The message our government is sending is propaganda. One way you can tell is because their message practically banks on Fear of the Unknown.
Even worse, it perverts Christian discerning and forgiveness by serving only to tempt many into "Christian" judgment on those we've condemned en masse out of a purely pagan "eye for an eye" lust for revenge. The alchemy of pragmatism is a Big Lie. There can be no Just War waged on immoral grounds or by immoral means. The use of the latter only metastisizes the Evil.
(Besides ... the idea our federal government -- who slaughtered Americans at Waco and waged a "moral" war in Serbia -- can somehow discern Good from Evil a mere two weeks after using Scripture to defend their electing to fund the use of "excess" human lives for so-called humanitarian research and profit, is ludicrous.)
Unlike this man's thoughtful book, it's the "Holy War" which is the propaganda -- ON BOTH SIDES, MA'AM -- for it cares not about changing an individual's heart but operates only to perpetuate the historical and bloody chasm by presuming that one's enemy can be liquidated or cowed into submission for good. (Revenge on all terrorists and whatever innocents behind which they're hiding -- rather than prayer for metanoia -- is the ticket. In this respect, we're little better than the innocents, ignorant, hatefilled militant and actual terrorists on whom we're meting out "justice".)
Instead of seizing on the truth -- particularly those which we have in common -- the "Holy War" seeks only to mobilize the greatest number of people in the most efficient fashion possible and provides but a veil of morality (in the form of food bags) to salve our consciences as it drops daisy-cutters and takes the lives -- EACH OF WHOM -- for which we are personally and morally responsible.
On the other hand, this book is simply one Muslim's attempt to hammer home to others the Universal, the true and the beautiful end of his faith while elaborating on what finds are the essential points of conflict and of unity among Islam, Judaism and Christianity.
Having read the entire thing a couple times since 9/11, I can point out for you all sorts of places where Mr. Hathout and I disagree (and I'll even admit to wondering what the hell "American Trust" publications is ...). Yet there is something about his thoughtful and quiet presentation, his own doubts about the way Islam has been abused and adulterated for political advantage of totalitarian tyrants and the way we so deeply agree on the sanctity of human life that I know this man is not a propagandist. If he is or was being printed for purposes of propaganda, I'm happy to report that they did a poor job of editing.
Again, I'm a Catholic and have no problems with both agreeing to agree and to disagree with a faithful Muslim. After all, he's not only human, he's a believer and not only a believer but a believer in The Book. To wit, a little Catholic "propaganda":
"Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth" 273 are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: "the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements." 274 Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, 275 and are in themselves calls to "Catholic unity." 276Where a person sticks with all humility and obedience to objective truth, refusing to lobotomize Faith from Reason and applying the full force of his God-given reason to what he's been given in the way of revealed truth, divine incarnation and God's participation in human affairs, I think he is Witnessing ... not propagandizing ... and affirming all the while the essential coherence and universal presence of Truth.
839 "Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to the People of God in various ways."325
The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People, 326 "the first to hear the Word of God." 327 The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ", 328 "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable." 329
840 And when one considers the future, God's People of the Old Covenant and the new People of God tend towards similar goals: expectation of the coming (or the return) of the Messiah. But one awaits the return of the Messiah who died and rose from the dead and is recognized as Lord and Son of God; the other awaits the coming of a Messiah, whose features remain hidden till the end of time; and the latter waiting is accompanied by the drama of not knowing or of misunderstanding Christ Jesus.
841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day." 330
842 The Church's bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race:
All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. . .331843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life." 332
844 In their religious behavior, however, men also display the limits and errors that disfigure the image of God in them:
Very often, deceived by the Evil One, men have become vain in their reasonings, and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and served the creature rather than the Creator. Or else, living and dying in this world without God, they are exposed to ultimate despair.333
I think it's a measure of how successful is the government's propaganda that scales have grown over the eyes of so many.
I am absolutely certain your intellect is sufficient to grasp the FACT that what Bush funded with federal dollars was research using the remains of already killed embryonic humans, but limited that funding to NO money for killing more embryos for research.[He can do little or nothing to stop private dollars employ in that heinous search; it is up to the somnambulent congress to act forthrightly, and that is one area that the president has neglected to demand work on).
The administration placed federal dollars behind research on cell lines derived from what were once living embryonic human beings, but made a vital distinction that NO FEDERAL DOLLARS would be used for further killing and exploitation. You are allowing your hatred for the Bush family and thus this administration to color your otherwise clear expositions. Give it a rest, Lady, the truth is not as dried in your coloration as you would have us believe.
Now you will no doubt insult me by accusing me of distracting from the theme you chose for this thread. ... That would be typical of your current methodology, sadly. You have raised the specter I just addressed, whether you agree with my assessment or not, and that was unnecessary of you, and certainly grows beneath you more and more.
I fear the one world religion is now being formed!