According to a recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, some 57 percent of Americans oppose Donald Trump’s call to ban Muslims from entering the United States, while roughly 25 percent support it. Conservatives were more evenly split in the poll, which has a margin of error of 4 percent.

Christians are unfortunately often mischaracterized as natural adversaries of Muslims, so one might assume that I, as a Christian pastor, would support Trump’s Muslim ban. I don’t. My opposition is not because I don’t understand where such an idea comes from, but rather because I don’t believe it gets to the real issue.

I am clear that one common denominator of those who have joined ISIS is that they see themselves as Muslim. I completely get that. And despite the fact that anyone can lie about their belief system when interviewed, I fully grasp that, given today’s very real threats, an American immigration officer may need to more carefully scrutinize a person coming from a predominantly Muslim country than from elsewhere. Understood.

But I believe that in the long run, the proposed policy fails because it does not recognize that our battle is not against all Muslims; it is against those who have become “radicalized” and see violence as their path to make the world right.

The term “radicalized” is new to the American lexicon, often confusing people. In that confusion, the genuine distinction between a Muslim and one who has taken on radical Islamic ideals can be blurred. But the distinction exists nonetheless.

We cannot and should not characterize all Muslims as the same. Likewise, I prefer not to be associated in any way with those who burn crosses on lawns, or blow up abortion clinics, or even spray paint “Jesus” on mosques (as occurred this week in Los Angeles) in the name of Christ. I can’t stop those perpetrators from calling themselves Christians, just as law-abiding Muslims can’t stop ISIS from identifying with Islam.

I believe the real issue, then, is in determining exactly what “radicalization” means and how it occurs. Now I have spent many years studying the Christian faith, but I’ve had only a few courses in world religions. So, I called my colleague at Armstrong State University, Dr. Jason Tatlock, Associate Professor and a specialist in the history of religion, asking for his comment.

“Radicalization or extremism within religion has occurred in historical periods and continues into the contemporary era,” Dr. Tatlock points out. “Because extremists believe that their interpretation of a given faith is the only correct or orthodox view, they come into conflict with fellow practitioners of a faith, who may hold more moderate perspectives.”

When such radicalized adherents turn violent, Dr. Tatlock explains, “the voices of moderates can get silenced, overshadowed, and largely ignored.” And it is then that we begin to associate peaceful adherents of a religion with extremists, and all followers are, so to speak, painted with the same brush.

In understanding the radicalization process, we accomplish a few things. First, we more completely understand the distinction between extremist views and conventional views for any religion. Second, we have a better grasp of the activities (violence, exclusion, etc.) and beliefs (singular interpretations, etc.) that are associated with radicalization.

Third, we are better prepared to identify those beliefs that are dangerous in our own religion. To the extent that we have angry Christians who are unwilling to even listen to anyone else’s viewpoint or interpretation of religious concepts, we run similar risks of radicalization.

Dr. Tatlock adds, “We must remember that one view does not embody the totality of a religion’s expressions.” That’s true for Islam, and thank God, for Christianity as well.

In not understanding the real issue — the radicalization process — Donald Trump will likely end up alienating Muslims who are already here. And we need them.

Our surveillance technologies are clearly not able to keep up the activities of ISIS, who often fly under the radar. We need Muslims in American communities to partner with law enforcement authorities so they may identify when someone in their religious community expresses radicalized views; they will be the first to see it.

I don’t particularly dislike Mr. Trump. But in this case, he has lost sight of who our enemy is. To implement a policy without that understanding is “radical.”