However, we should not overlook a key fact: Christianity does not seek to convert by force, nor does it sanction unprovoked aggression. Even if Islam is every bit as bad as depicted in this article, we should not deliberately pick a fight with all of Islam as a result of the attack by a few.
Osama bin Laden is certainly trying to provoke exactly that fight. His first objective is to unify all of Islam against us. THEN he believes he will be strong enough to destroy us, and convert the rest of the world to Islam by force.
It is my hope that he will not succeed in his attempt to unify Islam. My hope is that the terrorists can be marginalized and destroyed, without the necessity of fighting all of Islam. If this hope comes true, militant Islam will be put back in its cave. Once that happens, I have no problem pitting Christianity against Islam in a person by person battle for men's souls.
President Bush is pursuing the same ideal I just expressed above. It is his Christian duty to make the attempt, but it is very much uncertain whether he will succeed.
If he fails, we will be forced to battle a united Islam. The war would be the worst the world has ever seen. It could even signal the beginning of the end times.
However, thus far, we are clearly winning. The dreaded Taliban is no longer a threat. Bin Laden is running for his life. No new terrorist attacks have been launched. In Islamic eyes, perhaps Allah is not on Bin Laden's side after all. If this keeps up, the Islamic attack will recede.
Although the above comments are my thoughts on the heart of this article, another matter also deserves attention. As a Christian, I feel compelled to defend my faith against a common misconception that the author of this article has fallen prey to. It is a very common misconception taught in most Western history books. That the Crusades were an aberation is not in doubt. But WHY they occurred in the first place is often overlooked. To quote the article:
Regarding the Christian Crusades, they were an aberration in Christian history based upon perverted Catholic doctrine and not upon any biblical injunction.
This misses the central point of the Crusades. The Crusades were a counter-attack aimed at retaking lands that had been conquered by the Muslims. The only way a sufficiently large army could be raised from a fragmented Europe was to find a way to unite the various groups. The Catholic church was a strongly political force, and willingly obliged. To say this episode represents Christianity is ridiculous.
Getting back to the article: "Moderate" Muslims claim articles like this misrepresent their faith. Now is the time for these "moderate" Muslims to stand up and be counted. They should be everywhere, standing up against terrorists, and persuasively refuting articles like this. Even in our country, where are they?
It is my thought that he is not going to live long enough to unify anybody.
" To say this episode represents Christianity is ridiculous."
I don't think that is the point that the author was trying to make at all. Quite the contrary. I think he was saying that while the Crusades were a fact of Christian history, they in no way represented the Christian faith or its doctrines.
Some "moderate" muslims have spoken, and continue to appear on TV and radio. Often they are highly educated, and well spoken.
But their message is shallow, and deceitful. Islam permits lying (dissembling) and is called "Al-Taqiyah." They will do this without end. It is part of the culture to lie, cheat..even your own family.
The logic pattern of these highly educated muslims ranks with a juvenile delinquent. They will obliqely justify terror (Sep. 11.."we are against this incident"; Palestinian child bombers.."these are justified..in self defense").
They cannot be reasoned with, for they are unreasonable, and devoid of western morality. Any muslim cleric who incites violence or hatred should be arrested, convicted, and jailed. If not a citizen, deported upon completion of sentence.
We must recognize the risk of going too easy on these folks. They know respect and fear of only massive power and force. They have asked for it; continue to dissemble rather than denounce their own terrorists; and sooner or later they have it coming.
Have you ever spoken with a Muslim or do you expect them to be ranting on street corners?