Iraqi Archbishop Bashar Warda made the following observation during a recent speech: “Having faced for 1,400 years the slow-motion genocide that began long before the ongoing ISIS genocide today, the time for excusing this inhuman behavior and its causes is long since passed.”
That Muslims have cleansed non-Muslim peoples by the sword since the seventh century to the present is of course factually well-documented. But what of the more subtle “slow-motion genocide”? How does that work? The answer is connected to another question: Why did so many non-Muslims become Muslim in the first place?
Many modern-day Muslims and Western apologists claim that the ancestors of today’s 1.5 billion Muslims converted to Islam due to its intrinsic appeal; that the modern day coercion and persecution committed by the Islamic State and others is an aberration.
Conversely, many Muslim and non-Muslim historical records make clear that most people embraced Islam, not 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.”
Because well-documented facts have little influence on the modern West’s ahistorical sense of reality, happily the exercise of common sense validates what history records: the Islamic world is built atop, not so much the physical genocide of infidels, but the spiritual and cultural genocide of their identity. This killing of two birds with one stone was always more advantageous for Islam; for while the non-Muslim’s former religious/cultural identity is purged, his body remains to strengthen the ranks of Islam.
Consider Egypt. In the 7th century when Islam was being formulated, it had been Christian for centuries. Alexandria was the most important ecclesiastical center of ancient Christian learning and, along with Rome and Antioch, one of the original three sees. Writing around the year 400 — roughly two-and-a-half centuries before the Arab invasions — John Cassian, a European, 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.” 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.
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 — slough off their identity and become Muslim?
Before answering these questions, another overlooked factor needs to be kept in mind. From the time Islam conquered Egypt (and much of the then known Christian world) in the 7th century and well into the pre-modern era, religion was not something to be casually adhered to or changed, as it is today in the West. People then were sincere believers; there was no alternative narrative — no so-called “science vs God” claims.
Despite the many movies that project a sort of cynical modernity onto medieval Christians — such as the Kingdom of Heaven’s lead character, the “nuanced” and “secularized” Christian, Balian — “for medieval people, religion was not something one just did at church. It was their science, their philosophy, their politics, their identity, and their hope for salvation. It was not a personal preference but an abiding and universal truth.”
In other words, even if Islam offered intrinsic appeal, the idea that pre-modern Christians were “free” to choose to convert — free of guilt, free of fear from hell, free of existential trauma that comes with apostasy — is anachronistic and implausible. Again, those who change religions as often as they change shoes may have great difficulty in fully appreciating this idea, but it is true nonetheless.
If Europeans were this dedicated to Christianity in the medieval era, naturally so, too, were the Copts of Egypt, who became Christian centuries earlier. What, then, made them convert to Islam in mass is the question before us?
Is it true, to quote Georgetown University professor John Esposito, that Christians “were free to practice their faith to worship and be governed by their religious leaders and laws in such areas as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. In exchange, they were required to pay tribute, a poll tax (jizya) that entitled them to Muslim protection from outside aggression and exempted them from military service”? And yet, though left in peace and unpressured, Egypt’s original Christians found the new creed of sword-swinging, camel-riding Arabs so intrinsically appealing that they willingly apostatized in mass from the religion of their forefathers?
In fact, common sense suggests that nothing less than extremely severe circumstances and hardships — persecution — prompted the Copts and others to convert to Islam.
As mentioned, for the historian who reads the primary sources — as opposed to the mainstream works of fiction being peddled as “history” by the likes of Karen Armstrong and others — the above exercise in common sense is superfluous.
For the original sources make abundantly clear that, while Egypt’s Copts acquiesced to dhimmi status — constantly paying large sums of extortion money and accepting life as third class subjects with few rights simply to remain Christian — bouts of extreme persecution regularly flared up. And with each one, more and more Christians converted to Islam in order to find relief.
One telling example: in Muslim historian Taqi al-Din al-Maqrizi’s (d. 1442) authoritative history of Egypt, anecdote after anecdote is recorded of Muslims burning churches, slaughtering Christians, and enslaving their women and children. The only escape then — as it is increasingly today — was for Christians to convert to Islam.
After recording one particularly egregious bout of persecution, where countless Christians were slaughtered, enslaved, and raped, and where reportedly some 30,000 churches in Egypt and Syria were destroyed — a staggering number that further indicates how Christian the Near East was before Islam — the pious Muslim historian makes clear why Christians converted: “Under these circumstances a great many Christians became Muslims” (emphasis added).
Thus while many Christians were physically purged, many more were spiritually/culturally purged into becoming Muslims. According to internationally recognized definitions, both are forms of genocide. “Killing” and causing “serious bodily or mental harm” to members of any group of people — in this case “infidels” or non-Muslims — are the first two of five legal definitions of genocide.
The third definition encapsulates the “slow-motion genocide”: “Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part” (emphasis added). This is exactly what Islam did to its conquered non-Muslim subjects throughout the centuries; it imposed negative “conditions of life calculated” to prompt infidels to abandon their former identities and heritage in order to reap the benefits of joining Islam (which included the instant cessation of persecution and discrimination). Indeed, it is no coincidence that the Sharia-compliant “conditions of life calculated” to make the dhimmi’s existence so intolerable were and are known as the “Conditions of Omar.”… Keep reading
Kay says
And while these real atrocities are happening, we concern ourselves with “micro-aggressions.”
Our new found belly button picking has truly blinded us.
StellaSaidSo says
An interesting and insightful article, Raymond, thankyou.
Archbishop Warda is a fine example of a true Christian leader, unlike the traitors Pope Francis and Archbishop Welby.
mortimer says
Agree. Archbishop Warda puts DHIMMI clergy to shame. He’s KNOWS, while they are guessing. I think Marcus Welby is not saying as much he knows about Islam. His words of warning about the dangers of implementing Sharia reveal a more than shallow knowledge of the subject. Eventually, he will speak out more, but millions of Anglicans are vulnerable to revenge killings in Nigeria and Pakistan if he speaks out strongly. Archbishop Warda’s flock has been under daily attack since the Muslims invaded Syria.
StellaSaidSo says
You are too generous towards Welby (it’s Justin, not Marcus, btw), Mortimer. It’s the ABC’s job to defend the Anglican faith, and the lives of Christians. His silence is as reprehensible as old Frankie’s.
LeftisruiningCanada says
The threat of violent reactions against Christians in far off lands because of what one might say when sat comfortably in the West should not be lightly dismissed, i think.
It is a case of being held hostage of course, but i for one would not like to judge a man in that position too harshly, at least in this regard.
The Patriarchs of the Middle East face the same situation, as we have seen in articles on JW in the last months. It’s why they end up posing for photographs with imams at muslim events.
It is dhimmitude, and i detest it completely.
Gary says
Islamists. Satan’s tools…
They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
Politicianophobia says
Mike Pompeo hopefully will designate the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorists group and rid the US of CAIR and the evil barbarians. Archbishop Bashar Warda has not turned his back on God like so many other shameful leaders have.
Garfield says
That would be a good start. Islam needs to be called what it is: a coercive violent barbaric death cult that is run like a mafia.
christianblood says
Anyone who is concerned for the safety of Christians in the Middle East should URGENTLY pray for the Syrian Christians who are in the most dire situation now. As many of you may know, there are tens of thousands of ruthless international jihadist mercenaries fighting to forcefully overthrow the secular Syrian government that protects Christians and other minorities in that country. These international as well as national Syrian murderous jihadists that are waging war in that country is supported by the US, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, UK, Gulf-theocracies, Australia and other countries and If these islamic terrorists succeed toppling Assad and his government, Syria will a become blood path, like world has never seen and barbaric religious genocide and mass-murder of Christians and millions of other minorities will ensue. Please watch the short video clip below and see and pray for the Syrian Christians celebrating the Christmas in Damascus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGxct865vYY
Aasgar Hartvisen says
“Warda”, huh? I’d’ve think he’d be pinker…
DFD says
Isn’t it interesting? The number of responses/replies to Raymond’s post. It shows how strong our ideological or spiritual backbone is. The Muslims as well as the black block will note – and be jubilant!
DFD says
Isn’t it interesting? The number of responses/replies to Raymond’s post. It shows how strong or ideological, spiritual backbone is. The Muslims as well as the black block will note – and be jubilant!
CogitoErgoSum says
Perhaps there are few comments here since there is very little disagreement on the topic. Islam represses and suppresses other religions. Islam’s ultimate goal is to make Islam the only religion everywhere on Earth. The Quran urges Muslims to act this way. History shows that in the past they have acted this way. It’s just a fact that Muslims act this way. Oops …. maybe that is where the controversy lies. Why do so many people in the West want to ignore the facts of history and of Muslim scripture ….. and why do they think Muslims in the future will not act as they have in the past while Islamic scripture has not changed? I think the key to the answer lies in “slow motion.”
Sepp says
This article also appeared on the website Facing Islam in February.
http://www.facingislam.blogspot.com
Infidel says
“In fact, common sense suggests that nothing less than extremely severe circumstances and hardships — persecution — prompted the Copts and others to convert to Islam.” .. to quote this great article.. THE SAME ARGUMENT can be tabled for Islam’s persecution of Hindus and India… In fact, U can replace the word Christian in this article with Hindu and the Middle East with India and IT WOULD STILL MAKE PERFECT SENSE.. Goes to say, how the evil workings of Islam has a SIMILAR MECHANISM regardless of which culture it attacks and seeks to destroy.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Raymond Ibrahim, Arab are not aware of these series of genocidal killings of christians in the middleast before IsIs. you are just reproducing those myths of persecuting christians contained in mithraist Bible
DFD says
Ibrahim itace muhammed, during the gulf war, just before the fall of Baghdad, there was a propaganda chap from the Iraqis. Whilst there were explosions and gunfire heard at Baghdad airport, he proclaimed and assured listeners and viewers that everything is normal. He did so on TV and radio.
The Americans nicknamed him comical Ali – you just have to be related to this character! Your father? Elder brother? Half brother?
DFD says
PS:
Just a thought, should I be so bored so as to reply to your posts, as I am on occasion, I will in the future had these with “@ comical ibrahim”. Appropriate, don’t you think?
Arasu says
Amid the gloom, we Christians should take comfort in the providence of our God, as we will ultimately triumph. This portion of scripture from Daniel ch7 may well be describing an Islamic Antichrist:
Dan 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
Dan 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Dan 7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.
Dan 7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
FYI says
Archbishop Warda should take comfort from the prophetic teachings of Jesus Christ and the Apostles.
1.That there would be a worldwide decline in Christianity was predicted by ..Jesus Christ
“many will give up their faith at that time”
matthew 24 v 10
In fact you should read Matthew chpt 24 in full …but note verse 10-14:this explains a lot!
2.The outcome is already arranged in favor of the survival of Christianity
Before the checkmate of {2 thessalonians 1 v 5-10} comes the rise and (sudden!) fall of the one referred to in {2 Thessalonians 2 v 3-10}
The reason God will allow this is to separate the faithful(wheat) from the unfaithful(chaff).
Contrary to popular belief,Jesus Christ still exists;it is very much an illusion to think Christianity will be defeated and islam triumph.You MUST read the prophetic scriptures!
You will see the outcome has already been decided(in fact it is the same for the Jews and Israel..that is why God’s prophecies are very good news for Jews and Christians and very bad news for the enemies of Christianity,Jews and of Israel)
3 one of the reasons for the decline of Christianity in the west is BECAUSE of the men in Rome.
They completely failed to evangelize:after John Paul II died,the “smoke of satan”,the men behind the throne came to power and it has become worse as a result.
That there would be a betrayal of the Catholic and Christian beliefs and that it would come from Rome has been KNOWN since…FATIMA 1917:something that the current “pope” and his previous buddy ben xvi have worked hard to suppress.
In fact benedict Xvi LIED publicly about Fatima before he chose to run away and abandon his flock by resigning his position… and we see the current “pope”,apart from preaching heresy is very happy to sell out catholics and even brag about his love for islam.
Catholics have KNOWN about this Rome-generated apostasy for ages ..although the majority will choose not to see and will be mislead by the coming to power of the foretold deceiver.
All you need to know if you are a Christian is already written down for you to read in scripture.
All you need to know about the falsehood in Rome taking place,unless you would rather be deceived,if you are Catholic, you will find in the prophetic warnings of Fatima 1917{and since the Church authorities in Rome are ferociously condemned in Catholic prophecy..you can see why Rome doesn’t want Catholics to notice that and so they will put on a show of false piety..)
762x51FMJ says
The hierarchy of Islam.
The hive will send out hornets to kill any hornets that leave the colony. ( apostasy )
All females in the colony must be coveted to keep
male hornets out of your honeycomb. ( Sharia )
Because Islam has no Queen it can only survive by kidnapping and sexually enslaving young females from other Colonies. ( child rape)
The underlying goal is perpetual war against all other Colonies ( Jihad )..
1000 years after the Invention of Islam around 1680 AD, was the ” Age of Reason”..
Humans were ” Enlightened” by the fact that they were smarter then the average insect..