Great reply, Patrick. I completely agree. One of my closest friends lived in India for two years and we would talk on the phone every week or two. He became friends with many Muslim families, and was always remarking how similar they looked in comparison to the more conservative Christian families back in the states. He also would talk about their hospitality, and how they put many Christians to shame with their generosity in opening up their homes and welcoming strangers in. I think, like you said, looking for common ground and recognizing the shared values is the start towards building better relations.
