> But the accusation doesn't make sense

I disagree. Having no "life" doesn't mean this.

First, inanimate objects can still be influential. Comics books, for instance, where one claimed to encourage violence, anti-social behaviour.

Second, The religion lives in those other individuals, much like any thought, meme, or ideology. Even the inanimate influences are often created by such individuals.

In the case of Islam, there are some fairly authoritative objects and people.

Are you suggesting there is no such thing as religion? Islam seems to be pretty serious about standardisation.

> The whole thing has a guilty-until-proven-innocent feeling to it

Not to me.

> Anecdotally..

In context, I can't really see these anecdotes as in good faith...