RELIGIOUS
INTOLERANCE-
How it began in Christendom:
For over nine centuries
Christianity and Islam have
been at each other’s
throats;
it began with crusade,
but continued as European
military efforts against
non-Christians for another
two centuries.
To crusaders-the soldiers
and sponsors-
messages were:
retake the city of Jerusalem,
check the spread of Islam,
conquer pagan states,
recapture lost territories,
open eastern frontier for
Europe economic prosperity;
assignments soldiers of faith
were to accomplish for
Catholic Europe.
Crusade-yes, became a
double edge sword-
a side to clear the weeds-
other side to inflict harm.
Crusade-a weapon-
combination of benefits as
it brought wealth through
trades to European lords,
nobles, and the Church;
sorrow and horror
for its cruelty by means of
violent spread of Christianity
in distant lands.
Within Christendom
was a home or crusade,
then in Europe-show dissension-
you were excommunicated-
apostatize-you were banished,
become a freethinker-you were
anathematized.
A little non-conformist spirit
you were ostracized,
hold a heretic view,
you were boycotted;
Church became enraged,
punished individuals holding
contrary opinions to its doctrines.
Inquisitions Church instituted-
ecclesiastical tribunals to-
witch hunt real and imaginary
enemies,
a pretext to try heretics
overtook Europe.
Donatism and persecution
by martyrdom,
repression, abuse,
outlaw, arson,
forbidden bible translation
from Latin to common
languages became
major weapons in
Catholic Europe.
Everywhere you turned
there were cries, wailings,
weeping, and lamentation
from Cathars to Waldensians,
Franciscans, Husites, Beguines,
intellectuals, and the reformists;
as the three main inquisitors:
Roman, Spanish, and Portuguese
tormented mankind from Europe
to India.
Ottoman Empire- A good learner and a
perfect master of a new Crusade-the Jihad:
With the expulsion of Latin
Christians from Syria in 1291,
a new crusade instituted,
as soon as new regime
took charge in eastern
Roman Empire in Constantinople,
jihad-more fiery and deadly
replaced the old crusade.
Sunni Islamic caliphate-
under Ottoman spread
quickly and spared nothing
on it paths,
from Anatolia to Maghreb,
and to Europe,
it was “Allahu Akbar” or
nothing else.
Latin religions-Roman Catholic,
Maronite Church, Ukrainian
Greek Church, Syro-Malabar
and Orthodox came under
attack.
Warriors of faith without
passion carried their battles
to Mongolia, Mesopotamia,
Arabian Peninsula, North Africa,
and Europe recruiting
proselytes for Ottoman and
for Islam.
Mujahedeen and janissaries
became soul winning tools
used separately,
in different circumstances,
for a common goal.
Even when janissaries
declined,
mujahedeen remained and
rose meteorically;
from 18th century onward
its spiritual value among
the mullahs and their
followers know no bounds.
Jihad in 20th Century and Beyond:
Holy wars have continued
in Islamic world even with
More than ever,
jihadist movement within Islam
has continued to create
Arab consciousness
and revival of Arabism,
oneness brotherhood
espousing cultural and
political unity among Arabs.
Following 1943 Damascus Ba’ath
Party formation that spread
to Arab nations,
pan-Arab ideology of oneness,
and jihad,
faith-based injunction to all
shahadah;
the three-in-one concept-
individuals with charisma-
have exploited in a
loose political system
in Islam to their advantage;
advantages mostly carried
beyond social and legal limits.
SILAS ABAYOMI
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