[lastchance]

This is from the Medieval Sourcebook at Fordham Univ website.

Gregory VII barely missed the honor of having begun the crusading movement. His plan is clear from the following letter. ... Gregory was unable to carry out his plans because he became involved in the struggle with Henry IV.

Gregory, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to all who are willing to defend the Christian faith, greeting and apostolic benediction.

We hereby inform you that the bearer of this letter, on his recent return from across the sea [from Palestine], came to Rome to visit us. He repeated what we had heard from many others, that a pagan race had overcome the Christians and with horrible cruelty had devastated everything almost to the walls of Constantinople, and were now governing the conquered lands with tyrannical violence, and that they had slain many thousands of Christians as if they were but sheep. If we love God and wish to be recognized as Christians, we should be filled with grief at the misfortune of this great empire [the Greek] and the murder of so many Christians. But simply to grieve is not our whole duty. The example of our Redeemer and the bond of fraternal love demand that we should lay down our lives to liberate them. "Because he has laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren," [1 John 3:16]. Know, therefore, that we are trusting in the mercy of God and in the power of his might and that we are striving in all possible ways and making preparations to render aid to the Christian empire [the Greek] as quickly as possible. Therefore we beseech you by the faith in which you are united through Christ in the adoption of the sons of God, and by the authority of St. Peter, prince of apostles, we admonish you that you be moved to proper compassion by the wounds and blood of your brethren and the danger of the aforesaid empire and that, for the sake of Christ, you undertake the difficult task of bearing aid to your brethren [the Greeks]. Send messengers to us at once inform us of what God may inspire you to do in this matter.

Thought you might like to see this. Considering the treatment of Christians by Muslims, I would say not much has changed.

[GaPeach2012]

I think these muslims are getting a little carried away over these cartoons, I mean really. In America our own religions, government gets made fun of all the time. You don't see us going out burning down buildings and making threats against people, threatening to behead people. I mean no matter what you say or do someone is going to get mad or have their feelings hurt. So what are people suppose to do walk on egg shells because we might or might not hurt someone's feelings. You cant go around in life that way, always afraid of saying anything for fear it will make someone mad. You just cant, they are taking this thing too serious, more serious than it needs to be. I mean what if everyone went around burning down buildings because their feelings got hurt, or angry, this whole thing is crazy. Its called a joke, where is your sense of humor. They need to get over it and move on, I mean its not like anyone killed anyone, it was only a joke..damn, stop whining about it. They sometimes act like spoiled children who cant get their way, well you cant always get what you want out of life, thats just the way it is, its called life. But we don't solve things by burning down buildings and making threats against people because we got our feelings hurt. Get over, and move on...as we all do, get a life.