The Crusades have been over for awhile.

Not in the minds of our enemies.

I will have to disagree with you there. Before you criticise a way of life why don't you study it properly first? You can't judge Islam by the rantings of extremists like Osama Bin Laden and crew. I mean, it wouldn't be fair to judge Christianity on the likes of Timothy McVeigh or even Hitler, so how come for Islam it's suddenly to judge it by it's followers.

pls email with your response, or I'll try and pop by later.

Peace,

M.

In some ways amazing how many people can't see that... certainly when I say as much, I get weird looks. But the writing is on the wall, isn't it?

Blessings
Rachel

Muhammad,

what you say does not ring true. If you look at radical Islam's Taliban-type governmental aspirations for world wide domination and also at the religious and gender based intolerance demonstrated by even our so-called Islamic allies such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia and even Kuwait (which incidently would be nothing more than Saddam Hussein's spitoon today if the USA had not acted on its behalf at great cost of taxpayer monies and young American lives) it is hard to see the kind of moderate, peace loving, open-minded Islamic masses that you would want us to believe are in the huge majority. Hitler and Timothy McVeigh can be raised as straw men examples of Christian intolerance but the big difference is this, Christians who truly follow Christ's teachings were instrumental in leading the hue and cry against them and in taking action to shed the light of the Truth on them and their philosophies and their followers and to ultimately elliminate them! I have yet to see that in the Islamic world.

I was going to offer a longer response, but Tom beat me to it.

I would just like to point out the complete irrationality of using the "Hitler" example. Not only was Hitler decidedly un-Christian, he definitely had much more in common with the current Islamic jihadists.

In my recent readings on World War Two, I was reminded of the role Nazi agents played in stirring up "anti-Zionist" feelings in the middle east. Thus, the jihadists of today are simply the heirs of Hitler's anti-semitism.

I agree with both of you. But at least we agree that it isn't Islam itself that has the flaw, I have too many sources to prove otherwise, and I don't want to waste time and space on your blog proving that.

Fact is, Tom, the Muslims you speak of who are moderate and would like to stand up against these tainted poster-boys of "The Islamic World" are either being utterly repressed by the same governments which tolerates no dissent whatsoever, and filled with propaganda (Andrew, you are right with similarities to the nazi regime). Hence the only ones you will see inthe media are hate-spitting leaders and their hate-spitting followers.

It is a sad state of affairs to be in and even though I may be just one, I would love to see the day of a Muslim Leader who can stand up to the character of Saladin in today's times.

Coming from South Africa, I feel terribly sad to say that Western countries offer far more freedom to speak out than my own so-called Muslim Countries. It's a hard truth to swallow, but we have to if we want to recognise the disease in order to cure it.

I can't believe that things would go so far where these leaders would actually Use Islam as an excuse to kill innocents and repress people's freedom, I swear it hurts me to the core.

Alternatlively I also have to say that the Media is having a field day with this "Radical" view of Islam where it is only portrayed as Radical and the only alternatives mentioned are a hint at the Sufi's and whirling derwishes, etc. I hardly ever see it proposed as a "whole" Way of life, one which I follow an I truly believe in and try to live. One which says in order to be a good Muslim, you need to first be a good human being.

Peace,

M.

by the way I'd liek to have both you guys comments on my blog post for 9/11.

http://front-line.blogspot.com/2006/09/why-should-i-commemorate.html

Thanks.

M.