The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam by Robert Spencer Essay

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam by Robert Spencer - Essay Example Robert Spencer shakes things in an equally controversial book The Politically incorrect Guide to Islam. This book obliterates simplistic, politically correct opinions about the Islam religion. It compares, word by word, the teachings between Muhammad and the teachings of Buddhism, Christianity and other religions. He sent her away until the child was born. When the woman came back after several months, he took the child and gave it to a friend as a gift while he ordered the woman to be stoned to death. This book covers a lot of ground with the study of Muhammad, the development of Quran, the spread of Islam religion, and Islam’s early wars hence the culmination of the Crusades. The book is introduced as an examination of some specific tendentious contentions about Islam religion and the Crusades that have been a source of current debates. Spencer provides readers an extensive exploration about Islam that cannot be taught in school or that may not be exposed in the media; in so doing he paints religion in a broadly negative light. The general notion that Islam is a peaceful religion that has been hijacked by small minority of extremists is the beginning of all PC myths surrounding Islam. To back his claims, he quotes several Western Historical figures such as John Quincy, Alexis de Tocqueville and Winston Churchill who have been vocal in criticizing Islam. The book criticizes Islam as both oppressive and militant and gives a historical account of the crusades based on the argument that they were a late response of European civilization to the centuries of occupation and invasion which started in the 8thC in Italy, France, the Iberian Peninsula, Sicily and major parts of Eastern Europe. Spencer argues that the civilization clash between the West and Islam in the 21stC was as a result of a continuation of a 14thC long jihad which commenced at the inception of Islam. The book also offers discussions about the difficulties of treating this topic in a ever dis integrated current political environment. The fact is the book has both the bright and not-so bright sides. On the bright side, Spencer denies many myths penetrated by the PC crowd: that mainly states that Islam and Christianity are for the greater part been equivalent traditions, that crusaders were selfish land-hungry colonizers, that Jihadists were benign sweetie-pies and many other controversies. Honestly, I do agree with his bruising of Ridley Scott’s Kingdom of Heaven film which depicts a sentimentally liberal Islam during crusades periods. On the other side of the Spence’s book, he gives several myths that need correction. These include: Christianity is essentially begin and Islam nasty The crusades were defensive conflicts We should be grateful for crusades These three points as expressed by Spenser are myths and ironical in nature. 1) Myth one: Christianity is essentially begin and Islam nasty The book â€Å"The Politically incorrect Guide to Islam† is full of â€Å"Jesus vs. Muhammad† punctuations, whereby several teachings of Jesus are compared and contrasted with the intolerant and militant teachings of Prophet Muhammad. Taking for instance page 35: Jesus teachings was â€Å"blessed are the persecuted† and it is contrasted with Prophet Muhammad’s authority to kill persecutors claiming that â€Å"persecution is worse than slaughter† (Qur'an 2:191). Again in page 143, Spencer describes Jesus’ teachings and deeds to be merciful to enemies as compared to Muhammad’s command to ruthless to unbelievers but merciful to fellow Muslims. The mention of Islam develops a feeling of fear on the part of many non-Muslims because of what they have been told or heard about the Muslims. In my opinion, it is pointless to list