CHARLEY REESE: Anti-terrorism effort mislabeled as a war of religions

Columbia Daily Tribune (MO) ^ | Friday, November 09 2001 | Charley Reese

[ouroboros]

When five militant Muslims bent on murder pulled up to a Christian church in Pakistan, the first man to die was a Muslim.

He was a Muslim police officer assigned to guard the church, and he stood his ground against five gunmen and died in a vain attempt to protect the Christians inside.

And when the 16 victims were buried, their funeral was attended by thousands of Muslims who joined the Christian survivors in their grief and in their denunciation of the murderers.

There are people who, for their own selfish purposes, are trying to convince Americans that Islam wants to go to war with Christianity. That is a load of slop. The oldest Christian communities in the world today are in Islamic countries. Islam, Christianity and Judaism are all Middle Eastern religions, and all three have existed together for centuries.

I’ve pointed out before that the deputy prime minister of Iraq is a Christian and that there is a Christian church in Michigan built with a million-dollar donation from Saddam Hussein, who is Muslim. Most of the Palestinians in the Bethlehem area are Christians, and the oldest Christian church building is there. It has, by the way, been shot up badly by the Israelis.

There are Christians all over the Middle East, just as there are Jewish communities throughout the Middle East. The troubles we see there today all started with the Zionist colonization of Palestine, which involved Great Britain’s betrayal of its Arab allies in World War I. An excellent book on this topic is "A Peace to End All Peace" by David Fromkin. But these troubles are about secular matters, not religion.

Hamas opposes Israeli occupation of Palestine, not Judaism. Ditto for Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad. The fact that extremists on both sides call each other names should not be mistaken as religious positions.

Islam considers Jesus as a holy prophet of God, and the Virgin Mary is much revered. By contrast, the Jewish Talmud, a collection of rabbinic writings, describes Jesus in very harsh and insulting terms and shows clear hostility to Christianity. The book "Jewish History, Jewish Religion" by Israel Shahak, the late Israeli human-rights advocate, can shed more light on this subject.

Religions are by definition exclusivist views of the world, which is a sound reason for keeping politics and religion separate. Ecumenicalism can carry you no further than simply respecting other people’s right to have different opinions and beliefs than you do. Classical Judaism and Islam both prefer a religious state - as, indeed, at one time did Christianity. The idea of church and state separation is uniquely American in the modern world, though it evolved from the British experience. Many Muslims and Jews today also favor keeping them separate.

A final point to keep in mind is that if you are going to judge religions, you should judge them as they are now understood and practiced, not as they were in the Middle Ages. One can always find quotations from all major religions that, out of context, seem harsh and brutal to modern sensibilities.

But the conflict we are now engaged in is not religious in any sense of that word. There is no Islamic plot to take over the world. The grievances are all about secular matters - U.S. and Israeli policies that have often victimized Arabs in particular and Muslims in general.

Muslims and Christians are both taught to treat others as they would be treated. Unfortunately, not all political leaders are willing to practice that.

[ouroboros]

Charley Reese makes his case in clear, concise prose. "It's not important to me if people agree or disagree with my point of view," he says. "What I hope my column does is provoke people into thinking about issues, about the world, and their place in it."

Reese, a conservative columnist, does not mince words. In his column, which King Features Syndicate distributes three times a week to more than 150 newspapers, he does not hesitate to take a stand and back it up to the end. In 1985, after being horrified by acts of terrorism around the world, Reese said succinctly: "The wise thing to do with a terrorist is shoot him."

Charley Reese was born Jan. 19, 1937, in Washington, Ga. He was raised there, in eastern Texas and northwest Florida. By the time he was 19, he had worked as a janitor, printer, cub reporter, civil servant and caption writer for Plant News Pictures, Ltd. in London. In 1955, he began his career at the Pensacola News in Florida as a cub reporter. For the next 10 years, he worked at various newspapers, honing his craft by reporting everything from sports to politics. Between 1969 and 1971, he worked as a campaign staffer for gubernatorial, senatorial and congressional races in several states.

He joined The Orlando Sentinel in 1971 as assistant metro editor. He later became assistant to the publisher, then columnist and editorial board member. He retired from the paper in July 2001. He has traveled to Europe and the Middle East on assignments, all the while maintaining his distinctly American style of journalism.

Reese served two years of active duty in the Army and received an honorary doctorate from Webber College in Florida. He has been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and voted the best columnist in Florida by both the Florida Press Association and the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors.

He is the author of four books, including "Great Gods of the Potomac," and was the ghost writer of "The Eleventh Hour" by Gen. Lewis Walt. An American foundation commissioned Reese to write a study of the Swiss national defense system. Reese has won numerous journalism and civic awards. His column is read by decision makers around the globe. A column he wrote on the House of Hope, a home for abused teens, prompted President Reagan to write a personal check for $1,000 to the organization.

Reese makes his home in Florida. Now divorced, he is the father of three grown children.

[ouroboros]

bump

[Ratatoskr]

A final point to keep in mind is that if you are going to judge religions, you should judge them as they are now understood and practiced, not as they were in the Middle Ages.

Even if they are still practiced as they were in the Middle Ages?

It's a pity I don't garden. I might find a use for this editorial.

Reese Usually does better.

[RLK]

I am not Jewish and have no real horse in this race. One of the reasons Jesus was rejected by the Jews was that his teachings relied on many othe the rabbinical teaching of the time and were considered a poor distillation. He was considered, at best, a mediocrity.

[JMJ333]

There are people who, for their own selfish purposes, are trying to convince Americans that Islam wants to go to war with Christianity. That is a load of slop. The oldest Christian communities in the world today are in Islamic countries.

Charlie has to be aware that Islam IS at war with Christianity all over the world including, the Sudan where Omar Bashir has slaughtered over a million black Christians, and northern Iraq, where fanatic moslems have been murdering Asyrian Christians. Then there is East Timor, where roving bands of moslems ripped the heads off Christians and paraded them around on the ends of sharps sticks, and we can't leave out the Balkans, Israel, and of course the United States.

Islam, Christianity and Judaism are all Middle Eastern religions, and all three have existed together for centuries.

Yes, but now because of the wealth Islam has attained through the petrodollar they are able to fund their jihads for Allah and strive to rid the world of the infidels.

[UbIwerks]

This is a lot of garbage. Here's what the Koran says about the Christians which Reese says the Muslims respect so much:

They do blaspheme who say "allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary."...They are unbelievers who say "Allah is one of three." [The Christian belief in the Trinity]. They will be sternly punished (the Table, Sura 5)

And here is another one of the "peaceful" admonitions about Christians and Jews : Make war upon those who believe not...even if they be People of the Book [that is, Christians and Jews] until they have willingly agreed to pay the Jizya (tax) in recognition of their submissive state.(Repentence, Sura 9, 29)

Charly Reese has been spewing his anti-Semitic garbage for awhile, but now with the Arabs (most likely Iraq) killing thousands of us in one swope, he's still trying to brazen it out and say everything is the fault of Israel for coming into existence.

The old coot has no shame.

[JMJ333]

Sura 5 verses 51 and 57-61 [Penguin Classic english version] also define why moslems are not allowed to befired Christians. It preaches hate, not love.

[imperator2]

Reese has the prenicious tendency to blame the Jews and Israel for everything that's wrong in the world. It's time for Arabs (Reeses sponsors) to look inwardley at their own sick society and culture.

Stop blaming all their woes on 5 million Jews that have returned to their ancestral homeland, and who occupy a minute little corner of the vast Arab land mass.

The Arabs don't want Jews (or Christians) to control any little bit of land that they consider theirs. Yes, they are welcome to live under Arab control and pay exorbitant taxes as demanded by their Koraan!

Well Mr. Reese:TOUGH TITTY!!!!

[imperator2]

Now divorced, he is the father of three grown children.

The only reason Reese would be supplying us this info, is that he is looking to pick up chicks. Pretty pathetic. He is ugly as a sheep (both inside and out).

[UbIwerks]

Sura 5 verses 51 and 57-61 [Penguin Classic english version] also define why moslems are not allowed to befired Christians. It preaches hate, not love.

Muslim apologists can point to tolerant portions of the Koran. So why do the sections I quoted exist and why do the Muslims seems to be practicing them today?

Most books on the Koran group them by Sura number, but when they injunctions/admonitions are grouped chronologically they show intolerance and hostility. Mohammed at first tried to woo the Jews and Christians over, but when the Jews refused to fall for his illiterate ramblings, (Mohammed could not read) Mohammed was in a fury and that is reflected in the later admonitions that I quoted.

One can see that it is the portions of the Koran the quoted that are in effect today.

[snopercod]

Throughout recorded history, most wars have been fought over religion.

Those who worshiped the Sun God versus those who worshiped the Moon God.

Those who worshiped the Roman gods versus those who worshiped the Pagan gods.

Those who worshiped Allah versus those who worshiped the Christian God.

Those who believed that only the church could interpret the Bible versus those who believed that any man could.

Protestants versus Catholics...which continues today.

We know that socialism has killed hundreds of millions. Has anyone ever added up how many people religion has killed?

[Ohioan]

Taking a couple of clauses out of context, does not make a point.

How would you like it if Christians and Jews were judged by taking some of the passages of the Book of Joshua out of context?

Charley Reese tries to inject some common sense--that is his specialty--and gets attacked for it.

We need to wage this War aggressively, all right, and that starts with understanding whom our enemies are. They are International Terrorists, not a religion. Focus on what is happening, not their religious background, because that only plays into their hands by helping them recruit others who really do not want any part in this. (See War 2001.)

While most of the IRA are nominal Catholics (at least from Catholic families); very, very few religious Catholics have any use for the IRA. Nor would any today choose to endorse the Inquisition in Spain--or the methods employed in spreading Christianity in Latin America.

While those seizing Catholic lands in Ulster in Elizabethan times were Protestants, seeking to destroy the Catholic influence in Ireland, practically no Protestants, today, advocate confiscating Catholic property. Nor would any endorse, torturing and burning Catholics during the Thirty Years War--I am not suggesting that both sides weren't doing that.

While many who participated in the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, were nominal Jews; very, very few religious Jews had any use for Communism. (Indeed, in the Russian case it was an adaptation from the looney rant of the notorious Karl Marx, who in a display of total hatred for his own ancestors, called for a World without Jews.)

Your argument is, in short, a presription for relgious war that is in no one's interest; something that is incredibly ugly. Charley Reese has made some good points.

William Flax Return Of The Gods Web Site

[BellStar]

Charley Reese still one of the best!

[JMJ333]

I am reasonable so, perhaps you can explain to me why in so many places around the globe moslems are at war with Christians and Jews. Why is it they can't live in peace with their neighbor if it isn't teachings that can be found directly in the Qu'ran, the Haddith and the Islamic press?

[monocle]

From what I have read(I don't claim to be an expert on any religion) Muslims have historically refrained from revolting from governments, particularly Muslim governments. However, recently in terms of history,i.e. 40 to 60 years ago, a Muslim cleric declarded that Muslim governments which committed certain acts could be declared to be infidels and Muslims could in good conscience revolt. I believe that Osama bin Laden took up this newly developed theory to justify his acts against some Muslim governments. If my facts and understanding of them are correct, moderate Muslim scholars could provide interpretations of their faith which could brand bin Laden an infidel and provide some Muslim nations the foundation for actively opposing bin Laden.

[JMJ333]

Taking a couple of clauses out of context, does not make a point.

How exaclty do you take this out of context:

Qu'ran-Sura 5 verse 51:

Do not take Christians or Jews as your friends. They are friends with each other. Anyone who befriends them will become one of their number. Allah will seek out the evil-doer. [Penguin Classic english version].

Seems pretty clear cut to me.