk around'? Or make peace in the place of violence? I as an atheist was taught that countless times in my life. It is, I believe, what most consider to be correct, and Islam is no different. I believe that most religions contain these messages and as far as terrorism goes, it has a little to do with Islam.