This book has taken me a while to get through. Finding the time to read at night is always challenging, but I’m thankful in this case. Thankful because I don’t think my mind could completely process all I was learning. It amazes me how history can be twisted and turned all kinds of ways. I wasn’t taught a whole lot about the Crusades and nothing about Muslim colonialism growing up. But the little I knew definitely wasn’t flattering to Crusaders. That’s why it’s so important to read history books every now and then (including as adults), especially books like Sword and Scimitar.
Hanson
I had heard about this book from Victor Davis Hanson. I love listening to his podcast. He’s a brilliant historian. So when I heard about Raymond Ibrahim from Mr. Hanson, I paid attention. I’m so glad I did. I’d always been curious about this time in history. I find it fascinating how different countries end up where they are. We often get bits and pieces of the past, but don’t have a comprehensive explanation of, for example, why cities are named the way they are. Or why countries adopt certain practices. This book blew my mind with connecting a lot of different pieces of puzzles I didn’t even realize needed connecting.
Istanbul was Constantinople
For example, I remember back in the day, listening to They Might Be Giants: Istanbul was Constantinople. Fun song! I thought the people of the city must have liked the name Istanbul rather than Constantinople. Wow, was I wrong. I had no idea that actually Constantinople was the hold out city of Christendom. I never knew that Muslims tried to lay siege to that city over hundreds of years. And why, you ask? Because if they could conquer Constantinople, they would get a foothold into Europe. And the goal of Islam was to conquer the crown jewel of Christendom, wipe out the infidels and force anyone left to convert to Islam. Muhammed wanted to take hold of that city from the very inception of the religion because of its incredible value.
Thankfully Muslims weren’t able to conquer the city until 1453. It was heartbreaking to read about. And as I was reading, I just kept thinking, why LORD? Why did you allow so much bloodshed and wickedness to happen? Why did you allow Constantinople to fall to such inhumane and perverse men? They reveled in the defeat, raping women and men, while also butchering the elderly, newborn babies, and anyone else who they felt the urge to kill (page 243).
I hate what happened to those people that fateful day. Of course, in God’s Providence, Constantinople fell at a time when the rest of Europe would finally come together to collectively push the invaders out of Europe. But it had been “…New Rome (i.e. Constantinople) that continued to defy the scimitar” (page 247) from the century when Islam first existed (around the 600’s AD) up until 1453.
Of course, there were a multitude of other things that happened from Islam’s birth until that moment in 1453. All of them repeating the same viciousness towards anyone who believed differently than the Muslims. This history was enlightening as well as sobering.
Crusaders
For some reason, people have labeled Crusaders as aggressors who wanted to expand Christendom. But as I’m sure you can now guess, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Rather, Islam chose to wage jihad and to treat non-Muslims, according to the Koran, as “vile animals and beasts, the worst of creatures and demons; perverted transgressors and partners of Satan, to be fought until religion is Allah’s alone. They are to be beheaded, terrorized, annihilated, crucified, punished, and expelled, and plotted against by deceit” (page 4).
The Muslims started in Mecca, but then pushed to conquer the entirety of the Old Roman Empire which was considered Christendom. According to Ibrahim “… the West is what remained of Christendom after Islam conquered some three-fourths of the its original territory” (page 8). I had never realized that was the reason why the West is called the West.
The Crusaders who gave up their fortunes did so at the behest of Pope Urban, who called “…on Western Christians to undertake an armed pilgrimage to Jerusalem – both to help fellow Christians and to liberate the Sepulchre of Christ” (page 128). Contrary to popular thought, the Crusaders weren’t fighting for fame and certainly not for fortune. These weren’t perfect men, obviously. But they primarily fought and died for their brothers and sisters in Christ who were suffering at the hands of the invading Muslims.
But what does it all mean for us now?
There is so much more to say about the actual, verifiable history that this book brings to light (including the first war of the United States fighting, can you guess? Muslims). But I think it’s important to think through what this book should mean to us right now. As the old adage by Mark Twain says, History may not repeat itself, but it often rhymes. If we don’t learn from the past, we’re bound to repeat it in some form in the future. And LORD help me, I don’t want that for my family or my progeny.
To be clear, not all Muslims have that same jihadist posture. Just like there are plenty of cultural Christians, there are also many cultural Muslims. However, some of those who actively study and obey the teachings in the Koran understand that jihad is expected and encouraged. They want everyone to be Muslim. To be fair, Christians want everyone to be Christians. But Christians don’t force people by the sword to convert. That is not the case with Muslims.
I know many Muslims are lovely and I’m sure I would enjoy getting to know them. We personally know several Muslims who are kind and wonderful people. The LORD continues to remind me that, truly, “…our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” We are not called to hate people. But we are called to stand for Truth and hate wickedness.
“Imagine” is a lie
As Believers, many of us have become indoctrinated to believe in the ideology of “Imagine” by John Lennon. That we can all just get along while singing Kumbaya as we sway to the music. Unfortunately, since time began, human nature has not changed. “Imagine” is a deceitful lie. My word, do we need to wake up to this fact. I know many of us would like to be just left alone to live our lives. But in one way or another, we are all called to fight for Truth, because there is real evil in this world that hates Christians and the God we serve.
As evidence of our fight, Paul describes what we are to wear, and it wasn’t comfy shoes, sweats, a cup of coffee and a book. That would be my preference, but I digress. He calls us to put on armor. And who wears armor? Soldiers, who fight against the enemies of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Too many of us are picking daisies when there are real people who will suffer greatly if we don’t speak up. My heart hurts when I think of the people of Nigeria. Their faith puts ours to shame. I just hope the same suffering that has shown their great faith doesn’t come here.
Stand firm
We must stand firm and not allow our convictions to be trampled over for the sake of being nice or having a fake peace that is neither nice or brings about peace.
The LORD has allowed us to be in the situation we’re in for a reason. I pray we are able to share Christ and the gospel to the people who are our neighbors and who are close to us, no matter who they are or where they come from. But I also pray we do not allow our country or our cities to be overrun and taken over by those who hate our faith and our way of life.
The LORD will use it all. No matter what. But I pray that the Church wakes up to this imminent threat that is within our doors. LORD give us all eyes to see, ears to hear, and stronger backs to push against the darkness.
