Unfortunately every religion has its crazy fanatics who warp the tenets of their faith to suit their own fears and hatreds. Among Christians, we have the gay-bashing goofs; among Pagans/Wiccans, there are the "call fire from the sky and burn the Christians" nutcases (been on the receiving end of that particular chant, years agone); among the Muslims, there are sucide bombers. None of those represent the true and good and proper form of the religion.

Between the nutcases and the newspapers, we're constantly asked to believe that the few are representative, and that the worst case scenario is the normal state of being. Pfah. You're right, it's wearying. But if we give up, they win .... Thank God/dess(es) that there are good, sane, caring people in any group, to stand up to the insanity of the few. ;]