[ QUOTE ] The thought process behind Islamic extremism seems so violent. I don't get how they justify it in their own minds. [/ QUOTE ] Simple... they don't. When one's beliefs are based on faith in a rigid religious dogma -- rather than truth -- one tends to ignore any rational justification (or lack thereof) for one's…
Early Christians used religious art as teaching tools. Of course the line between illustration of stories and images intended to be gods (little "g") to be worshipped is probably blurry and indistinct. I'm not sure myself how to interpret the Catholic saint culture, or Orthodox emphasis on icons (which all seem sort of…