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Exposing the role that Islamic jihad theology and ideology play in the modern global conflicts

Raymond Ibrahim: How the Islamic World was Forged: An Exercise in Common Sense

Sep 1, 2015 8:29 am By Raymond Ibrahim

dhimmitude

What made non-Muslims convert to Islam, leading to the creation of the Islamic world?

Early historical sources—both Muslim and non-Muslim—make clear that the Islamic empire was forged by the sword; that people embraced Islam, not so much out of sincere faith, but for a myriad of reasons—from converting in order to enjoy the boons of being on the “winning team” to converting in order to evade the dooms of being on the “losing team.”

Modern day Muslims and other apologists—primarily in academia, government, and mainstream media—reject this idea.  They argue that the non-Muslims who embraced Islam did so from sheer conviction; that the ancestors of today’s 1.5 billion Muslims all converted to Islam due to its intrinsic appeal; that the modern day coercion and persecution committed by the Islamic State and other organizations is an aberration.

Of course, as mentioned, the primary texts of history are full of anecdotes demonstrating the opposite.  However, because ours is an increasingly ahistorical society, in this essay I endeavor to show that sheer common sense alone validates what history records, namely, that the Islamic world and its populace was forged through violent coercion.

To do so, I will use Egypt—one of the most important Muslim majority nations and my ancestral homeland—as a paradigm.  I will show how a historic fact that Islam’s apologists habitually boast of—that there are still millions of Christians in Egypt (approximately 10% of the population)—is not proof of Islam’s tolerance but rather its intolerance.

—–

In the 7th century, when Islam was being formulated, Egypt had been Christian for centuries,[1]before most of Europe had converted.  Alexandria was one of the most important ecclesiastical centers of ancient Christian learning and, along with Rome and Antioch, one of the original three sees.[2]  Much literary and ongoing archaeological evidence attest to the fact that Christianity permeated the whole of Egypt.

Writing around the year 400—roughly two-and-a-half centuries before the Arab invasion—John Cassian, a Christian monk from the region of modern day Romania, observed that

the traveler from Alexandria in the north to Luxor in the south would have in his ears along the whole journey, the sounds of prayers and hymns of the monks, scattered in the desert, from the monasteries and from the caves, from monks, hermits, and anchorites.[3]

And in recent times, both the oldest parchment to contain words from the Gospel (dating to the 1stcentury) and the oldest image of Christ were discovered in separate regions of Egypt.

The question now becomes: what made such an ancient and heavily Christian nation become Islamic?  More specifically, what made the ancestors of today’s Egyptian Muslims—most of who were Coptic Christians—convert to Islam?

For an objective answer to this question, a completely overlooked factor must be considered… Keep reading

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Filed Under: dhimmitude, Egypt, Muslim persecution of Christians Tagged With: Alexandria, Antioch, Rome


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Comments

  1. john spielman says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 8:53 am

    islam appeals to the worst of humanity’s sinful condition- sexual perversion of polygamy rape incest pedophilia necrophilia, lying, stealing,misogyny, arrogance, narcissism, and slavery. No wonder why it thrive in prison populations where there is no need for personal transformation of ones inner self (as Christianity does by the Holy Spirit of God) islam is simply a sanctification ( to make holy) of one’s sinful nature by mimicking muhammed’s vile life. muhammed – the “perfect man” of islam is the antithesis of Jesus of the Bible and all that is good lovely and holy

    • Jay Boo says

      Sep 1, 2015 at 9:56 am

      JESUS Versus muhammed
      http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/jesus-muhammad.htm

      Image of MO
      The (no god but Allah) ideology is deathly afraid of any competition.
      Muhammad’s so called revelation the Koran does not forbid images of Muhammad yet Muslims freak out about this issue because the (howl at the moon) Muslims are more afraid of the Christian Cross than even vampires. The image of Jesus and the Crucifixion reminds Muslims that Muḥammad مُحَمَّد was by contrast nothing but a cheah a side-show con man thief.
      Muslims forbid both images: the one of Jesus and the one of muhammad.

  2. Baucent says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 9:06 am

    The argument that people converted on mass to Islam without threat of violence or intolerable persecution, is simply not credible. As the writer points out in that era people did not abandon their faith lightly. Clearly a campaign of terror drove the masses to convert out of fear of their lives. It’s possible this first generation of “converts” actually remained secret Christians throughout their lives.
    The regions now called Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and all of the North African countries of the Roman Empire were “Christian” majority provinces between the 4th Century AD to 7th Century. Churches were everywhere, many built by Emperor Justinian.

  3. rubiconrest says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 9:11 am

    The facts indicate that non-muslims did not embrace the faith that lorded over them. They converted to survive in the muslim dominated societies of the middle east where they lived. Like the myth of the golden age of islam in Spain the real truth is shielded in propaganda.

  4. jihad3tracker says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 9:14 am

    * * * * * * THIS IS AN EXCELLENT POST FROM WHICH TO BEGIN AN EFFORT TO BRING PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES INTO REALITY * * * * * *

    Both Repubs AND Dems, please —- except for the lying blood-drenched traitor Hillary-Loves-Huma, of course. If you can stomach Joe Biden, contact his campaign staff . . . Jim Webb and Martin O’Malley are two Dems who are thinking of entry or definitely in. Even uber-left Socialist Bernie Sanders is worth a few minutes of your feverishly typing fingers.

    All the contenders are still in hyper-accessible mode, shall we say. And if we begin now, the long hard slog of getting truth into their Westernized “Islam has been hijacked, right?” heads will have sufficient time to soak up the contrarian facts.

    HEREWITH ARE SOME SUPERB WEBSITES TO START WITH — MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW THEM. ALL ARE “DOT COMS” EXCEPT FOR JIHADWATCH. ADD YOUR OWN FAVES TO THIS BATCH, IN A REPLY:

    Jihadwatch / Pamelageller / Citizenwarrior / Inquiryintoislam / Answeringmuslims / Politicalislam / Barenakedislam / Thereligionofpeace.

    And, to avoid the impression that our emails come from loonies wearing tin foil hats, living in wilderness cabins, eating roots and snails for subsistence — include a bit of bio about yourself. Age, career, family, love of America and our astonishing freedom, etcetera.

    THESE EMAILS COULD, WITHOUT EXAGGERATION, ENSURE ELECTION OF A PERSON WHO IS SOLIDLY AWARE OF ISLAM’S INTENT FROM THE MOMENT HE OR SHE TAKES THE PRESIDENTIAL OATH.

  5. Rev g says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 9:17 am

    A very good work.
    One thing I would add, as a precautionary note, is that this coercion to conversion is fully sanctioned and encouraged by islam’s texts.
    This being noted to counter the assured reference to Christianity’s coerced conversions, not sanctioned by any Holy texts.

  6. ECAW says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 9:58 am

    Thank goodness we have Raymond Ibrahim to counter those who “argue that the non-Muslims who embraced Islam did so from sheer conviction” rather than from coercion.

    Here’s my favourite whitewasher of Mohammed, John Andrew Morrow who seems to have quite fallen in love with Mohammed (like Karen Armstrong and Lesley Hazleton….he was so masterful after all):

    “The beauty of the Qu’ran, the wisdom of the Prophet’s sayings, and his sublime ethics were so alluring that, for many, Islamic rule became simply irresistible.”

    Indeed, irresistible.

  7. pumbar says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 10:40 am

    Slightly OT

    New format children’s program pitch for Children’s BBC.

    Time for Terrortubbies

    CHARACTERS

    Winky Wonky – The leader Terrortubbie who is very very upset about the size of his male member. As a result he is a very angry, purple Terrortubbie.
    Diazapam – A manic depressive Terrortubbie who is a recent convert to the faith. She self radicalised after watching an online fitness video bySamantha Lewthwaite. She is bright green.
    Ga Ga – A yellow Terrortubbie who is probably psychotic. She now spends her time posing with an AK47 beside rented BMWs and writing pompous messages on Twitter.
    Mo – Mo is a red Terrortubbie. He has come last in his race for martyrdom with his seventy four “palestinian” brothers and sisters. This annoys him no end and he is keen to blow himself up ASAP.
    Nee – Naw – An automated Police bomb disposal robot that has a carboard mask of David Cameron on its front.

    .

    SONG PLAYS

    “Winky Wonky, Diazapam, Ga Ga, Mo; Terrortubbies, Terrortubbies say ‘let’s blow”.

    Nee – Naw enters the scene and vacuums up the kebab explosives, a blue, revolving light fades as his batteries die and he sags onto the floor.

    Terrortubbies: “Naughty Nee – Naw”!

    SCENE ENDS

    Prophet; No, Mo! You have to make them last for eternity, there’re only seventy two of them.

    Terrortubbies: “Naughty Nee – Naw”!

    END

    • pumbar says

      Sep 1, 2015 at 11:03 am

      Missed the end off…

      Prophet; No, Mo! You have to make them last for eternity, there’re only seventy two of them.

      Terrortubbies: “Naughty Nee – Naw”!

      END

      • pumbar says

        Sep 1, 2015 at 11:09 am

        Refusing to post the content. That’s a bit odd.

  8. mortimer says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 10:44 am

    The elimination of non-Muslim populations in Muslim-ruled countries takes place over hundreds of years through both active and passive persecution. The persecution is always present, but not necessarily in the most virulent form, but virulent Islam can erupt at any moment and without warning and on the slightest pretext.

    Over time, Islam erodes and fatigues the communities that have their own faith and traditions until they must give in or get out. Some families due to the hardships imposed by persecution chose one member to become a Muslim in order to shield the rest of the family from persecution. In time, the number of insincere converts like these became a large number undifferentiated from other Muslims and having no loyalty to the persecuted minority it came from.

  9. MKG says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 11:44 am

    None of this really comes as a surprise. All dominions, kingdoms and nations have been forged by the sword. All peoples in history and modern times have used the (proverbial and literal) sword to impose their will and views upon their neighbor. It is in man’s nature to control resources, reproduce and flourish. It is in man’s nature to be in charge and have it his way.

    Religion is often a factor in man’s will to power. Religion is often used to put people on their knees and gain cooperation. I mean, the will of man can be defied and the man can be killed, but who can stand against the will of a God. If man can demonstrate he is acting or being lead by divine influence, that is hard to stand against, Of course, enforcing the will of your God by the edge of a sword is quite effective.

    Just an observation.

    • gravenimage says

      Sep 1, 2015 at 2:25 pm

      With all respect, MKG, the idea that all societies are really equally violent and oppressive is neither accurate nor moral. Do you really believe that living in, say, Canada or Switzerland is no different from living in Somalia or the Islamic State?

      • MKG says

        Sep 1, 2015 at 4:16 pm

        Hi Gravenimage, Respectfully we will have to agree to disagree. There is nothing moral about imposing one’s will on another. That is why we search for moral reasons for what we do (part of the reason for this discussion).

        I agree that living in Switzerland and Canada or any other developed country is quite different from living in a third world nation such as Somalia. Note various countries are at different stages of development and some just can’t seem to sort themselves out. I have left my footprints in nearly 30 of those countries. Troubles in development and sustainment are usually due to internal weakness such as corruption and the inability to impose the will to maintain what has been won. Somalia is a great example.

        When it comes to a country or organization imposing it’s will on another through the use of force (or violence) the end results for the recipient are usually the same, submission or death. We tend to judge the delivery method though. In my opinion, there is nothing more civilized about dropping a 500 pound bomb on a tent, or roasting someone alive with napalm or white phosphorus than cutting someones throat with a machete. One method just seems more sterile than the other. Again, the end results are the same for the recipient.

        On a more base level, mankind continue to murder one another in all countries for very petty selfish reasons such as gang turf wars, robbery, murder/rape, murder/suicide, drug induce violence and just good old fashioned homicidal mania. etc. etc.

        In conclusion, I would like to learn of a country that was founded, developed and sustained with the absence of any form of violence or oppression. There would be much to learn from such a society.

        Gravenimage, I never expect anyone to like my comments. They are based on my observations and personal experience and I leave it at that. I appreciate you opinion and input. BTW I am done with Devil’s advocacy. I passed that hat to a younger brother.

        I sincerely wish you a good day.

        • gravenimage says

          Sep 1, 2015 at 11:46 pm

          MKG wrote:

          Hi Gravenimage, Respectfully we will have to agree to disagree. There is nothing moral about imposing one’s will on another.
          …………………………..

          I do agree on your last point, and no society is prefect. But some are morally *much* superior to others.

          More:

          I agree that living in Switzerland and Canada or any other developed country is quite different from living in a third world nation such as Somalia. Note various countries are at different stages of development and some just can’t seem to sort themselves out. I have left my footprints in nearly 30 of those countries. Troubles in development and sustainment are usually due to internal weakness such as corruption and the inability to impose the will to maintain what has been won. Somalia is a great example.
          …………………………..

          I’m afraid I must disagree. The main issue with Somalia is not that they are underdeveloped or corrupt, but that the country is virtually 100% Muslim–when a people follow a vicious ideology things are *always* going to be bad. The same is true of places like Yemen and Afghanistan, as well.

          Any nation embracing a malignant creed is not apt to “develop” any time soon.

          Similarly, the free West generally embraces a much more civilized set of values–that life is much better there is *not coincidental.

          More:

          When it comes to a country or organization imposing it’s will on another through the use of force (or violence) the end results for the recipient are usually the same, submission or death. We tend to judge the delivery method though. In my opinion, there is nothing more civilized about dropping a 500 pound bomb on a tent, or roasting someone alive with napalm or white phosphorus than cutting someones throat with a machete. One method just seems more sterile than the other. Again, the end results are the same for the recipient.
          …………………………..

          These are methods of warfare, nothing else. Do you oppose defensive warfare–where people only fight back if they are being attacked? Do you think that we should not have fought Fascism, or defend ourselves against Jihad terrorism?

          More:

          Gravenimage, I never expect anyone to like my comments. They are based on my observations and personal experience and I leave it at that. I appreciate you opinion and input. BTW I am done with Devil’s advocacy. I passed that hat to a younger brother.

          I sincerely wish you a good day.
          …………………………..

          I wish you the same.

    • kay says

      Sep 2, 2015 at 12:01 am

      Re: “All dominions, kingdoms and nations have been forged by the sword.”

      Nope. Iroquois Confederacy was a mutual defense league. The Five Council Fires. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine learned about what we call “modern society” from these pagans mid 18th century. The Confederacy was way ahead of the US until women got the vote not too long back.
      They were more civilized. Almost no one knows this.

      I count the native North Americans civilized for several reasons, and the Islamists subhuman. Many indigenous natives saw military attacks on women to be subhuman and ignoble, a source of shame. Plus, many native Americans refused to submit to slavery, which is why slaves were imported from Africa.
      Native culture was broken. It did not fail.

      • MKG says

        Sep 2, 2015 at 11:40 am

        Hi Kay, thanks for the history lesson. I do suspect the Susquehannock and the Mannahoac would strongly disagree with your opinion of the Iroquois. Something to do with them being driven off by the Iroquois during the Beaver War.

        I agree that nobody in their right mind would submit to slavery, however that does not mean they themselves would not take slaves. Raiding among the early native American tribes was quite common. Mostly for horses and women. It was almost like a sport to them. African slaves were sold as the spoils of war between African tribes. It were the Europeans and American colonies who were buying at the time. However, only roughly 10% of the slave trade went to North America. The rest went to primarily South America and the plantations in the Caribbean. BTW the slave trade in Africa is still alive and booming (disgusting).

        Ah, the horse. After the native Americans got over the initial shock of seeing such an animal, they learned to truly prize them, especially the women of the plains tribes. Because, the women themselves would no longer be used as pack animals when the tribe packs up to follow the bison herds.

        The native American tribes are no different from the rest of us. They are human just like the rest of us, with the same flaws and desires. The same sense of nobility and pride.

        The civility of a people could be measured in many ways depending on the position of the observer. Some would say the more civilized would fight for wealth and power where the less civilized more primitive culture would fight for control over water and hunting grounds. That is debatable. No matter how you look at it they are all resources. without resources your people will shrivel up and die. When your people have control over resources, they will flourish and grow thus creating a nation. A basic principle in anthropology.

        Put that in your peace pipe and smoke it Kay, then have a nice day.

        • kay says

          Sep 4, 2015 at 3:12 pm

          Re: “opinion of the Iroquois”
          Not my opinion. The historical fact is that Franklin went to the Iroquois. The Iroquois patiently explained the concept of democracy and of a self-defense federation to Franklin. Franklin went back and wrote, “If these savages can do this, then we should be able to do it too. Let’s try it.”

          They way it worked in many indigenous groups was this: you were in or you were out. If a native woman married a black man or a white man, that man was in the tribe. And he had tribal responsibilities. If a native Lakota woman lost her husband, she might well be married again to her sister’s husband.

          A typical principle among native Americans was that “no one gets thrown away”. Another was that certain transgressions resulted in banishment, which typically meant death. Also the principle of mutual consultation. Also the principle of earning rank, i.e. meritocracy. Also exchanging leadership, not having dictators or rulership.
          Some tribes accepted homosexuality. Most accepted magic and faith healers.
          I met some native north American teachers. Technically I am one.

          There are few these days with any idea how native societies in North America once worked. Including, sad to say, many people who have native identification papers.
          Karl Marx thought he understood how native Americans organized their societies. He never talked to a native American. He was a complete fool.
          Almost all of the traditional societies have pretty much vanished.
          The Iroquois are one exception.

          And I can definitely say this: to a classical native American, religious fervor looks ridiculous, and all of Islam looks insane. To an indigenous person, spiritual life is a very private practice, typically with some personal training. Native spiritual life of the North Americans is pretty much the opposite of what westerners or Middle Easterners call religion.
          Same with the Buddhists. Same with the Taoists. The indigenous spiritual traditions, the Buddhist, and the Taoist are all oral teaching traditions, not rigid belief traditions. They are open to change.
          I know how basically how these systems work. I’ll take the native American or Taoist or Buddhist approaches any day over any or all of the other stuff. And a principle common to all of these “alternative traditions” is to not push stuff on other people, but rather to think about the give and take, to consider reciprocity. And to connect with “the Great Mystery.”

  10. Alex says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 2:09 pm

    Awesome read. This was brilliant:

    “Which leads to one of Islam’s most bitterest of ironies: a great many of today’s Christians, especially those in the Arab world, are being persecuted by Muslims whose own ancestors were persecuted Christians who converted to Islam to end their own suffering.”

    I never thought about this irony. It’s mind blowing when you think about it. Great work, Mr Ibrahim.

    • dumbledoresarmy says

      Sep 2, 2015 at 7:33 am

      And that is why I rejoice whenever Egyptians like Nonie Darwish or Armia Bishou Boulos (formerly “Mohammed Hegazy) and his wife Katerina, or the man who goes by the name of “Mark Gabriel”, or Magdi Cristiano Allam, apostatise from Islam and become Christians. Because as they do, their family line – submerged for generations, perhaps even for a thousand years, in the deep darkness of Islam – re-emerges out of the darkness into the light…and their long, long-ago Coptic Christian forebears, who have wept and prayed as they saw generations of their descendants enslaved by Islam, are dancing in circles in Paradise, rejoicing as the children come Home.

  11. Michael Copeland says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 2:14 pm

    Thank you for this timely and authoritative reminder of Islam’s basic feature.
    As Anjem Choudary confirms, Islam means submission. There is, of course, no such thing as free-floating submission; it has to be submission TO something. In Islam’s case it is Submission to Coercion.

  12. Kaffir007 says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 3:02 pm

    It’s ironic, maybe even sad, that zombie movies are today very popular; yet so many people don’t fully understand why the zombies are “the bad guys.” “The good guys” are the few remaining humans trying to “preserve their freedoms” from the “single-minded hoard of zombies” who want to destroy them – either by converting them to zombies or killing them ( by eating their brains ). Zombies don’t care if they die and relentlessly pursue humans…

    Is it Just me, or do you see how Islamic jihad is just like zombies?

    • Davegreybeard says

      Sep 1, 2015 at 4:23 pm

      @Kaffir007
      “Is it Just me, or do you see how Islamic jihad is just like zombies?”

      I have noticed and pondered on that phenomenon for quite some time, Kaffir007.

      I have even used the analogy when discussing the mindset of rabid Jihadis with my grandson. It is perfect for helping to explain to the younger generation the “mind virus” of Islam and how it must be dealt with.

      I hesitate to say I see God’s hand in this, but…

      • Joseph says

        Sep 1, 2015 at 5:11 pm

        @Kaffir007
        “Is it Just me, or do you see how Islamic jihad is just like zombies?”

        INTERESTING! ! They say only willing parties can be hypnotized ergo only willing participants in the evil doctrine of Islam can be made into *zombie* like creatures.

        Davegreybeard, Sure is hard to see God’s hand in all this but look at Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, God used him as a tool.

        Ezra 5:11-13King James Version (KJV)
        12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.

        Hope all is well with you and yours. Stay young my friend.

        • Davegreybeard says

          Sep 1, 2015 at 11:48 pm

          @ Joseph
          “But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath…”

          Thus spake our grandchildren of us, the generation that elected Barak Hussein Obama and the Democrats, who led America to great travail, and almost destroyed her – or did.

          I fear for our Country, Christian.

          Hope all is well with you and yours, my friend.

        • Joseph says

          Sep 2, 2015 at 5:39 pm

          Some days I do more than just fear, I tremble. The harder the battle will be the longer this idiotic crap goes on.
          If you save me a space in your foxhole I’ll save you a space in mine. I’ll have some good cigars with me too.

  13. Davegreybeard says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 4:14 pm

    @Ramez
    “I’m a 20-year-old third-year medical student…”

    Really?

    Started a “medical” major when you were 17?

    Must be why you know so much about pink areolas…

  14. Aton says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 4:24 pm

    Wrong with a capital STUPID.

    The problem was not that there was NO choice for Christians, the problem was TOO MUCH choice. The Council of Nicea tried to end the many schisms within Christianity, and then the Council of Chalcedon tried to enforce this. Both failed. The Council of Chalcedon was rejected by the Copts, Armenians and the Syriacs. And it was certainly rejected by the Nazarene Sabaeans of Edessa and Amida. And this created a theological split between East and West.

    So when the Muslims appeared over the horizon, some grave errors were made.

    a. The Nazarene Sabaeans struck an alliance with Islam, to fight against their Romo-Byzantine Christian persecuters. Bad move. The Nazarene Sabaeans were never heard from again.

    b. The Romo-Byzantine Christians of Constantinople and Rome were deliberately slow in coming to the aid of their (heretical) Christian brethren in Edessa and Amida (and then the rest of the region). And so the Syriac and Armenian Churches were subsumed under the thumb of Islam very quickly. Bad move.

    In letting Islam in, the Romo-Byzantine Christians in the West had just assisted an even more heretical and decidedly more aggressive creed to take over their back yard. The internal fractious politics of Christianity had just allowed Islam to roll over Mesopotamia, Syria, Philistia and North Africa virtually unopposed.

    And did these people submit willingly to Islam? Of course not. Everywhere you go in the East, you will find cities where the people have pulled down their own fine houses, in order to build hasty fortifications against the Muslim hoards. Imagine pulling your house down, to create a protective wall. Is that willing submission? Naahhh. That is the fear of god, that your family will be raped, tortured and slaughtered. Check also places like Didyma in Turkey and Baalbeck in Lebanon, where they pulled down their temples to form protective walls.

    Below is Sbeitla in Tunisia. That wall either side of the entrance to the forum, was hastily made from the houses of the city, just as Islam rolled through the region. But the city was destroyed and left abandoned, its people slaughtered and taken into slavery:

    http://archaeologicaltrs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Tunisia.jpg

  15. Gary says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 4:37 pm

    Last time I checked,(Because of Jesus and His shed blood for me), my name is written in The Book of Life!

    Therefore; If forced to convert….

    I refuse!

    • Joseph says

      Sep 1, 2015 at 11:42 pm

      Gary,
      Amen, Amen and Amen. You can break bread with me anytime.

  16. Angemon says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 5:22 pm

    The question now becomes: what made such an ancient and heavily Christian nation become Islamic? More specifically, what made the ancestors of today’s Egyptian Muslims—most of who were Coptic Christians—convert to Islam?

    The “tl;dr” answer: muslim persecuted Christians in a fashion that makes the crimes falsely attributed to the Inquisition look like child’s play.

  17. kay says

    Sep 1, 2015 at 11:46 pm

    I’m gonna propagate this article. No time to read the comments. Looks like some interpersonal friction. I however am being useful. Am getting definite traction on youtube.

    Just posted a youtube comment defending Christianity as being better than Islam. ( A few weeks back some chick here on JW thought I was anti-Christian. Well, here’s your answer. )
    Aaannnnd that afforded me the opportunity to mention Robert Spencer’s new book. On a larger thread read by up to 200 I think. It was for Christopher Hitchens.

    Then I beat up some young Islamist punk on a less watched Chomsky youtube video. Brought in the Bostom books…and Spencer’s book. I’m having fun destroying Islamic State fan Chomsky and Republic of Iran shill Reza Aslan. And Louis Farrakhan. The snake Tariq Ramadan comes later.

    Anyway, here is a powerful counter-jihad strategy for social media: go over to youtube and clobber Islamists by responding to their posts ( or videos ). Include the Spencer book reference on Islamic State. You can do that on atheist videos, Christian videos, or Islamist videos, etc.
    The Islamists are all over the place. They are sitting ducks if you’ve got the right ammunition! Islamic State is a hot topic. Everyone needs to know that they are classical Sharia, and that there’s a book on it.

    It’s all about teachable moments. Carpe diem.

  18. gravenimage says

    Sep 2, 2015 at 12:07 am

    Another excellent article, Mr. Ibrahim.

    I have just one small quibble. You wrote:

    Modern day Muslims and other apologists—primarily in academia, government, and mainstream media—reject this idea.
    …………………………….

    Alas, I don’t believe that most Muslims are actually rejecting the idea of forced conversions to Islam, historic or contemporary.

    Instead, most of them are knowingly whitewashing Islam in order to lull foolish Infidels into a false sense of security–a very different matter.

    • voegelinian says

      Sep 2, 2015 at 11:45 am

      Correction: all Muslims lie about this (and about everything else) — until the point they have the power to fight and kill us openly.

      • Angemon says

        Sep 2, 2015 at 2:38 pm

        voegelinian posted:

        “Correction: all Muslims lie about this (and about everything else) — until the point they have the power to fight and kill us openly.”

        Right, because anyone calling themselves muslim automatically knows all the tenets of islam and all bits and pieces of islamic history by virtue of saying a few arabic words in front of another person calling themselves muslim, and you know that because you’re a mind reader, right?

        The truth is, there’s no telling from one’s self-identification as muslim of how much they know about islam.

        (cue in voeg’s usual covering up of his lack or arguments with snide remarks about “muslims who don’t know their islam being the same as moderate muslims”, etc.)

  19. David Langdown says

    Sep 2, 2015 at 11:37 am

    For millions it was a case of “Convert to Islam or die” and so they had to convert and then their offspring became muslims. This is how the sect of Islam grew to what it is today. Not by choice but fear.

  20. voegelinian says

    Sep 2, 2015 at 11:42 am

    Two crucial paragraphs from Ibrahim’s essay (later on, found after you click on the link):

    … it is not an exaggeration to say that “the Islamic world” would be a fraction of its size, or might not exist at all, were it not for the fact that non-Muslims converted to Islam simply to evade oppression and persecution. Once all these Christians converted to Islam, all their progeny became Muslim in perpetuity, thanks to Islam’s apostasy law, which bans Muslims from leaving Islam on pain of death. Indeed, according to Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a leading cleric in the Muslim world, “If the [death] penalty for apostasy was ignored, there would not be an Islam today; Islam would have ended on the death of the prophet.”

    Which leads to one of Islam’s most bitterest of ironies: a great many of today’s Christians, especially those in the Arab world, are being persecuted by Muslims whose own ancestors were persecuted Christians who converted to Islam to end their own suffering. In other words, Muslim descendants of persecuted Christians are today persecuting their Christian cousins—and thus perpetuating the cycle that made them Muslim in the first the place.

    Many Middle Eastern Christians, Hindu Indians, and Iranian non-Muslim Persians are in deep denial about historical shame of this protractic, cataclysmic disaster Ibrahim articulates here. I have personally heard many Egyptian Copts deny that any Egyptian Christians ever went over to the dark side to join the enemy camp Islam. That’ some deep Denial — yet another psychological effect of the protracted terror of Islam, woven into the fabric of our collective historical memory.

    • voegelinian says

      Sep 2, 2015 at 11:43 am

      Slight correction: “…about the historical shame…”

      • Jay Boo says

        Sep 2, 2015 at 12:09 pm

        voegelinian said,
        ” I have personally heard many Egyptian Copts deny that any Egyptian Christians ever went over to the dark side to join the enemy camp Islam.”
        —–

        But given voegelinian’s habit of making things up as he goes to fit his narrative it is very doubtful that there is any truth to his claim of — (“personal” firsthand hearsay information).

  21. Matthieu Baudin says

    Sep 3, 2015 at 8:08 am

    “… The long and short of all this is simple: Past and present, Islam has been a religion of coercion…”
    Well sum mated Raymond Ibrahim. An ongoing cycle of dominance and submission through the ages.

  22. kay says

    Sep 4, 2015 at 2:30 pm

    1) Geert Wilders referred to Christian civilization as superior, not white people.

    2) Geert Wilders was concerned about the extremely high rates of crime for Moroccan immigrants to the Netherlands. He did not ever refer to skin color. He just wanted to shut out the Moroccans, a national group.

    3) Geert Wilders was a close friend ( we are told ) of a black girl named Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Can’t call him racist by any stretch of the imagination. Just the opposite.

    Such a personal attack would also fail miserably against me. So would basically all personal attacks. But I am a ferocious enemy of Islam ( in the public square ).

    There will of course be some low end people who want to think they are anti-Islamist, but typically they don’t know how to do it. And any anti-Islamist leader who was racist or otherwise compromised would be torn apart on youtube discussions.
    As it is, many people who post against Islam on youtube are typically labelled racist, and this argument goes back and forth. What is ironic is that many many people who take the side of Islam are expressly and hatefully anti-Jewish. So the racism is basically all on the pro-Islamist side, NOT the counter-jihad side.

    People make claims that Dr. Bill Warner is “racist” or prejudiced. But Bill Warner spent some time actually studying Sufi Islam. As did I. And by the way, none of the Sufis I ever saw were black or brown or Middle Eastern. Currently, Muslims generally reject the Sufis as a contamination of Islamic faith. And that is significantly the case. Sufism is NOT always pure Islam.

    In short, this type of attack works mainly against the Muslims and Islamists, not the good guys. Just to be very clear.

    • Angemon says

      Sep 4, 2015 at 6:21 pm

      kay posted:

      “And any anti-Islamist leader who was racist or otherwise compromised would be torn apart on youtube discussions.
      As it is, many people who post against Islam on youtube are typically labelled racist, and this argument goes back and forth.
      ”

      Indeed. Calling someone a “racist” is a very handy way to dismiss them without addressing their arguments (“islamic texts say such and such. Just look at the goddamn book!” “No, man, you’re just saying that because you’re like, racist and stuff!”) while poisoning the well (“don’t be associated with that guy, he’s a well known racist!”).

      It doesn’t help that, for the most part, the people who call others “racists” are the people who redefined the meaning of marriage (no longer between a man and a woman), gender (Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner) and even race (Rachel Dolezal) – for all I know they can be pulling a Bill Clinton and considering “race” to be anything (like, for example, culture or religion) just so they can justify the usage of “racism”.

      • kay says

        Sep 5, 2015 at 3:53 am

        Hi Angemon.

        I have given three points of rebuttal against the “racist charge” levied at Geert Wilders. Anyone here can and should use that. I have also given the onetime Sufi background of Bill Warner. So he too can be defended. And I, a fierce enemy of Islam, took quite a few weekend retreats with “Sufi masters”.

        So Geert, Bill and I cannot be taken down thru any of those unfair attacks. I get your point about loose definitions. But here I refer to the defense of serious counter jihad people, which is necessary on social media, and which I do. And reversing the attack on the bad guys, since they are quite often strongly anti-Semitic.

        Briefly: We have to defend and attack. On social media. I give you this “play” to put in your playbook. Knowledge is power. I found these points and that saves time. Please support Geert Wilders, who has been taken to court twice, and please support Bill Warner. These are good guys and they need us to back them up.
        As for myself, I enjoy fighting these vicious Rodents of Unusual Size. And defending civilization, crushing arrogant nonsense and so forth.

        I probably mentioned I also fight alongside two western chicks, so they aren’t fighting all alone on social media. And sometimes people give me the thumbs up. These efforts may seem small and inconsequential but they add up. And I just added today a Robert Spencer book reference on a very large youtube discussion.

        So I am building good bridges and turning the battle against the Enemy. They have to fight Spencer. Not an easy thing to do. Robert Spencer is famous. I am making him more famous. I am sincere and effective and I hand out tools to people. This is the point.

        If we do not play active defense against the dangerous charge of “racism”, then it is death by a thousand cuts. We negotiate for social respect by being the good guys, being articulate and evidencing arguments, and neutralizing the mudslingers. This is a serious and difficult uphill battle, and we need “more glee club members”. Tramps like us, baby we were born to run.

  23. gravenimage says

    Sep 4, 2015 at 3:01 pm

    Looks like Ramez has been banned again.

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