More Thoughts about Islam

I have recently watched a videoed debate whose motion was: Atheists are the new fundamentalists. Dawkins featured.

I am sure that atheism has become more strident and more sneering since 9/11. This raises my blood pressure. That murderous bastards flying into buildings should be used as an excuse for attacking Christianity is not just unfair: it is stupid.

It seems to me self-evident that right thinking Christians should oppose Islamic thought even more energetically than atheists and partly because this bad brand of theism gives an excuse to those who would tar us with the same brush.

A video series you should watch on YouTube is The Catholic Church, Builder of Civilisation. It is presented by Tom Woods, always worth a listen. In 13 parts he describes the countless contributions of the Church to western civilisation: in Art, Science, Technology and Education.

I am prepared to admit that Islam has had its moments but I deplore the stultifying effect of Islamic conquests. It is hundreds of years since Islamic civilisation has had anything to offer the world. It is so far behind the west in Science, Economics and Technology as to be a joke. Most Muslim majority societies are politically benighted. Is this a coincidence? The arrogance and complacency of Muslim apologists are unjustified and deeply disturbing. The plight of women and minorities in Muslim states is a nightmare. Terrorism is the only area in which Islam leads the world.

Christian churches in the west, certainly in Europe, have been far too accommodating to Islam and, as I attempted to show in an earlier post, this is because we mistake it for a religion in the same sense that Christianity is a religion. It is not; it is a social and political system with an admixture of religion. It preaches hatred of Jews, Christians and polytheists; it contains precious little actual theological content. To call it a religion of peace as Bush and Obama have bleated is ludicrous.

I am certainly not calling for a renewed Crusade. But we should not be afraid to condemn the bad things that come from Islam and we should not give aid to counties which oppress women and call for the destruction of Israel.

It is almost inconceivable that an anti-Islamic sermon should be preached in a Christian church. Most churches would rather attack global warming or income inequality.