Dialogue Versus the Sword

Submitted by Prof. Paul Eidelberg (Israel), Sep 19, 2006 at 18:13

The violent Muslim reaction to Pope Benedict's reference to Muhammad involves far more than the issue of freedom of speech. The ultimate issue is one of theological truth on the one hand, and the true nature of Islam on the other. Pope Benedict's "indirect" disparagement of Muhammad--who was will denigrated by St. Thomas Aquinas, the touchstone of Roman Catholicism--is by definition a disparagement of Islam.

Be this as it may, the Pope now calls for "dialogue." When Islam substitutes dialogue for the sword it will cease to be Islam.

Islamic leaders from Muhammad to Ahmadinejad have ever declared war on "infidels." When the latter speaks of a "world without America." he means a world without Christianity. The Church had better take this threat seriously. Indeed, Christians should go on the offensive and make demands on Islamic leaders. "Stop your obscene vilification of Christians and Jews. Abide by the United Nations Charter and its Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or we shall take steps to have you expelled from the world body."

Let us face the fact that dialogue, which goes back to Abraham's disputation with God over the fate of Sodom and Gemorah, goes to the root of Greco-Christian civilization. It is utterly foreign to Islam.

Dialogue is of the essence of genuine democracy. But whereas democracy is based on the primacy of consent or persuasion, Islamic regimes are based on the primacy of force or coercion.

The West, in particular Christian America (but also Israel), had better face up to the fact that Islam has declared war on us. The best defense is a good offense, which must begin with words that reveal the true nature of the enemy. But this war will not be won by words alone.

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