Pope Urban II at Clermont, 1095 AD
(Usual disclaimer when I speak on matters involving the Catholic church, especially Popes, I’m not a Catholic, but I love my Catholic brothers and sisters.)
Seeing today’s followers of orthodox Islam react to Pope Benedict XVI’s comments and his responses, I can’t help but think about the Pope who really ticked Muslims off. One who did a great deed, that many in today’s society fail to appreciate. Because he is the man who called for a massive defense of Christians, after centuries of attacks against followers of the faith, by the followers of orthodox Islam.
It all starts with the founder of Islam himself, Muhammad or Mohammed, you know who I’m talking about. Once his self developed cult had enough followers to wage war against others, he shunned his “religion of peace” rhetoric and started making statements like the following.
The Koran, Surah 9.29-30
[9.29] Fight those who do not believe in Allah, nor in the latter day, nor do they prohibit what Allah and His Apostle have prohibited, nor follow the religion of truth, out of those who have been given the Book, until they pay the tax in acknowledgment of superiority and they are in a state of subjection.
[9.30] And the Jews say: Uzair is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!
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He and his band of followers led raids, in which they took land by the sword and gave people who were not part of the cult 3 options.
- Option 1: Pay a tax to Muslims and live like a 2nd class citizen who promises not to display their faith in public.
- Option 2: Join the cult.
- Option 3: Die.
That was what I like to call Muhammad’s “pro-choice” movement. You had one of 3 options to choose from. It is important to note, that Muhammad developed those choices in early 600 AD. Over 800 years before the Spanish Inquisition and over 400 years before Pope Urban II’s statement at Clermont, which started what we know as The Crusades. You’ll see no defense of the Spanish Inquisition here, but we do need to set the record straight about The Crusades.
After Muhammad started his brand of “pro-choice” movement. Robert Spencer notes that Muhammad told those willing to attack Caesar’s territory, that their sins would be forgiven. This attack was carried out just after Muhammad’s death. And so orthodox Muslims attacking others and subjugating or killing them went on for about another 100 years unabated. With the orthodox Muslims hoping to get a higher place in heaven for their deeds. One where they would have lots of virgins and male slaves. Until October of 732AD, when Charles Martel (aka the Hammer) inhibited their conquest.
Charles Martel
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In October, 732, Charles met Abd-er-Rahman outside of Tours and defeated and slew him in a battle (the Battle of Poitiers) which must ever remain one of the great events in the history of the world, as upon its issue depended whether Christian Civilization should continue or Islam prevail throughout Europe. It was this battle, it is said, that gave Charles his name, Martel (Tudites) “The Hammer”, because of the merciless way in which he smote the enemy.
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But like today, orthodox Muslims, following in the footsteps of Muhammad, they continued attacks on non-Muslims. This leads us to the late 11th century, when the Byzantine Empire was trying to survive Muslim attacks. According to Spencer, 2/3 of what was once Christian lands were in the hands of Muslims by this time. Land that they of course took by force. So instead of rolling over and watching more Christians die, Pope Urban decided it was time to defend Christians, instead of watching more women get raped and people get their heads cut off.
Medieval Sourcebook: Urban II (1088-1099): Speech at Council of Clermont, 1095, Five versions of the Speech
1. Fulcher of Chartres
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You are called shepherds; see that you do not act as hirelings. But be true shepherds, with your crooks always in your hands. Do not go to sleep, but guard on all sides the flock committed to you.
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“Although, O sons of God, you have promised more firmly than ever to keep the peace among yourselves and to preserve the rights of the church, there remains still an important work for you to do. Freshly quickened by the divine correction, you must apply the strength of your righteousness to another matter which concerns you as well as God. For your brethren who live in the east are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them. For, as the most of you have heard, the Turks and Arabs have attacked them and have conquered the territory of Romania [the Greek empire] as far west as the shore of the Mediterranean and the Hellespont, which is called the Arm of St. George. They have occupied more and more of the lands of those Christians, and have overcome them in seven battles. They have killed and captured many, and have destroyed the churches and devastated the empire. If you permit them to continue thus for awhile with impurity, the faithful of God will be much more widely attacked by them. On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ’s heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends. I say this to those who are present, it meant also for those who are absent. Moreover, Christ commands it.
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Source: Bongars, Gesta Dei per Francos, 1, pp. 382 f., trans in Oliver J. Thatcher, and Edgar Holmes McNeal, eds., A Source Book for Medieval History, (New York: Scribners, 1905), 513-17
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Those who don’t think Jesus would ever desire that Christians defend themselves by force if they were able, keep in mind that Jesus once asked his own disciples to pack swords. And he didn’t request that with plans for them to go fishing, but for their own defense if needed, since he was sacrificing himself and not them.
So we see that The Crusades were all about responding to the threat of Muhammad’s religion. Because his most orthodox followers were a danger to all near them. And so it is today. Nobody wants to say it, but the “war against terror” is really the continuation of the war against orthodox Islam. And as I’ve pointed out in a previous post, this is an enemy that America has been dealing with since its founding.
So while I’m talking about The Crusades, let me hit on a couple of other points. First of all, no Pope ever apologized for The Crusades, nor should they.
Modern Aftermath of the Crusades
Robert Spencer on the Battles Still Being Waged
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Finally, it is a misconception that Pope John Paul II apologized for the Crusades. He did not.
There is no doubt that the belief that Pope John Paul II apologized for the Crusades is widespread. When he died, the Washington Post reminded its readers “during his long reign, Pope John Paul II apologized to Muslims for the Crusades, to Jews for anti-Semitism, to Orthodox Christians for the sacking of Constantinople, to Italians for the Vatican’s associations with the Mafia and to scientists for the persecution of Galileo.”
However, John Paul II never actually apologized for the Crusades. The closest he came was on March 12, 2000, the “Day of Pardon.”
During his homily he said: “We cannot fail to recognize the infidelities to the Gospel committed by some of our brethren, especially during the second millennium. Let us ask pardon for the divisions which have occurred among Christians, for the violence some have used in the service of the truth and for the distrustful and hostile attitudes sometimes taken toward the followers of other religions.”
This is hardly a clear apology for the Crusades.
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Also, there are always talk of evil acts during The Crusades, like the slaughter of Jews. This was not part of Pope Urban’s efforts, but the actions of renegades abusing the cause, who were eventually dealt with.
Medieval Sourcebook: Albert of Aix and Ekkehard of Aura: Emico and the Slaughter of the Rhineland Jews
Albert of Aix
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The Jews of this city, knowing of the slaughter of their brethren, and that they themselves could not escape the hands of so many, fled in hope of safety to Bishop Rothard. They put an infinite treasure in his guard and trust, having much faith in his protection, because he was Bishop of the city. Then that excellent Bishop of the city cautiously set aside the incredible amcunt of money received from them. He placed the Jews in the very spacious hall of his own house, away from the sight of Count Emico and his followers, that they might remain safe and sound in a very secure and strong place.
But Emico and the rest of his band held a council and, after sunrise, attacked the Jews in the hall with arrows and lances. Breaking the bolts and doors, they killed the Jews, about seven hundred in number, who in vain resisted the force and attack of so many thousands. They killed the women, also, and with their swords pierced tender children of whatever age and sex. The Jews, seeing that their Christian enemies were attacking them and their children, and that they were sparing no age, likewise fell upon one another, brother, children, wives, and sisters, and thus they perished at each other’s hands. Horrible to say, mothers cut the throats of nursing children with knives and stabbed others, preferring them to perish thus by their own hands rather than to be killed by the weapons of the uncircumcised.
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Emico and some of his followers continued in their flight along the way by which they had come. Thomas, Clarebold, and several of their men escaped in flight toward Carinthia and Italy. So the hand of the Lord is believed to have been against the pilgrim who had sinned by excessive impurity and fornication, and who had slaughtered the exiled Jews through greed of money, rather than for the sake of God’s justice, although the Jews were opposed to Christ. The Lord is a just judge and orders no one unwillingly, or under compulsion, to come under the yoke of the Catholic faith.
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Source: August. C. Krey, The First Crusade: The Accounts of Eyewitnesses and Participants, (Princeton: 1921), 54-56
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Emico was eventually defeated by towns people in Hungary. They got word of his prior exploits and took care of the one who came to their area acting as a defender of the people. Of course Hungary was established as a Christian nation. As we know, The Crusades eventually ended and we see what happened to Hungary and other areas.
Today it is PC to say “radical Islam”, but those who follow that path have far more documented support of their efforts being exactly what Muhammad wanted, over those who use statements about “peace” from Muhammad. Those statements about peace were made earlier in his life, when he knew saying anything else would result in his own death. So what is today’s radical Islam is history’s orthodox Islam.
December 10th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
How many Christians today would you find that would fight and be persecuted for the cross?