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Over at Atlas Shrugs, Fjordman reviews the great Ibn Warraq's essential new book, Defending the West: A Critique of Edward Said's Orientalism. A couple of highlights:
Amidst the praise he gives the West, Ibn Warraq warns that the "golden threads" running through this civilization - rationalism, universalism and self-criticism – can sometimes turn into liabilities: Rationalism can lead to sterile scientism, universalism to the loss of one's sense of belonging and limitless self-criticism to self-hatred:"US foreign policy has nothing to do with the deaths of 150,000 Algerians at the hands of Islamic fanatics. The root cause of Islamic fundamentalism is Islam. American foreign policy has nothing to do with the stoning to death of a woman for adultery in Nigeria. It has everything to do with Islam, and Islamic law. The theory and practice of jihad – bin Laden's foreign policy – was not concocted in the Pentagon; it is directly derived from the Koran and the hadith, Islamic tradition. But Western liberals and humanists find it hard to admit or accept or believe this. They simply lack the imagination to do so." [...]
Defending the West is a powerful tour de force through history. It is one of the sad facts of this age that intellectual frauds like Edward Said get so much attention, whereas true intellectuals such as Ibn Warraq do not get nearly as much as they deserve. If only more people read Ibn Warraq's books, we wouldn't be in as much trouble as we are.
That is absolutely true. Read it all.
Posted by Robert at April 15, 2008 10:13 AM
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Fjordman rules! What an essay! Westerners should never feel that they are eurocentric. The foundations of Classic Greek civilization were cosmopolitean. As a result, it is our tradition to study other cultures and not consign them to the dustbin of a pre Islamic past.
Oh, can't wait to read Ibn Warraq's book as well.
Posted by: tanstaafl![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 15, 2008 11:31 AM
As the examples of Greco-Buddhist art in Asia illustrate, when it comes to figurative art and appreciation of artistic beauty, Christian Westerners share more of the Greek legacy with Hindus and Buddhists than we do with Muslims.
-from the article
Surely [670 a.d] must have been the first time any European cultural influence was powerful enough to reach the shores of the Pacific Ocean?
-from the article
Greece is the link for most of humanity. In the Hellenistic Age, the Greeks had reached India before the death of Alexander the Great, almost a millenium before Mohammed was even born.
Meanwhile Muslims believe nothing that came before Mohammed is of any significance.
Much is made of "plundered" art objects removed from Egypt to museums in the West but Fjordman leaves the distinct impression that many of these artifacts, if found by other than Western archaeologists, would have been recycled rather than studied - a true crime against humanity.
at April 15, 2008 12:12 PM
From article: "Paul Fregosi confirms this in Jihad in the West: "Western colonization of nearby Muslim lands lasted 130 years, from the 1830s to the 1960s. Muslim colonization of nearby European lands lasted 1300 years, from the 600s to the mid-1960s. Yet, strangely, it is the Muslims…who are the most bitter about colonialism and the humiliations to which they have been subjected; and it is the Europeans who harbor the shame and the guilt. It should be the other way around.""
To use a favourite saying on this website: Indeed!
But don't expect the proper teaching of history in schools anytime soon.
Posted by: James at April 15, 2008 1:27 PM
It was Ibn Warraq's book 'Why I am not a Muslim' that first opened my eyes to the nature of Islam.
Posted by: johndoe at April 15, 2008 3:02 PM
The root cause of Islamic fundamentalism is Islam.
Actually, the root cause of Islamic terrorism is Islam.
Interesting link here about the illustrious Gaddafi and the multi-billion dollar deal with Sarkozy:
http://www.meforum.org/article/1862
at April 15, 2008 6:10 PM
I have read some of Fjordman's writings that are archived on this site and I printed them off and also saved them on my PC. Not only his articles, but some of the comments from some of the folks are great references.
Posted by: R_not at April 15, 2008 8:17 PM
Islam: a perpetual commotion machine.
The West needs to revive its slumbering instincts for survival.
Knowledge of the Koran (and its inbred Mohammedan imperialism) is a good form of smelling salts for the spirit.
Too many in the West are singing p.c. lullabies... as the crescent knife nears their neck.
Warraq is their needed antidote.
Kudos to him and Fjordman.
Posted by: profitsbeard at April 15, 2008 8:31 PM
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