The American Spectator

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p> ON A MISSION FROM ALLAH br> Re: David Yerushalmi's What Peaceful Islam? : /p>

Mr. Yerushalmi's discussion was highly readable. However, it would be better for him to drop the moniker of Islamic civilization for the word culture. He himself understands this since he often sets the word off in quotations.

In any culture both civilizing influences and the drive for barbarism coexist. When the former triumphs we can rightly claim that a culture is civilized. Within culture a manifestation of civilizing influences creates a kind of inertia that, hopefully, can outlast forces of barbarism. It is only in this that the effects of civilization flourish.

p>There is no overriding civilizing inertia in Islam, today. Our relations with Islam vary from day to day and week to week. It seems as if any insignificant action (insignificant to our Western way of thinking) may insight Muslims to unthinking violence, and then the entire project is called into question. br> -- Michael Presley br> Orlando, Florida /p>

Abraham (Old Testament) was neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim. Yet all three religions trace their origins to Abraham. In this light, one can say that Abraham had three sons, Moses (Jews), Jesus (Christians) and Mohamed (Muslims). Each son claims that he is the true interpreter of the monotheism of Abraham.

If one reads the sacred texts, (Old Testament, New Testament and the Koran) the theologies they represent characterize their world view. The Jews and the Muslims have warrior theologies, and the Christians have a decidedly pacifist theology. In practice all three brothers are not reluctant to fight anyone, anywhere, anytime.

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