I can almost feel the knife being thrust into the back...

...of Christianity by a Muslim assailant. Sorry, call me a cynic extraordinaire if you will, but that is how I see the latest overture by the followers of Islam regarding their approach to the west and to Christianity. To many it may seem as if the Muslims are honestly making an offer of peace toward Christians, but I believe that this so called offer is little more than a thinly disguised ultimatum, maybe even a veiled threat. See "Muslim Leaders Warn Pope 'Survival of World' at Stake" @ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301116,00.html. Read the article carefully. Read about what Muslims have warned, and what they offer as a solution. I read it three times. if the article is at all correct, then it seems to me that certain Muslims are telling Christian leaders that they are offering Christianity a way out of being attacked by the followers of Islam; and that way out would be for Christianity to justify the essence and actions of Islam by admitting that the two religions are very much alike. If the Christian leaders choose to do so, all they will have accomplished is to have temporarily appeased the Muslim world while at the same time strengthening the position of those followers of Islam who would attempt to conquer the world. Their position would become strengthened because after having received support from Christianity, the fanatical leaders would very likely use this as propaganda to show they had been right all along, even the Christians see it because they agree the religions are alike. In addition such an admission by Christian leaders would weaken the Christian world and the western world because now people of the Christian faith, and many of those in the west, would look to Islam and say: See, it really was not an evil religion after all, and they are not really bent on world domination". Thus we would allow our guard to be brought down, and open ourselves for the influx of Muslim immigrants that would almost be sure to follow. Once established in great enough numbers, my bet is that the true face of Islam, that which we see on a daily basis as Islamists try to dominate the world, would again raise its ugly spectre just as it already has taken place in Europe, and the world would be burning in the name of the prophet.

How can I be so cynical. let me point out a few bits of my reasoning. These Islamistsapparently said nothing about getting together with the Jews. Now if I recall correctly, the Jewish faith preceded both Christianity and Islam. In fact, both of those later religions were basically born out of Judaism. Yet the Muslims make no mention of how similar Judaism is to Islam, and they make no mention of how all three religions should make certain to make peace with one another. Now look at just where they want to have a conference. At a neutral ground, such as at an American University. Tell me which university in the USA is neutral? Of course they could mean in Canada, Mexico,or South America - but do you really think those places are where they meant. They want to have a meeting in a so called neutral place, where as anyone in the USA should know, there is absolutely no neutrality on the subject. The great majority of US universities are breeding grounds for anti-Christian, anti-conservative, anti-American, and anti-Gerorge Bush sentiment. So a conference at one of those locations would certainly be likely to be slanted in favor of any group that has also shown itself as anti those very same things. Could such a group be the followers of Islam? You tell me.

The offer from the Muslims to the Christian world came in a letter. The letter reportedly ends with this quote: "So let our differences not cause hatred and strife between us. Let us vie with each other only in righteousness and good works." As I recall the only righteous works for a Muslim would be to follow the Q'uran, and that would not bode well for Christians as I understand it, nor as history has witnessed. Throughout history, the faith of Islam has shown itself time and time again to be an aggressor that is incapable of change to non-aggression. nation after nation has fallen to Islam, but suddenly they want Christians to believe it would be otherwise if we now join them. Sound to me more like the first steps to conversion, or that that knife in the back.

Of course I still have one more reason not to believe them. If they really want peace, if they truly want to protect Christianity as well as Islam, then why not first send a letter to the Islamo Fascists telling them to cease and desist with all violence against the western and Christian worlds? This brings us full circle right back to the issue of the Jews. They make no mention of peace with them. Heck if we become the ally of the Muslims, on whom will those of the Jewish faith depend for support if the Muslims continue their assault against Judaism! As a matter of fact, they make no reference to Hinduism, nor to Buddhism or to any other religion other than Christianity. Not long ago, Muslims in Thailand (I believe it was Thailand) stated that they were seeking the annihilation of all Buddhists. Muslims often also attack Hindus.

The threat is there as I see things. It is there whether or not the Christian leaders suddenly decide to become stupid trusting and embrace Islam as a religion akin to Christianity. I just find it difficult to believe that Christians would suddenly forget about Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus in favor of a new found friend in the followers of Islam. As I see it, the threat will only worsen if any one in Christianity is quite that trusting of a religion that has continuously itself to be a religion of just about anything but peace; I hope the religious leaders see it too. Maybe I am just a cynic extraordinaire, but if this gets pulled off by the Muslims, come to see me again in 10 years and let me know if I was wrong. My bet is you will be on the run, or converted and hunting me down. I will not be all that easy to find if I make it that long, I'll be living in the hills somewhere in the middle of New Kafiristan (land of the infidel) and doing my best to survive.

Of course you might find me just to let me know I had been wrong all along, it that case I'll buy you a beer and we can laugh about how I made an ass out of myself. I could only hope that it is the case that I am wrong and this latest overture is one truly hoping to achieve harmony, but without all the pieces, such as those other faiths, I just cannot imagine them building a true peace. Heck they are leaving 45% of the world out of the calculation by their own accounting, and if you do not know what this last sentence means, then go and read the darned article to which I linked above.

All the best,
Glenn B