Sunday September 17, 2006

I've Been Thinking:

So Muslims are up in arms again.
They are protesting and shouting and the object of their rage now is - the Pope.
They are fuming because the Pope quoted a 14th century religious treatise that argues the values of Islam and Christianity.

The book the Pope chose is a pseudo conversation between Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and a Persian scholar.
Quoting the work the Pope read: "The emperor comes to speak about the issue of Jihad, holy war."
"He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.' "

Convert or die is an essential dimension of Islam.
Muslim history and teachings are replete with examples of this doctrine.
Yet, Muslim furor is raging from England to Turkey to Gaza to Egypt to Lebanon.

Once again, my thesis is proved: The element most lacking in Islam today is the capacity for self criticism and honest evaluation.