Pope Benedict and Islam

Every day around the world, Muslim clerics denounce the United States, Europe, and Christianity. Many commentators have observed that the seeds of terrorism are sown in the schools and mosques of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran, and the whole Muslim world. Even in countries like Egypt, Jordan, and Pakistan, which are supposed to be our friends, the governments cannot control the violently anti-western speech of the Muslim clerics. Young people throughout the Muslim world are brought-up to believe that the United States is the “Great Satan.” We are lucky to have any friends at all in those places.

Recently, in Afghanistan, a man was charged with converting from Islam to Christianity. The judge announced that the man would be executed for this heinous offense. The man’s life was spared only after world-wide indignation led to pressure on the government of Afghanistan to set him free.

Hatred for the West and Christianity (not to mention Judaism) is not confined to Muslim terrorists. It is part of the fabric of every-day Muslim thinking. Nevertheless, when Westerners hear about criticism from Muslim clerics they do not go out into the streets screaming white-hot hatred. Muslims around the world, however, turn into violent angry mobs at the mere drawing of a satirical cartoon about Muhammad in a Danish Newspaper.

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, former head of al Qaeda in Iraq, said: “There is no doubt that Allah commanded us to strike the Kuffar (unbelievers), kill them, and fight them by all means necessary to achieve the goal” (presumably, a world where everybody is a Muslim). Zarqawi quoted the Prophet Muhammad: “I was ordered to fight people until they bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, establish regular prayers, and pay Zakat (purifying charity).”

This past year, in Regensburg Germany, Pope Benedict XVI quoted a conversation between the 14th-century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and an educated Persian on the truths of Christianity and Islam. “The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war,” the Pope said. “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.’” The Pope went on to say that violent conversion to Islam was contrary to reason and thus, “contrary to God’s nature.” For these comments the Muslim world was in a fury. They have burned Christian churches and murdered a Catholic nun. Can you imagine Christians doing that in response to Muslim criticism?

I am a little sick of hearing all this sympathy people have for the Arabs, Hezbollah, and the Muslims. The Pope may have been politically incorrect, but I think he was right. The hatred Muslims have for Christians did not originate with the founding of Israel or with the two Gulf Wars. It goes back to the Crusades. It is based upon the progress and prosperity of the West and the decline of the Middle East.

One does not hear about Christian terrorists going to Muslim countries and flying airplanes into their tallest buildings. One does not hear about Israeli suicide bombers blowing-up Muslims in mosques or public places. There are no vast worldwide networks of Christian or Jewish terrorists planning atrocities against innocent Muslim civilians. There is no basis in Christianity or Judaism for carrying out holy war against people of other faiths. One is not executed in Israel, Europe, or America for converting to Islam.

Let’s face it, there is something barbaric about the Muslims of the Middle East. I’m not just talking about those who become terrorists. I’m talking about the majority of citizens. Most of them applaud when terrorists kill thousands of people in the World Trade Towers. They refuse to take any steps which would lead to peace with Israel. Can you imagine how much more prosperous, happy, and safe they would be if they accepted the presence of Israel in the Middle East and entered into trade and tourism treaties with the Israelis? They cannot do it because their religion forbids them. Their hate is far stronger then their feelings of self-interest. They are a bitter people; bitter because history has left them behind and has exalted Western power over them..

In a poll conducted by Al Jazeera, almost half of all Saudis said that they have a favorable view of Osama bin Laden's sermons and rhetoric. This helps explain why we have not been able to capture him. As repugnant and loathsome as the 9/11 bombings and other atrocities have been, bin Laden has wide support in the Middle East. Osama is surely hiding in a remote part of Pakistan. There is a $25 million bounty on his head, but he remains safe from capture. The bounty has no lure for the tribesmen who are sheltering him. The United States does not send a Delta Force to capture him because a conspicuous American raid would endanger the life and rule of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's leader, who is a U.S. ally. If we ever caught bin Laden there would be an uprising throughout the Middle East.

The problem of terrorism is not with a mere handful of fanatics. It is with the world of Islam.