The lead story on CNN for most of Tuesday evening told the tale of Abdul Rahman, an Afghan man who is facing public torture and execution for rejecting Islam and converting to Christianity. Apparently the Afghan constitution is based on Islamic law and says anyone who converts from Islam can receive the death penalty.

Rahman told reporters after his arrest last week after that he has accepted his fate. While I certainly find this act brave, it absolutely frightens me that such a practice exists in the modern world.

But it isn't just fundamental religious extremism that terrifies me. I read news stories daily about people who use religion to justify hate and violence toward others.

For months we've been hearing about Rev. Fred Phelps and his supporters at the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. protesting military funerals on the grounds that the soldiers died for a country that supports gays.

Rather than allowing the families of the fallen to pay their final respects in peace, Phelps' group stands outside of churches holding signs and screaming hate speech such as "God hates fags" and "We're glad your son is dead."

He also organized protests for the funeral of Matthew Shepard, the 21-year-old University of Wyoming student who was beaten to death in 1998 because he was gay. In late 2003, Phelps wanted to erect a monument condemning Shepard that read, "Matthew Shepard entered hell Oct. 12, 1998, at age 21 in defiance of God's warning: 'Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination.' Leviticus 18:22."

Phelps uses the Bible, which for all intents and purposes may or may not be an accurate account of events, as reasoning for his hateful actions.

Forgive me, but where exactly in this Bible of his does it say such violence is warranted, and even preferred?

While he has obviously taken his views to an entirely different level than most, still many other mainstream Christians use the same religious rhetoric to justify hate crimes, speech and discrimination against gays and other nonbelievers.

Fortunately a group of bikers who call themselves the Patriot Guard have seen the light and have begun following Phelps to the funerals where they use their motorcycles to drown out the reverend's babble. And several state governments, including those in Colorado and Michigan, have agreed that these protests should not take place in the direct vicinity of the funeral and have passed legislation to ensure military families have the right to bury their loved ones in peace.

While I'm glad members of the Patriot Guard have assembled and are restoring peace of mind for these families, I wish this weren't an issue at all.

I don't buy into the notion of a higher power telling anyone it is OK to take another's life. I also don't buy into religion, specifically religious literature, dictating every aspect of my political, philosophical and moral views. The God in which I believe is responsible for my presence here, but I also believe he anticipated and understands all of my imperfections. And I certainly don't think he wants to me to use his name to justify hating another person or even worse, taking his or her life.

For those who practice a religion, it should guide them and help them, not be used to cause others harm.

I stumbled across an interesting quote the other day that went something like this: "Religion, or belief in a higher power is a wonderful thing when used for comfort or focus in times of distress or hopelessness. It's a wonderful thing when used to give meaning to one's life and give joy to the everyday. But religion becomes an ugly thing when it is used against other people or becomes enmeshed in political purposes." I really don't think I've ever read anything more true.

Perhaps what bothers me the most about religion is that it has the potential to be such a great, positive influence to so many, yet a select few have made it extremely difficult for nonbelievers to accept the legitimacy of faith.