Deus Vult! (God Wills It!)
This is the dedication of Robert Spencer’s new book, The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades). It will probably cause shock and disbelief for the politically correct media establishment. After years of disparaging the Crusades, it is the last thing they expect to find in a New York Times bestseller.1
Their displeasure will only increase as they page through 230 pages of solidly documented facts, exposing the very myths they have tried so hard to maintain.
The fact of the matter is that for decades the media have struggled to promote a politically correct vision of Islam and the Crusades that has no basis in truth. However, like a well-seasoned prizefighter, the truth persistently rises to face their every blow.2
This is brought to light in Mr. Spencer’s fact-filled, yet highly readable book. This myth-shattering work not only provides a well-documented defense of truth in face of media misinformation, but also shows the effects of political correctness in modern society.3
Politically Correct Politics
Political correctness has reached such an apogee, that absurdities are spouted and accepted, even by prominent world leaders. In 2004, French President Jacque Chirac said: “Europe owes as much to Islam as it does to Christianity.”
Such absurdities also find their way into policy. Chapter 16 of Mr. Spencer’s book outlines how the label “Islamophobia” is used to silence and discredit those who speak out about the true nature of Islam.
He also cites eight obvious cases of Islamic terrorism that American officials refuse to classify as such. Apparently, doing so would detract from the PC myth that Islam is a religion of peace.
Politically Correct Myths
These occurrences are not disjointed oddities. They indicate the existence of a blacklist of forbidden truths in society. Finally someone has had the courage to face the blacklist and challenge the lies trumpeted by the PC establishment.
Throughout The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam, Mr. Spencer definitively refutes 29 “PC myths about Islam and the Crusades,” silencing them once and for all. These include: 1. “The Koran and the Bible are equally violent,” 2. “The Crusades were an unprovoked attack by Europe on the Islamic world” and 3. “Islam is a religion of peace that has been hijacked by a tiny minority of extremists.”
In response to these myths, Mr. Spencer shows that:
1. Biblical references record God’s commands to specific people to wage war against certain groups for a particular purpose and a limited time period. These passages are a historic account of God’s dealings with His people. Conversely, the Koran’s more numerous violent passages call upon Muslims of all times to fight unbelievers with impunity and spread Islam with the sword.
2. The Crusades were a defensive response to centuries of incessant Muslim aggression, which threatened the very existence of European civilization. Indeed, Spain and parts of Italy, Sicily and France were dominated by the Muslims. Pope John VIII was even forced to pay them tribute.
3. Islam is unique among all religions of the world, since its doctrine, theology and legal system all mandate warfare against unbelievers. Moreover, the peace that Islam envisions will only come: “when everyone is a Muslim or at least subject to the Islamic state…to establish that peace, Muslims must wage war.”
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades), contains all this and much more.
Of particular interest is the book’s second section titled: “The Crusades.” It recounts the true history of the Crusades, showing that they were a heroic defense of Christian civilization, necessary to confront the increasingly dangerous threat posed by Islam. A keen understanding of this reality is necessary to confront a growing societal trend that Mr. Spenser calls, “a suicidal hatred of the West among our own children.”
On a negative note, one part of the book’s conclusion, suggesting that America increase relations with Russia to confront Islam, is myopic at best. It fails to consider the looming Chinese-Russian alliance and the fascination of President Putin and an increasing percentage of the population with their communist past. Both pose a serious threat to our national security. Strengthening America’s relations with Russia to face Islam is akin to running into the arms of a bear to avoid a wolf.
Additionally, some passages dealing with the Islamic view of paradise and certain aspects of Muslim morality may be offensive to more sensitive readers. This is not due to any problem with the author’s presentation of the material. He does so in a respectful and matter of fact way. It is due to the subject matter itself, which is, unfortunately, a necessary element to consider when studying Islam.
Not Political, Not Incorrect
Despite these minor drawbacks, Robert Spencer’s, The Politically Correct Guide to Islam (and the Crusades), is an excellent book, written for a popular audience. It is a must-read for anyone who wishes to broaden his understanding of Islam and its inextricable link to current events, without getting bogged down in an ocean of dates and figures. It is essential for those who dare to admire the Crusades in spite of the worldwide campaign against them.
In short, it is a book for those who crave truth amid an ocean of misinformation. However beware, regardless of what the title suggests, it is neither political, nor incorrect.
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