While the ancient foes of the Crusaders are more aggressive than ever. My latest in PJ Media:
The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, is dropping its Crusader mascot. The College Fix reports that the Catholic college “has decided to stop using ‘knight imagery’ to represent its ‘Crusaders’ nickname amid concerns that it evokes ‘the violence of the Crusades’ and promotes ‘Islamophobia.’”
The Holy Cross Board of Trustees declared that the Crusades were “among the darkest periods in Church history,” but the college is going to continue using the Crusader name while dropping the knight mascot. The Board exhorted students to instead see themselves as Crusaders for Leftist buzzwords: “Crusaders for human rights, social justice, and care for the environment; for respect for different perspectives, cultures, traditions, and identities; and for service in the world, especially to the underserved and vulnerable.”
Holy Cross President Fr. Philip Boroughs explained: “[T]he visual depiction of a knight, in conjunction with the moniker Crusader, inevitably ties us directly to the reality of the religious wars and the violence of the Crusades.”
The lesson is clear at Holy Cross: the Crusades are something to be ashamed of, and the school’s Catholic students should not take pride in knowing that the Crusades are part of their Church’s history.
Yet as I show in my forthcoming book The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS, the Crusades were not, as Holy Cross administrators and students evidently assume, an unprovoked exercise of proto-colonialism directed against a peaceful Muslim world.
The Crusades were in reality a late, small-scale defensive response after 450 years of jihad attacks had conquered and Islamicized what had previously been over half of the Christian world.
Armies animated by the jihad ideology (or that eventually justified their actions by recourse to it) had occupied much of the Middle East, North Africa, and Spain — as well as Persia and much of India — centuries before a Crusade was even contemplated. They had entered France and besieged Constantinople, the capital of the Christian Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, several times.
The Seljuk Turks’ victory over the Byzantines at Manzikert in 1071, when they took the Emperor Romanus IV Diogenes prisoner, opened all of Asia Minor to them. In 1076, they conquered Syria; in 1077, Jerusalem. The Seljuk Emir Atsiz bin Uwaq promised not to harm the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but once his men had entered the city, they murdered 3,000 people.
That same year, the Seljuks established the sultanate of Rum (Rome, referring to the New Rome, Constantinople) in Nicaea, perilously close to Constantinople itself; from there they continued to threaten the Byzantines and harass the Christians all over their new domains. The Byzantine Empire, which before Islam’s wars of conquest had ruled over a vast expanse including southern Italy, North Africa, the Middle East, and Arabia, was reduced to little more than Greece. It looked as if its demise at the hands of the Seljuks was imminent.
The Church of Constantinople considered the Pope a schismatic and had squabbled with him for centuries, but the new Byzantine Emperor Alexius I Comnenus swallowed his pride and appealed for help.
And that is how the First Crusade came about: it was a response to the Byzantine Emperor’s call for help against Muslim invaders who threatened to destroy the Christian empire.
It is undeniable that the Crusaders committed many atrocities. So did their jihadi opponents. But in the main, the Crusader endeavor was not an exercise in imperialism or proto-colonialism, but an attempt to protect Christians from jihad attacks.
So why shouldn’t Holy Cross College have a Crusader mascot and take pride in its own culture and heritage? Because that culture is spent, and weak, and confused, and anxious to appease a much more confident alternative culture that regards the Crusades as an affront.
The West continues its cultural self-abnegation in the face of the chimera of “Islamophobia” — a propaganda neologism designed to make people ashamed of defending themselves and their homeland against a newly aggressive Islamic jihad.
Holy Cross, of course, is not alone. The rush to disavow any connection to Crusaders is part of a larger tendency to remain in denial about the jihad aggression that threatens so many in the world today. It manifests an acceptance of the Islamic view of history — which has been aggressively thrust upon the West in recent decades — that blames the origin of conflict between Muslims and Christians upon the evil Crusaders despite the timeline which proves this false.
At a time when the Crusaders’ ancient jihadi foes are newly invigorated and more aggressive than they have been for centuries, this cultural self-hatred is a recipe for disaster.
Cheer Bear Girl says
People who do not believe western culture is worth defending should move to the Muslim countries.
J D S says
Soon, very soon, if our GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS and really those who wear the Cross of Jesus,don’t start a movement similar to the CRUSADES, and clean up the mess we have allowed to happen. Then crosses, bell towers and YES, EVEN CHURCHES,will have to be removed. Any symbol of Christianity is what the Muslims want removed…God wants all to be saved…but America has slipped into decay and Christians are becoming a scarce commodity. Unless people are going Jesus, and soon, we, like Europe, will let Satan and his minions take over and Muslims will outnumber Christians. Don’t let that happen find Jesus and you WILL join the Crusade.
sally says
So – when is the College of the Holy Cross going to change its NAME? It seems beyond odd that in order to appease the irrelevant Muslim complainers a school called “College of the Holy Cross” would stop with simply getting rid of a mascot when the entire institution is based in Christianity and so named.
These ass kissers make me sick. But, when the Church is headed by someone who is encouraging retreat from Christianity itself and acceptance as “equal” Islam, what can we expect? At a time when strength is needed we are given this bag of pablum.
DBM echo says
The Crusades were the West declaration that “Enough’s enough.” This effort was made to stop the aggression of Muslims. As most know today, Islam’s a very violent, very aggressive religion/cult, following the example of Big Mo himself and the numerous instructions he laid down in his book to be violently aggressive to get his way. In fact, in Islam, Big Mo is called the Perfect Man, al-Insān al-Kāmil: “the person who has reached perfection.” Meaning, “if Mo did it, then we as Muslims too should do it.” Explaining why today Muslims engage in child marriage, multiple wives, slavery, theft from the infidel, and lots of other unsavory 7th C. practices.
There’s no getting away from it. Islam is one ugly religion. As Sam Harris noted to Bill Maher, “Islam’s the mother lode of bad ideas.” Now Harris may have walked back that comment slightly, probably after getting death threats for speaking the truth about Islam and wanting to stay in the good graces of virtuous left. I wonder if it was lost on him that these threats to him were further proof of the violence and aggressiveness of Islam.
mv says
Today economy is managed by Arab. Geography by Turks. Brain and core is Iran. Pakistan is making economy. UN is Islam. Conquest of Turkey is only a solution. Otherwise west may suffer lot in future. 20 years back Europe was very beautiful. Now it is a mini Pakistani slum. Other hand Pakistan is developing quickly. Jobless blond and brunette can gradually capture Turkey. They were the victims of slavery. We are Syrian xtians of India mixed with Mongols, Africans and Romans most of the race except blond. Blond is a failure they escaped to Germany from Turkey and Iran during war with black haired, so pity. Brits are different. Only Brits, US and Israel can change this. The conquest of Turkey was a big mistake. Turks in Germany should be attacked with no mercy as they deserve that.
gravenimage says
What is the incoherent mv babbling about now?
Westman says
Maybe they can get a used Goofy costume from Disneyland and rename it, Dhimmi.
Berengaria says
I, for one, am deeply ashamed of Fr. Philip Burroughs, a sickly Defender of Christianity.
Crusader History was the only Good Thing going for Holy Cross. The School, itself, was no shining example of Crusader Tradition.
The Good Father should remember that the Victorious First Crusade defeated the Muslim Mobs & Stalled their Sick CULT.
Cheers for the Crusade & we could surely use a whole CRUSADER ARMY at this time in our Besieged Western Civilization.
Ava says
I wrote a letter to Holy Cross and how they betrayed the Christians and the Crusades. Sad to say, that millions gave their lives and were sliced to death just for emancipation of Jerusalem. Fr. Burroughs is no defender of our faith. Little by little the Muslims are removing our Western Civilization to replace it with theirs. They are starting with the schools. They have a plan and they are going after it while some of the Christians are caving in to their demands. Private schools may have any symbol they wish and that should have been the response of the so-called priest. Soon they will remove anything that is Christian which is offensive to them. I am disgusted by these weak Christians.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
It Will not surprise us that Mr Spencer is justifying all the brutalities and atrocities committed by the church during crusade wars pursant to mithraist Bible where fighters for Christ swimmed in human bloods of muslims and Jews running accross streams of Jérusalem and referingy to Catholic church regreting this darkest history of christianity as idiot, because he and CO are leading hate Propaganda campaigns against muslims in the West calling for ethnic cleansing of muslims from the West.
ED says
The Crusades were a defensive response to hundreds of years of Islamic aggression. There were excesses, but the initial reason to pick up the sword was defense, not offense. Islamic barbarism had to be stopped. The Church standing up and putting a stop to it is not a dark period of the Christianity, it’s actually one of its best moments. Unfortunately, it looks like it’s going to have to happen again! When the expulsion begins (a likely sad reality), Muhammadans have no one to blame but themselves. Sad!
Also, lying Ibrahim, you can’t “ethnically cleanse” Muslims, because Islam is not an ethnicity. Stop equating Islam with race. It’s not a race. Being against Islam is analogous to being against Satanism; it’s not analogous to being against Hispanics. You are committing a category error, and you are committing that logical fallacy deliberately. What’s sad is, you are actually contributing more to the future expulsion of Muslims in the West by all of your lies. Arguably more than jihadis. Because we can’t speak honestly about Islam now, future Westerners will solve the problem physically. Your lies now are going to cause Muslims to pay a very, very heavy price later. The Muslims that think that Westerners are going to let them stay, outbreed, and eventually overtake the West, are sadly mistaken. It’s understandable in a certain sense, seeing as if nothing is done, demographics do indicate that Muslims will take over. That’ s fools good, however. Eventually, Westerners will wake up. And by the time they wake up, “nice time” will likely be over. At some point in the next 100 years or so, there likely will be no Mosques or Muslims left in the Western World.
Now, I’m not rooting for violence. I’m just an observer of historical trends. Lying now = death/expulsion later.
Ibrahim itace muhammed says
Éd, you are just dreaming as a rogue, your views Will not be reckoned with. muslims have to stay in the West, whether you like it or not, because it is not your evîl god the Satan you Call holy spirit Who created the soils there
Wellington says
I’m back, Ibrahim, just as I said I would be. Have you ever considered that Allah is a fiction, Mo was a psychopath and the Koran a hate manual. Oh yeah, no love in Islam either, especially romantic love. Sick faith. Wise up, Ibrahim. Write to you soon again (unless your Allah does me in which ain’t gonna’ happen because there is no Allah).
LeftisruiningCanada says
They won’t be reckoned with, because you can’t reckon with them, Ibrahim.
If your ancient brothers had been content to sit tight over in the desert instead of slaughtering their way thousands of miles to the West (and East of course), then they wouldn’t have earned themselves a few good thrashings in return.
It’s as simple as that, and yet you refuse to see it. You prefer lies and evil, hence your love for mohammad and his ‘perfect’ example.
He was perfect for sure – a perfect devil.
LeftisruiningCanada says
Greetings Wellington, spared once again by the merciful the beneficent i see.
Wellington says
Yep. LIRC, still here. Whatdya’ know.
AleX says
@ibe
Yer mithraist superstitions comprise Al-Lat too?
Check underneath kaaba’s cover.
Send moe-hoe my regards.
gravenimage says
Again, Ibrahim itace muhammed is claiming that Muslims have the right to conquer and enslave the West, and that Infidels have no right to defend their own people.
LeftisruiningCanada says
It’s definitely a theme in his posts isn’t it.
Wonder where he got that from?
FYI says
Let’s not forget that “darkest history of islam”…
1,400 PLUS(and counting) years of conquest ,slavery and wanton koran-influenced savagery ,inspired
by their..
false “prophet” muhammed’s example{Sunnah},a Godless, mass-murderer of Jews{abu dawud 4390}
false “holy” book,the commandment-of-God violating koran:the book of death and hate.
false god allah ,an anti-Semitic,anti-Christian,theologically incompetent,misogynistic bigot who curses the Jews and the Christians k9:30,disagrees with God’s Commandments(!!),preaches hatred and violence towards infidels.
Terra Nova says
College of the Holy Cross, I think you should change your name, you don’t deserve your name any more.
You take away your Christian statues, you crosses, your Bibles, etc. Not, that I am for all these attributes, as I believe in silence and no holy show off, to the Creator, but by doing this now, SILENCE IS CONSENT.
You sold out Christianity by your actions. You must be really scared.
I hope everybody will feel good about it. Good luck.
John David says
Yet another example of the decay and moral cowardice and weakness of establishment catholicism. Once again, islamic terrorism is rewarded. The decision was yet another cave -in to P.C., islam and the duplicitous, feckless pope sets the tone.
utis says
Crusaders do not inspire “islamophobia.” Bad muslim behaviors (bombings, beheadings, kufirophobia, etc.) inspire people to investigate the Crusades and their fighters more deeply, to see the good side and complexity of Western defense of its people and values. Deus vult or not, fight on!
Glenn says
It’s amazing how the West has lied to itself about the history of the Crusades. Fact: Islam attacked, invaded and conquered peoples and territories in the West 60 times more frequently than the Wes did. And even then, most of our attacks were to retake what were Christian lands.
Think about it. How much does so much of the West hate itself? How badly are we seeing ourselves? The entire imperial history of Islam has been ignored by most in the West. Instead we obsess with what amounts to small beer in terms of U.S. imperialism. It’s often ignored that we were not conquerors or imperialist in many situations in the world where we could be.
The Left needs to excised from our society before they kill it utterly. Hard news but true. Anything short of that will not be sufficient to save the West.
Kasey says
When will all Western authorities wake up to the fact that the Crusades were a Christian response to many years of Islamic aggression against so many nation states all around the Mediteranian sea?
Historical facts should not be ignored to justify claims of Islamophobia, which in itself is a hoax, especially when Islamoreality in all its forms threatens liberty all around the World.
Kasey says
When will all Western authorities wake up to the fact that the Crusades were a Christian response to many years of Islamic aggression against so many nation states all around the Mediteranian sea?
Historical facts should not be ignored to justify claims of Islamophobia, which in itself is a hoax, especially when Islamoreality in all its forms threatens liberty all around the World
Fred says
Maybe the should dress as little kittens!
billrla says
Now, when Holy Cross plays Dartmouth, it can be the “Purple Pride” against the “Big Green.”
HugoHackenbush says
See Stefan Molyneux’s presentation about the crusades on YouTube. Well worth watching.
On another note: I guess Holy Cross will have to have a new mascot. I have a suggestion. In honor of their submission to their Islamic overlords they should have a guy running around in a giant bobble-head Muhammad costume (to honor the “profit”, er, I mean “prophet”).
Frank says
Dems Vult!
Frank says
F’ing i-Pad spell check. Deus Vult!
LeftisruiningCanada says
Your first try wasn’t wrong though
BringBackTheCrusades says
If they get rid of the knight but keep the name Crusaders what will be their next mascot?
– Camel?
New school name?
– College of the miranet?
sonajj says
Camel… is perfect!!!
gravenimage says
More sickening dhimmitude.