LONDON -- So many crimes have sadly been committed in the name of religion that many humanists reject religion while Marxists regard religion as the opium of the people. Humanists and Marxists who condemn religion fail to see the good that can flow from sincerely held religious beliefs, but the perversion of beliefs in many organized religions and the intolerance -- which some religious leaders preach -- engender hatred and contempt.

Islamic suicide bombers seem to believe that they are "martyrs" and will go straight to Paradise. Most people, including responsible Muslims, regard them as murderers who are damaging their own religion. The Quran condemns suicide as a mark of despair in God, but death in jihad is believed to earn eternal bliss. If Islam is to be recognized as a significant force for good in the world, Islamic leaders need to do more to make clear that terrorist acts cannot be seen as acts of jihad and that jihad is simply not acceptable in the modern world. They should also endeavor to explain that fundamental human rights, including the rights of women and of freedom of speech, are upheld within Islam.

Muslim leaders need to ensure that the traditions and ethics of non-Islamic societies are respected by Muslims who live within them. Some observers may think that the French government, by insisting on the banning of head scarves by girls in French state schools, is going too far in upholding the principle of secularity. But secularism based on anticlerical traditions has a long history in France and it behooves Muslims and Christians to respect French traditions and laws.