The question of moderate Islam

In an interesting article on how Islamic scholars are now critically studying the Koran, Nicolas Kristoff suggests that Islam is fundamentally cool and non-MCP and promotes the equality of gender and faiths other than Islam. 

In a no-holds-barred reply (2nd from the top), Vijay S from Mumbai says that Islam was, is and will always be an intolerant and anti-equality of gender religion as proved by acts of Islamic kings since the rise of Islam. He cites examples of how reading Mein Kampf will not change the acts of Hitler, similarly reading and interpreting the Koran in a more moderate vein will not change the facts of the fundamentalists past actions and the nature of their future behavior.

I'm uncertain of which way the truth lies, being far less well read than either of the two gents. I hope Kristoff is right, but I fear that it may be Vijay who is closer to the truth. If that is the case, then Kristoff and the Islamic scholars efforts will be similar to Gandhi's when he asked India to stay as small villages. It was probably a fantastic idea, but unfortunately the industrial revolution was making rich people out of small people at the low price of the planet, which in any case was a long term issue, so it was hard to resist then, as it is hard to resist now.I need to go turn up the air conditioning now.