Friday, August 27, 2010

The Crusades and Jihad Are NOT Moral Equivalents

Read Joe Hargrave's excellent commentary on the dubious comparisons drawn between violence perpetrated by Islamists in furtherance of the Jihad and the violence engaged in by Christian soldiers during the Crusades:
One of the memes – the unconscious, uncritical, lazy thoughts that spreads from person to person like a virus – that has been particularly virulent during this ground-zero mosque controversy is that Christians have no standing to criticize the violence of Islam, given a supposedly violent Christian history. And no one event is more often invoked as an example of Christian hypocrisy than the so-called “Crusades” (so-called, because no one who fought in them called them that).

The latest and most appalling example appears in the NY Times, courtesy of a Nicholas D. Kristoff. Among the many absurdities one can find
in this column, including definitive claims as to the intentions and desires of Osama bin Laden, Kristof writes,
Remember also that historically, some of the most shocking brutality in the region was justified by the Bible, not the Koran. Crusaders massacred so many men, women and children in parts of Jerusalem that a Christian chronicler, Fulcher of Chartres, described an area ankle-deep in blood. While burning Jews alive, the crusaders sang, “Christ, We Adore Thee.”
What could be more logical, more pertinent, more relevant, than to invoke thousand-year old wartime excesses as proof that Christians have no grounds to criticize Islam?

[Read the whole thing]

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2 Comments:

At 9/09/2010 10:01 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

I am a middle school teacher in NC and came across your site while researching the Crusades for my history class this year. I just wanted to thank you for the great information and articles.

We would love it if you could write a couple articles for us, link to us to help us spread trusted resources to other teachers, or even if Tweet or "Like Us" on Facebook. Anything is much appreciated in our quest to spread trusted resources.

http://www.thefreeresource.com/the-crusades-1095-1798-timeline-history-facts-and-resources

Thanks and keep the great resources coming

Bre Matthews

 
At 9/09/2010 11:17 AM, Blogger Pro Ecclesia said...

Joe Hargrave, a much better writer than I, is the man you're looking for. You can find him by following the link in my post.

Thanks for writing.

 

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