Of Flat Worlds and Religious Intolerance

The widespread view that Islam is the religion of peace doesn’t correlate with the roots of Islam and its founder Mohammad. When Islam was founded it was spread by the sword. (Remember, the Moorish architecture in Spain, came from somewhere.   The Moors invaded Europe through Spain to spread their religion and they didn’t preach like 7^th Day Adventists or other faiths. They came swords in hand. Convert or else.)

When the religion was founded Mohammad raided an area, captured it and then made an offer. Join Islam or be put under the sword. At the very least pay a tax, the jizyah, to Islam and its founder and we won’t kill you; we’ll just tax and enslave you. (1) (Who could refuse that offer? Just fit me for the burqua. “>)

The Wall Street Journal states that moderate Muslims are moderate because they don’t live up to the demands of their religion. A true Muslim could easily kill them just for being moderate. So moderates won’t say anything critical.

That’s the dilemma at the root of our current foreign policy toward Islam: how to understand the religion. Too many people like to blame terrorism on poverty. That makes us the culprit: not the 9/11 hijackers or terrorist leaders. It’s our fault they’re like this because they’re poor. But just the opposite is true. Most Muslim terrorists come from middle class or wealthy families. 

According to those who study the issue, the roots of Islamic Terrorism are in the religion itself.   Going back to earlier history—the Barbary Pirates (Sheikdoms), who were active during the earliest years of our nation, didn’t like us because to them we represented another Judeo/Christian nation. There were references to jihadi theology made by the Barbary Pirates who described themselves as the “frontier ports of Jihad against European Christians.” (2)

Because of the history of conflict between Islam and European Christianity, the US tried to take a conciliatory attitude toward the Barbary Pirates. We tried to explain the US wasn’t a Christian nation, but a nation dedicated to religious diversity, but our ships were still hijacked.   It wasn’t until sailors and passengers were kidnapped and held hostage that the US Navy was formed and went into action to protect US interests.   The insistence of Islamic potentates on subscribing to an intolerant, anti-Jewish, anti-Christian philosophy did not agree with the basic principles of the US founding fathers. (3)

Historically, the antipathy of Muslims toward the US predates not only the forming of Israel but any US intervention in the Middle East.    In short, it isn’t our fault folks. 

(To be continued.)

Is the water hot enough for you yet?

(1) The Truth About Mohammad, Robert Spencer, Regnery Publishing, Inc.

(2) The Fallacy of Grievance-Based Terrorism, Melvin E. Lee, Middle East Quarterly, Winter 2008 pg. 72 

(3) Ibid