Master Debator you make many incorrect and out and out false statements about what I stated.
1-You stated about what I said as follows: "You're talking about an entire religion with billions of followers." No in fact I did not. In the references I used I was specific in referencing sharia law states with high illteracy rates.
2- You also stated: "To me that's what religion is. A tool for organization. People use the tools at their disposal to oppress or uplift people."
As you are also aware it can also be used to oppress people. spy on them, control them through fear, and be used because of its insitutional framework a method of operation that can perpetute and cover up sexual abuse, financial corruption and control not just of people but governments/ You again deflect from the latter to falsely assert I deny the former. I do not and did not.
3-You stated: "Correlation isn't causation. I don't have to pretend you haven't shown causation because you haven't. Did you even read that?



I'll quote the summary for you.



"
Perhaps if you did not keep showing me your insecurity and anxiety and feeling threatened with your emoticons and just read what you think you summarized you would see how it stated concepts where in fact it showed both correlation and causation and that to explain causation one must use correlations.
4-Next you stated: "Sharia law doesn't speak for all of Islam any more than fundamentalist Christians speak for all of Christianity."
You could not be more wrong. That is exactly what the Koran says Sharia law MUST do. I would state since you seem intent on misrepresenting what I stated that not all Muslims live in Sharia Law states, not all Sharia law states impose and interpret Islam the same way but the majority of Sharia law states implement fundamental principles of belief in regards to non Muslims, gays/lesbians/transgenders, trade unionists, women, in a manner that would be considered in violation of human rights laws and oppressive in the Western world.
5-You stated: "I'm not arguing that Islam can't be used to oppress, Im questioning the claim that it can't be benign."
In nregards to all your comments to me you have indeed argued my explanationd as to why Islam can oppress is bigoted and untrue. Anyone can your responses back.
I repeat that in regards to your responses to Sweden. Neither Sweden nor I have argued Islam can't be benign. I have said the exact opposite and given examples of the Amidyah and Ismaili Mulsims and any progressive Muslim or any Muslim that disagrees with extreme fundamental interpretation of their Koran.
6- You stated: "So your personal anecdotes is supposed to override your own scientific stidy that shows Islam can be a positive influence on growth?"
No anyone can read what I have provided and if you took the time to open your mind from its preconceived bias and slowed down and read what I stated, you would see I use personal anectdotes to both support that Islam can be used for positive influence on growth as well as preventing growth but never independently and always backed up by another source.
I never presented Muslim by itself as a negative influence on growth inherently. I argued it does have inherently bigoted and hateful passages in its Koran that can and are being used to oppress through sharia law regimes. I have then also argued because of that, the more literate Muslims become and are able to critically analyze all the passages of the Koran and not rely on extremist interpretations told to them, the more likely they will evolve to say the level of Amidyah or Ismaili or other Muslims who have reached a level of critical analysis to not lend their interpretations to rigid inflexible ones that promote intolerance.