Great Thinkers on Islam

This item from the Washington Times came today in my mailbox. It's not news, but worth remembering that past leaders of the Western world, whatever their flaws, were grounded in reality. Today's mass psychosis of denial will destroy us all unless someone grabs the helm from the sleeping pilot.

CHARLOTTE, October 9, 2012 – We have a tendency to think the global war with Islamic terrorism can be traced to 9/11/2001.

A little research shows that the Western world has been dealing with the complexities of the Middle East and its primary religion for hundreds of years as evidenced by the words of many of our most prominent historical figures. Here is what some of them had to say.

1: “Bolshevism combines the characteristics of the French Revolution with those of the rise of Islam. Marx has taught that Communism is fatally predestined to come about; this produces a state of mind not unlike that of the early successors of Mahommet. Among religions, Bolshevism is to be reckoned with Mohammadanism rather than with Christianity and Buddhism. Christianity and Buddhism are primarily personal religions, with mystical doctrines and a love of contemplation. Mohammedanism and Bolshevism are practical, social, unspiritual, concerned to win the empire of this world.” Bertrand Russell (1872 – 1970)

2: “How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on it votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. Individual Moslems show splendid qualities. But the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith.” Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)

3: “Wherever the Mohammedans have had a complete sway, wherever the Christians have been unable to resist them by the sword, Christianity has ultimately disappeared. (ditto, Judaism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism ...).” Teddy Roosevelt (1858-1919)

4: “I studied the Kuran a great deal…I came away from that study with the conviction that by and large there have been few religions in the world as deadly to men as that of Muhammad. As far as I can see, it is the principle cause of the decadence so visible today in the Muslim world. Its social and political tendencies are in my opinion infinitely more to be feared and I therefore regard it as a form of decadence rather than a form of progress in relation to paganism itself.” Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)

5: “In the seventh century of the Christian era, a wandering Arab of the lineage of Hagar (i.e. Muhammad), the Egyptian, combining the power of transcendent genius, with the preternatural energy of a fanatic, and the fraudulent spirit of an imposter, proclaimed himself as a messenger from Heaven, and spread desolation and delusion over an extensive portion of the earth.

Adopting from the sublime conception of the Mosaic law, the doctrine of one omnipotent God; he connected indissolubly with it, the audacious falsehood, that he was himself his prophet and apostle. Adopting from the new Revelation of Jesus, the faith and hope of immortal life, and of future retribution, he humbled it to the dust by adapting all the rewards and sanctions of his religion to the gratification of his sexual passion. He declared undistinguishing and exterminating war, as part of his religion, against all the rest of mankind.

The essence of his doctrine was violence and lust to exalt the brutal over the spiritual part of human nature. While the merciless and dissolute dogmas of the false prophet shall furnish motives to human action, there can never be peace on earth, and good will towards men.” John Quincy Adams (1767–1848)

6: “(Muhammad) was cruel on principle. He did deliberately what other men do from impulse. The ambition which tramples on the right of men to think or to live is the greatest of human crimes. A drop of blood shed in the cause of God is of more avail than two months of fast and prayers. Whosoever falls in the battle his sins are forgiven …and the loss of his limbs shall be replaced by the wing of angels. Hatred of Christians and Jews is rooted in their hearts from childhood.” Professor George Bush, NYU, great-granduncle of George H. W. Bush (1830)

Note: Regarding the above quote from Bush, see note below.

7: “(Piracy) was founded on the laws of the Prophet, as it was written in the Koran; that all nations which had not acknowledged (Islam’s) authority were sinners; that it was (the Muslims') right and duty to make war upon them and enslave them as prisoners, and that every Muslim slain in battle was sure to go to Paradise.” Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)

8: "Ever since the religion of Islam appeared in the world, the espousers of it … have been as wolves and tigers to all other nations, rending and tearing all that fell into their merciless paws. Such was, and is at this day, the rage, the fury, the revenge, of these destroyers of human kind." John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church (1703 -1791)

Apologists continue to remind us that Islam is a “religion of peace.” Apparently some of the greatest thinkers of the past didn’t get the message.

Note: Here is an excerpt from Israel Hayom's website, where the above circa-1830 quotation from Professor George Bush is expanded on. The link is to the Hebrew version of Bush's book:

Early American leaders and thinkers were endowed with deep appreciation and unique knowledge of global history, international relations, ancient cultures, ideologies and religions. They spoke and wrote candidly about global threats, including the Islamic threat.

In 1830, New York University Professor George Bush, the great-granduncle of George H. W. Bush, considered one of the most profound American scholars of the mid-19th century, published "The Life of Mohammed." He was not concerned about political correctness, was low on delusion and top-heavy on realism. His 1830 reference to the Islamic threat was consistent with the 2012 state of intra-Muslim atrocities, hate-education, tyranny, anti-U.S. stormy Arab winter, intolerance of criticism, global Islamic terrorism in general and suicide bombing in particular.

According to Professor Bush, ”[Muhammad] promised robes of silks, marble palaces, groves and fountains and beautiful virgins to those who fought for the faith … offering his enemies the alternative; the Koran or the sword. … It was inflamed by zeal for a religion which assured the soldier of victory now and paradise hereafter. The permanence of this religion is now apparently secured by education … in regions where freedom of thought is unknown [pp. 155-6].

“O prophet of God, I will beat out the teeth, pull out the eyes, rip open the bellies and cut off the legs of all who shall dare to oppose thee [pp. 36-37]. … [Muhammad] was cruel on principle. He did deliberately what other men do from impulse. … The ambition which tramples on the right of men to think or to live is the greatest of human crimes. … The sword is the key of heaven and hell. A drop of blood shed in the cause of God is of more avail than two months of fast and prayers. Whosoever falls in the battle his sins are forgiven … and the loss of his limbs shall be replaced by the wing of angels [pp. 103-4]. … Hatred of Christians and Jews is rooted in their hearts from childhood [p. 137]. …

Below, Alexis de Toqueville, Bertrand Russel, Winston Churchill, John Quincy Adams.

Final note: Some minor editorial changes were made to the Washington Times article.