Amid the latest Islamic terrorist attacks, the world’s best known Buddhist monk is claiming Islam is really a compassionate faith that is being unfairly maligned. The Dalai Lama spoke to a gathering of international Islamic leaders in San Francisco, California, over the weekend and told listeners that all human beings are prone to violence and an entire faith should not be judged by what he called “a few mischievous people.” One of the organizers of the San Francisco meeting said he hoped the presence of the Dalai Lama could warm Americans to Islam, since many Americans have mixed feelings about that religion but are receptive to Buddhism. According to Associated Press reports, around 500 people attended the religious gathering. Along with the Buddhist Dalai Lama and Muslim speakers, the event featured presenters from roughly 30 countries and representing several religious traditions.

-Fred Jackson