The Politically IncurredGuideto Islam (and the Crusade"savag e, barbaro us, and bloody sword" and of how diffic ult that sword
had made life for the Christians.'
PC Myth: The Crusades were an unprovoked
attack by Europe against the Islamic world
Wrong. The conquest of Jerusalem in 8,38 stood at the beginning of
cen
tunes of Muslim aggression, and Christians in the Holy Land faced an
escalating spiral of persecution. A few examplcs: Early in the eighth cen-
tury, sixty Christi an pilgrims from Amoriu m were crucif ied around the
same time, the Muslim governor of Caesarea seized a group of pilgrims
from Iconium and had them all executed
as sp ie s—ex ce pt fo r a sm al l nu mb er
who converted to Islam: and Muslims
demanded money from pilgrims, threat-
ening to ransack the Church of the Res-
urrection if they didn't pay. Later in the
eighth century, a Muslim ruler banned
dis pla ys of the cro ss in Jer usale m. He
al so in cr ea se d th e an ti-re li gi ou s ta x
(jizya) that Christians had to pay and for-
bade Christians to engage in religious
in st ru ct io n of ot he rs , ev en th ei r ow n
children.Br ut al su bo rd in at io n an d vi ol en ce
becametherules of the day for Christians
in the Holy Land. In 772, the caliph al-
Mansu r order ed the hands of Chris tians
and Jews in Jerusalem to be stamped with
a distinctive symbol. Conversions to
Christianity were dealt with particularly
harshly. In 789, Muslims beheaded aMu ha mm ad
vs.Jesus"Blessed are the pure in
heart, for theyshallsee
God. Blessed are the peacemakers.. for theyshal l
be call ed son s of God. Bles sed are tho sewho
are per sec ute d far rig hte ous nes s' sak e, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Jesus {Matthew 5:8-I0)
"Allah assigns for a person who participates in
(holy battles( in Allah's cause and nothingcaus es
him to do so exce pt bel ief in Alla h and His
Mess eng ers, tha t he will be rec ompe nsed by
All ah eit her wit h a rew ard , or boo ty (if he sur-
vives) or will be admitted to Paradise (if he is
killed in the battle as a martyr)