John R. Houk
© November 19, 2011
It is extremely politically incorrect to say we are at war with Islam. Things get a bit stickier in attempting to define the “we” that is at war with Islam. Is the “we” Western Culture? If the “we” is Western Culture, this would include Europe (Eastern and Western), Australia, North America and South America.
The part of Europe dominated by the European Union would go into apoplectic spasms at the suggestion that the EU was at war with Islam. Islam has made such enormous inroads into European culture that the doctrine of multicultural diversity makes it anathema to criticize Islam as inimical to a Christian influenced European culture.
As an amateur analyst (meaning more guessing than data) it appears Islam is not yet a multicultural diversity factor in most of Latin America (Mexico & Central America of North America and Central America & South America). Of the miniscule Muslims in Latin America there is significant Radical Islamic influence occurring in Latin America. The Radical Islamic influence is from overt Islamic terrorists (Like Hezbollah) or supporters of Islamic terrorism (Like Wahhabi Saudis, Muslim Brotherhood and Iran). The Islamic terrorist connection appears to be a hook-up with Drug Cartels. It is a good guess that Drug Cartels are clients of Radical Islamists that produce the poppy plants that are then turned into opiates (e.g. heroine) which the Drug Cartels sell to the North American addicts with money. The Islamic Terrorist/Drug Cartel symbiotic relationship is based on messing up America even if the reasons might be diverse.
Then there is English speaking North America – USA and Canada.
Canada is still inflicted with Multicultural Diversity when it comes to Islam. A negative publication concerning Islam or a negative radio/TV piece on Islam will land you in jail, a fine or a civil suit for defaming a religion.
There are many people and organizations in America striving to educate Americans about the dark side of Islam. Brigitte Gabriel’s ACT for America is my favorite and the work of Pamela Gellar of Atlas Shrugs and American Freedom Defense Initiative/Stop Islamization of America (AFDI/SIOA) is excellent as well.
Islamic organizations are active in America to bring Islam to America. In this nation in which religious freedom is considered a preeminent freedom, it might sound odd that I raise the flag that there is an Islamic threat. After all Christianity is an evangelistic religion determined to follow the Great Commission of our Lord and Savior to share the Good News of Redemption by the Blood of Christ. The problem with Islam is that it is not merely a religion that is what Christians would call an evangelistic religion. Rather Islam is as much a socio-political ideology as it is a theo-religious faith. Islamic holy writings desire not only an inner struggle to follow the path of submission to Allah, but also an outer struggle to politically bring the Islamic religion to non-Muslims. Don’t be deceived by such attributions as there is no compulsion of religion in Islam.
There is no compulsion in Islam if the Sharia rules are complied with. Let us take a Christian nation or people in the cross hairs of an imperialistic conquest minded Muslim army. The socio-political instruments Islam developed a system to degrade non-Muslims to sweeten the deal of convert, dhimmi livelihood or death. Conquest was relatively quick by Muslim conquering armies but conversion to Islam was not. Islamic Supremacism, with the usage of humiliation of the non-Muslim, brought converts to Islam over the centuries to the point that Christians ended up as the minority. Additionally, the pockets of Christians allowed to survive became accustomed to the second class citizenship of a dhimmi; hence Christian communities in the lands conquered by Muslims actually developed the brainwashed concept that their humiliation and the jizya tax brought protection from persecution.
If you exclude what is left of Communist nations like, China, N. Korea and Vietnam; the primary persecutors of Christians globally are Muslims. This is where my ire begins to stir! The West is so invested in political correctness that if a Muslim or an Islamic belief is condemned, the Leftists and Muslim apologists come crawling out of the woodwork to cry victim insinuating that prejudicial hate-speech is being leveled. AND YET when Christians in Muslim nations (Middle East and Africa primarily but else ware as well) are beaten, the women raped, the children stolen, a convert to Christianity faces death for apostasy, Christians in general are murdered and sometimes slaughtered for just being Christian and on and on; then where is the moral outrage?
No European nations are standing up with threatening messages to Muslim nations to do something about persecution of Christians. Frankly I am not even hearing preachers, priests, Bishops, Cardinals or the Pope take a stand and have the guts to protest the heinous treatment of Christians in Muslim lands. THIS SILENCE IS REPREHENSIBLE!
Are “we” at war with Islam? Doggone it; we are at war with Islam because Islam is at war with the West. The problem is the West is too comfortable to admit we are at war with Islam. Western religious wars of yesteryear have made the admission that a theo-political religion like Islam would engage with the superior technology of the West causing the strife and the return to national pride that many Western nations have lost. The loss of cultural pride is particularly the case of Europe. The loss of cultural pride is a symptom of multicultural diversity that accepts the uniqueness of diverse foreign cultures rather than honoring the foreign culture and expects assimilation into the host culture.
If the West does not wake up soon, the same treatment Christians receive in Muslim lands will be the identical treatment in Western lands for Christians, Secularists and atheists alike.
Raymond Ibrahim inspired my thoughts on Islam and the West. A couple of days ago he posted an essay that examines the persecution of Christians by Muslims for just the month of October 2011. If you are a person that can feel righteous indignation beyond political correctness then you should read what Muslims have done to Christians in October alone.
JRH 11/19/11
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Muslim Persecution of Christians: October, 2011
By Raymond Ibrahim
November 17, 2011
"The attacks on Christians continue and the world remains totally silent. It's as if we've been swallowed up by the night"—Iraqi source
Egypt's Maspero massacre—where the military killed dozens of Christians protesting the destruction of their churches—dominates October's persecution headlines. Facts and details concerning the military's "crimes against humanity" are documented in this report, and include videos of armored-vehicles running over civilians, a catalog of lies and deceitful tactics employed by Egypt's rulers and state media, and other matters overlooked in the West.
More damning evidence continues to emerge: not only did Egypt's military plan to massacre Christians to teach them a "lesson" never to protest again, but "death squads" were deployed up buildings the night before to snipe at protesters. Instead of trying the soldiers who intentionally ran-over demonstrators, the military has been randomly arresting Copts, simply "for being Christian." Finally, the fact-finding commission of Egypt's National Council for Human Rights just submitted its report which, as expected, "white washes" the military's role, including by "asserting that no live ammunition was fired on the protesters by the military, as the army only fired blanks in the air to disperse the protesters," a claim many eyewitnesses reject out of hand.
Meanwhile, not only are Western governments apathetic, but it was revealed that "Obama's top Muslim advisor blocks Middle Eastern Christians' access to White House." Newt Gingrich asserted that Obama's "strategy in the Middle East is such a total grotesque failure" and likened the "Arab spring" to an "anti-Christian spring." Ann Widdecombe accused the British government of "double standards in its threats to cut aid to countries which persecute gay people while turning a blind eye to persecution against Christians." Even Christian pastors in the West, apparently more concerned about appearing tolerant and in "dialogue" with Muslims, are reluctant to mention persecution to their flock.
Categorized by theme, the rest of October's batch of Muslim persecution of Christians around the world includes (but is hardly limited to) the following accounts, listed according to theme and in alphabetical order by country, not necessarily severity.
Churches
Afghanistan: Ten years after the U.S. invaded and overthrew the Taliban—at a cost of more than 1,700 U.S. military lives and $440 billion in taxpayer dollars—the State Department revealed that Afghanistan's last Christian church was destroyed. The report further makes clear that the Afghan government—installed by the U.S.—is partially responsible for such anti-Christian sentiments, for instance, by upholding apostasy laws, which make it a criminal offence for Muslims to convert to other religions.
Indonesia: Muslims and authorities expelled Christians from their church and shut it down "for allegedly engaging in 'proselytizing' in a predominantly Muslim area." As in previous cases when churches were seized, "the fundamentalists were aided and abetted by the local administration." Also, the Muslim behind a September church attack that left three dead confessed that he was operating under his jihad leader's orders, "based on the Koran and Sunna."
Kazakhstan: The Muslim majority nation enacted new laws further restricting freedom of religion: "All registered churches must now re-register with the government, and only churches meeting new criteria will be registered." Accordingly, "police and secret police agents reportedly raided a worship meeting of officially registered Protestant church New Life, saying that under the new Religion Law the congregation 'cannot meet outside its legal address.' During the raid, a 17-year old woman was hit by a policeman, leaving her unconscious."
Sudan: Soon after President Bashir "confirmed plans to adopt an entirely Islamic constitution and strengthen sharia law," "emboldened" Muslims attacked Christians trying to construct a church, "claiming that Christianity was no longer an accepted religion in the country." Likewise, authorities threatened to demolish three church buildings "as part of a long-standing bid to rid Sudan of Christianity."
Christian Symbols
Egypt: A Christian student was strangled and beaten to death by his Muslim teacher and fellow students for refusing to cover his cross. When the headmaster was informed of the attack in progress, he ignored it and "continued to sip his tea." In the words of one prominent Egyptian commentator: "a teacher forced a student to take off the crucifix he wore, and when the Christian student stood firm for his rights, the teacher quarreled with him, joined by some of the students; he was beastly assaulted until his last breath left him."
Saudi Arabia: A Colombian soccer-player "was arrested by the Saudi moral police after customers in a Riyadh shopping mall expressed outrage over the sports player's religious tattoos, which included the face of Jesus of Nazareth on his arm…. A similar event occurred in Saudi Arabia last year when a Romanian player kissed the tattoo of a cross he had on his arm after scoring a goal, which also caused public outrage."
Maldives: Police arrested a 30 year-old teacher from India for having a Bible and rosary, finally deporting him after a two-week interrogation. According to the principal, he "was a very good teacher, we've not had any complaints of him in the past." Such cases are not aberrant: "Last year, Maldivian authorities rescued another Christian teacher from India when Muslim parents of her students threatened to throw her into the sea for 'preaching Christianity' after she drew a compass in class, which they alleged was a cross."
Apostasy, Blasphemy, Proselytism
India: A mufti summoned a Christian priest to appear before his court: according to the mufti, the priest "is involved in converting young Muslim boys and girls to Christianity. This warrants action as per Islamic law…. I will take all necessary measures in exercise of the powers vested in me by Islamic Sharia."
Iran: Militants with suspected ties to Iranian security threatened to kill nearly a dozen evangelical Christians who fled Iran; unless they "repent and ask forgiveness" and return to Islam, they must die. Likewise, a "group of four officers engaged in a commando-style raid on the house" of a Muslim convert to Christianity, arresting him, confiscating his Bible, and "transferring him to an unknown location…. His family was also threatened to remain silent and not to talk about this incident to anyone." Also, a Christian named "Muhammad" was arrested, interrogated "for the charge of Christianity." And Iran's Supreme Court has ordered the retrial of the pastor sentenced to death for refusing to renounce his Christian beliefs, partially because "Iran is feeling the pressure" from the international community, since the mainstream media actually reported the pastor's case.
Pakistan: A female prison-officer assigned to provide security for Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five sentenced to death on "blasphemy" charges, beat her, "allegedly because of the Muslim officer's anti-Christian bias, while other staff members deployed for her security looked on in silence." A new report reveals how the nation's legalization of blasphemy laws has given great rise to Christian persecution.
"Dhimmitude" (General Abuse, Debasement, and Suppression)
Egypt: The military threatened a Coptic monastery with a "new massacre" in an attempt to demolish the monastery's fence "which guards it from unauthorized visits and criminals." The military has "stormed several monasteries since the January 25 Revolution, demolished fences, and fired on monks and visitors." Also, a Christian man sentenced to three years' imprisonment for "insulting the military" has been ordered to a mental health hospital, which, according to some analysts, patients often emerge from as "devastated human beings."
Iraq: A new report titled "the double lives of Iraq's Christian children" tells of their suffering—"If the children say they believe in Jesus, they face beatings and scorn from their teachers"—as well as the struggle of their parents: "The first years of my faith," says a father, "I brought so many people to church, because I was motivated, so excited. Now I don't encourage anyone to be a Christian, because in my experience it is very hard."
France: Stone-throwing Muslims attacked Christians during a Catholic celebration, though the media largely ignored it: "it would seem that the media silence on these facts, which are occurring more and more frequently, serves to exonerate, even protect, the Muslims in their racist and anti-religious acts."
Pakistan: Along with one dead man, "two dozen Christians including children, men and women were seriously injured" when "Muslim gangs" hired by an influential Muslim attacked them "to grab a piece of land" which the church had purchased to build an orphanage. Likewise, Muslim landowners raided a Christian home, beat a sick father and abducted two brothers, whom they claim are in debt; the kidnappers have added an extra 70,000 rupees in ransom. "The men's mother tried to file a report with police, which refused because one of the suspects is a fellow police officer," not to mention a Muslim.
Turkey: The Education Ministry in Ankara published a 10th grade textbook which distorts the role of Christian Assyrians, "denouncing them as traitors who rebelled against Turkey." Still denying the historic slaughter of Christians, "today's Turkish Government is not hesitant to distort historical events by inverting victim and perpetrator... About half of the Assyrian population, were killed or died from starvation or disease in a series of killings orchestrated by the Ottoman Turkish government during World War I."
USA: A Muslim convert to Christianity was violently attacked by Muslims because of a poem "which expresses pain over the loss of six million Jews at the hands of the Nazis." The attackers carved the Star of David on his back with a knife "while laughing as they recited his poem." A Muslim physiotherapist "tore into" a Christian patient, saying her faith was "wrong" and had "killed more people than any other religion." She later wrote: "I found Mr. Ali to be extremely racist against my Christian faith. I have had doctors, nurses and staff of all different religions look after me but this is the first time I've been treated by such a bigoted man as Mr. Ali."
Pakistani Rape
As usual, Pakistan—which along with Egypt oddly missed being categorized as a "country of particular concern" in the State Department's recent religious freedom report—dominates the headlines regarding the sexual abuse of Christian women:
· Kidnapped last Christmas Eve, "a 12 year-old Christian [was] gang raped for eight months, forcibly converted and then 'married' to her Muslim attacker." Now that she has escaped, instead of seeing justice done, "the Christian family is in hiding from the rapists and the police."
· "A Christian mother of four was slaughtered by a Muslim colleague in Pakistan after she resisted his attempt to rape her at the factory where they worked."
· A new report asserts: "The forced conversion to Islam of women from religious minority groups through rape and abduction has reached an alarming stage… It appears today that no one, from the judiciary to the police and even the government has the courage to stand up to the threats from Muslim fundamentalist groups. The situation is worse with the police who always side with the Islamic groups and treat minority groups as lowly life forms."
Killings
Iraq: "Two Christians were murdered in northern Iraq this week; their deaths come as three kidnapped Christians were released following the payment of a hefty ransom." A source in Iraq laments: "The attacks on Christians continue and the world remains totally silent. It's as if we've been swallowed up by the night."
Nigeria: Months after Muslims from Boko Haram murdered a pastor, another pastor was targeted and murdered. The jihadists have "claimed responsibility for several church bombings and other attacks"; many Christians have fled the region, and some churches have shut down as many of their flock have been killed. Likewise, three Muslim soldiers, in the context of subduing civil unrest, "shot and killed a Christian mother of five" and a Christian boy, without "any justifiable reason."
Somalia: Weeks after a convert to Christianity was beheaded, al-Shabaab, "who have vowed to rid Somalia of Christianity," decapitated another 17-year-old Christian in his home: "It is usual for the al-Shabaab to decapitate those they suspect to have embraced the Christian faith, or sympathizers of western ideals."
About this Series
Because the persecution of Christians in the Islamic world is on its way to reaching epidemic proportions, "Muslim Persecution of Christians" was developed in order to collate some—by no means all—of the instances of Muslim persecution of Christians that surface each month. It serves two purposes:
1. Intrinsically, to document that which the mainstream media does not: habitual, if not chronic, Muslim persecution of Christians.
2. Instrumentally, to show that such persecution is not "random," but systematic and interrelated—that it is ultimately rooted in a worldview inspired by Sharia.
Accordingly, whatever the anecdote of persecution, it typically fits under a specific theme, including hatred for churches and other Christian symbols; sexual abuse of Christian women; forced conversions to Islam; apostasy and blasphemy laws; theft and plunder in lieu of jizya; overall expectations for Christians to behave like cowed dhimmis (second-class citizens); and simple violence and murder. Oftentimes it is a combination thereof.
Because these accounts of persecution span different ethnicities, languages, and locales—from Morocco in the west, to India in the east, and even throughout the West, wherever there are Muslims—it should be clear that one thing alone binds them: Islam—whether the strict application of Sharia, or the supremacist culture born of it.
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So, What about War with Islam?
John R. Houk
© November 19, 2011
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Muslim Persecution of Christians: October, 2011
RAYMOND IBRAHIM is an Islam-specialist and widely published author, best known for The Al Qaeda Reader. He guest lectures at universities, including the National Defense Intelligence College, briefs governmental agencies, such as U.S. Strategic Command and the Defense Intelligence Agency, provides expert testimony for Islam related lawsuits, and has testified before Congress regarding the conceptual failures that dominate American discourse concerning Islam. Among other media, he has appeared on MSNBC, Fox News, C-SPAN, PBS, Reuters, Al-Jazeera, CBN, and NPR. READ MORE …
