yah maklum lah, bahasa inggrisnya di ijazah dapet 9 katanya. kebayang gurunya gobloknya kayak apa. lol.
--- In [email protected], "suryana" <gsuryana@...> wrote: > > Dasar dodol, baca yg dibawah dianggap semua karesten. > Coba artikan makna " including many Christians " > > ""Christians remained in a precarious position and under threat throughout > the > Middle East. When the Seljuk Turks swept into Jerusalem in 1077 they > murdered over three thousand people, including many Christians. It was at > this point that the Christian Emperor of Byzantium, Alexius I, appealed for > help to the Western churches. """ > > Eniwe nih pendeta koq bisa nyasar ke kampung petar ?, mau kawin dengan setan > meraja lela yah. > > sur. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Stanley Sethiadi" <ssethiadi@...> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, October 03, 2011 7:24 PM > Subject: [proletar] Sebelum perang salib. > > > > Saya forward seluruh tulisan deh. Lebih dari 3000 orang dibunuh a.l. > > banyak > > orang Kristen. > > > > > > > > Salam. Stanley. > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.frontline.org.za/images/Frontline%20Banner.gif > > > > > > > > > > http://www.frontline.org.za/images/Dropdownmenus_themission.gif > > > > <http://www.frontline.org.za/INDEX.HTM> back to homepage > > > > <javascript:;> http://www.frontline.org.za/images/org_newcolour.gif > > > > <javascript:;> http://www.frontline.org.za/images/resources.gif > > > > <javascript:;> http://www.frontline.org.za/IMAGES/MISSION_REPORTS.GIF > > > > <http://www.frontline.org.za/related_sites.htm> Links to Related Sites > > > > http://www.frontline.org.za/images/Dropdownmenus_resources1.gif > > > > > > > > > > > > > > <http://www.frontline.org.za/articles.htm> > > http://www.frontline.org.za/images/BACKBUTTON.GIF > > > > THE CRUSADES AND JIHAD > > > > > > > > Back in 1999 while our mission was being bombed by the National Islamic > > Front government in Sudan, fellow missionaries were organising > > "Reconciliation Walks" to the Middle East to apologise for "The Crusades". > > At the time, as our church services were under aerial and artillery > > bombardment by Jihadists, it seemed rather bizarre. Therefore I undertook > > a > > study of the crusades and Jihad. > > > > Anin Maalouf in "The Crusades through Arab eyes" claims that the Crusaders > > conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 was "The starting point of a millennial > > hostility between Islam and the West." Islamic scholar John Esposito > > blames > > the Crusades for disrupting "Five centuries of peaceful coexistence > > elapsed > > before political events and an imperial papal power-play led to a > > centuries > > long series of so called Holy Wars that pitted Christendom against Islam > > and > > left an enduring legacy of misunderstanding and distrust." ("Islam: The > > Straight Path" OUP). > > > > What Preceeded The Crusades? > > > > However the Crusades only started after five centuries of Islamic Jihad > > had > > conquered and annihilated, or forcibly converted, over two thirds of what > > had formerly been the Christian world. Shortly after the Islamic conquest > > of > > Jerusalem, in 638, Christian pilgrims were harassed, massacred, and early > > in > > the 8th Century, 60 Christian pilgrims from Amoriem were crucified. > > > > The Muslim governor of Caesarea seized a group of pilgrims from Iconium > > and > > had them all executed. Muslims extorted ransom money from Pilgrims, and > > threatened to ransack the most holy churches in Christendom such as the > > Church of the Resurrection - if they didn't pay exorbitant taxes. In the > > 8th > > Century a Muslim ruler banned all displays of the Cross in Jerusalem. He > > also increased the penalty tax (Jizya) and forbad Christians to engage in > > any religious instruction, even of their own children! In 772, the Calipha > > al Mansur ordered the hands of all Christians and Jews in Jerusalem to be > > branded. > > > > In 789, Muslims beheaded a monk in Bethlehem, plundering the monastery and > > slaughtering many more Christians. In 923, a new wave of destruction of > > churches was launched by the Muslim rulers. In 937, Muslims went on a > > rampage in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday plundering and destroying the Church > > of > > Calvary and the Church of the Resurrection. > > > > In 1004 the Fatimid Calipha Abu Ali al-Mansur al-Hakim unleashed a violent > > wave of church burning and destruction, confiscation of Christian > > property, > > and ferocious slaughter of both Christians and Jews. Over the next ten > > years, thirty thousand churches were destroyed and vast numbers of > > Believers > > were forcibly converted or killed. > > > > In 1009, Al-Hakim ordered that the most holy churches in Christendom - the > > Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Church of the Resurrection in > > Jerusalem > > - be destroyed. He heaped humiliating and burdensome decrees upon > > Christians > > and Jews forcing Christians to wear heavy crosses around their necks, and > > Jews to have blocks of wood in the shape of a calf around their necks. > > Ultimately, he ordered Christians and Jews to either accept Islam or flee > > his areas of control. > > > > Christians remained in a precarious position and under threat throughout > > the > > Middle East. When the Seljuk Turks swept into Jerusalem in 1077 they > > murdered over three thousand people, including many Christians. It was at > > this point that the Christian Emperor of Byzantium, Alexius I, appealed > > for > > help to the Western churches. > > > > Pope Urban II challenged the knights of Europe at the Council of Clermont > > in > > 1095: "The Turks and Arabs have attacked our brethren in the East and have > > conquered the territory of Romania (the Greek Empire) as far as the shore > > of > > the Mediterranean and the Hellespont.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 continue to permit them to continue thus for a while with > > impunity, the faithful of God will be much more widely attacked by them. > > On > > this account I.persuade all people of whatever rank, foot soldiers and > > knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians." > > > > Nowhere was the call for the launch of the Crusades talking about either > > conquest or conversion, they were merely to remove the Islamic invaders > > from > > the lands that had previously been Christian, to restore religious freedom > > to the Holy Lands. > > > > Myths And Misconceptions > > > > The politically correct dogma that the Crusades were unprovoked, > > imperialist > > actions against the peaceful, indigenous Muslim population is simply not > > accurate. Such propaganda reflects a hostility for Western civilization, > > and > > often against Christianity itself, rather than any actual historical > > research. > > > > Similarly, the characterization of the Crusaders as greedy for loot, only > > out for personal gain, is simply out of touch with reality. Those who > > participated in the Crusades saw it as an act of sacrifice rather than of > > profit. The Crusades were in fact prohibitivly expensive. Many Crusaders > > had > > to sell their property to raise money for the long journey to the Holy > > Land > > and knew that their chances of returning alive were slight. Most who did > > manage to survive and return came back with nothing material to show for > > their efforts. > > > > Similarly the modern PC myth that the Crusaders attempted to forcibly > > convert Muslims to Christianity is a politically motivated fantasy. Search > > as one might through the writings and records of the Crusaders, one will > > not > > find any mention of Crusaders seeking to convert the Sarracens or the > > Turks. > > The Crusaders saw themselves as Pilgrims seeking to recapture and liberate > > Christian lands from vicious invaders. > > > > Even Maalouf in The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, reports the observations > > of > > Spanish Muslim Ibn Jubayr who traversed the Mediterranean on his way to > > Mecca in the early 1180's and found that the Muslims were far better off > > in > > those lands controlled by the Crusaders than they were in Muslim ruled > > lands. And that Muslims preferred to live in the Crusader realms as those > > lands were more orderly and better managed. > > > > Ibn Jubayr wrote: "Whose lands were efficiently cultivated. The > > inhabitants > > were all Muslims. They live in comfort with the Franks - may God preserve > > them from temptation! Their dwellings belong to them and all their > > property > > is unmolested. All their regions, patrolled by the Crusaders in Syria are > > subject to the same system: The land that remains, the villages and farms, > > have remained in the hands of the Muslims. Now, doubt invests the hearts > > of > > a great number of these men when they compare their lot to that of their > > brothers living in Muslim territories. Indeed, the latter suffer from the > > injustices of their co-religionists, whereas the Franks act with equity." > > > > The Crusades have often been portrayed as European Colonialism, but the > > Crusader states were not ruled from Western Europe. The governments they > > established did not answer to any Western power. Nor did the Crusader > > rulers > > siphon off the wealth of their lands and send it back to Europe. No > > streams > > of settlers came from Europe to settle in these states, which were > > established only in order to provide permanent protection for Christians > > in > > the Holy Land. > > > > The Merciful Saladin > > > > The presentation of Muslim commanders such as Saladin as merciful and > > magnanimous is a myth. When Saladin captured the Crusaders at Hattim on 4 > > July 1187, he ordered the mass execution of all the Christians: "They > > should > > be beheaded in accordance with Quran 47:4 'When you meet the unbelievers > > on > > the battlefield, strike their necks'" Saladin's secretary Imad reported, > > "With him were a whole band of scholars and Sufis and a certain number of > > devout men and aesthetics; each begged to be allowed to kill one of them > > and > > drew their swords and rolled back their sleeves. Saladin, his face joyful, > > was sitting on his dais; the unbelievers showed black despair." > > > > In 1148, the Muslim Commander Nur ed-Din ordered the slaughter of every > > Christian in Aleppo. > > > > In 1268, when Mamluk Sultan Baybars seized Antioch, he ensured that all > > the > > men were slaughtered, the women sold into slavery, the crosses in every > > church smashed, the Bibles torn and burned, the graves of Christians > > desecrated, every monk, priest and deacon was dragged to the altar and had > > their throats slit where a mass had previously been celebrated, the Church > > of Saint Paul and the Cathedral of Saint Peter were destroyed and the > > bodies > > of the Christians burned. > > > > When on 29 May 1453, the greatest city in the world of that time, > > Constantinople, was conquered by the Jihadists, the Muslims "slew everyone > > that they met in the streets, men, women and children without > > discrimination. The blood ran in rivers down the steep streets from the > > heights of Petra toward the golden horn". The Muslim soldiers even entered > > the Hagia Sophia, and slaughtered thousands of Christians worshipping in > > what was then the largest church in the world at that time. > > > > What Did The Crusades Achieve? > > > > The Crusades bought Europe time. From the first century of Islam Muslim > > armies were invading Europe. Spain suffered under Islamic occupation for 8 > > centuries. In the 14th Century, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, > > Albania > > and Croatia fell to Muslim invasions. > > > > In 1426 the Egyptian Mukluks conquered Cyprus. In 1395 the Muslims > > conquered > > Nicopolis on the Danube River. In 1444 the Muslim armies seized Varna in > > Hungary. In 1456 the Turks besieged Belgrade, and even tried to conquer > > Rome, but were thrown back. The Muslims first attempted to seize Vienna in > > 1529. As late as 11 September 1683 Muslim armies besieged Vienna, but were > > routed by 30 000 Polish Hussars (cavalrymen) led by Poland's King Jan III > > Sobieski. > > > > Were The Crusades A Failure? > > > > The constant depiction of the Crusades as a failure is not justified by > > the > > historical record. The Crusades succeeded in seizing the initiative, > > throwing the Muslim invaders onto the defensive, for the first time after > > five centuries of attack. The Crusaders bought Europe time - centuries in > > fact. > > > > At a critical time, the Crusades united a divided Europe, and threw the > > Muslim invaders back, bringing a peace and security to Europe that had not > > been known for centuries. As a result of the tremendous sacrifices of the > > Crusaders, Christian Europe experienced Spiritual Revival and Biblical > > Reformation which inspired a great resurgence of learning, scientific > > experimentation, technological advancement, and movements that led to > > greater prosperity and freedoms than had ever been known in all of > > history. > > > > For a picture of what Europe might be like today had Islam succeeded in > > conquering it, one can look at the previously Christian civilisations of > > Egypt and what is today called Turkey. The Copts in Egypt now make up just > > 10% of the total Egyptian population, and are severely oppressed. What is > > today called Turkey was once the vibrant Christian Byzantine Empire, the > > economic and military superpower of its day. Today the Christian > > civilization which had flourished there for a thousand years has all but > > been extinguished. The last Christian city in Asia, Smyrna, was massacred > > by > > the Turkish Army in 1922. > > > > The classic Hollywood version of the Crusades as depicted in the $150 > > million Kingdom of Heaven epic was produced in consultation with groups > > such > > as the Council on American - Islamic Relations. > > > > Professor Jonathan Riley-Smith, author of A Short History of The Crusades > > described the film as "Rubbish!.it's not historically accurate at all.it > > depicts the Muslims as sophisticated and civilized and the Crusaders are > > all > > brutes and barbarians. It has nothing to do with reality." > > > > Without the Crusades it is questionable whether Europe or American would > > even exist. > > > > The Crusades ended over 700 years ago. Islamic Jihad continues to this > > day. > > > > The popular misconceptions about the crusades are that these were > > aggressive > > wars of expansion fought by religious fanatics in order to evict Muslims > > from their homeland, and force conversions to Christianity. However the > > historical record does not support those assertions. > > > > > > A Reaction To Jihad > > > > > > The crusaders were reacting to over four centuries of relentless Islamic > > Jihad, which had wiped out over 50% of all the Christians in the world and > > conquered over 60% of all the Christian lands on earth - before the > > crusades > > even began . Many of the towns liberated by the crusaders were still over > > 90% Christian when the crusaders arrived. The Middle East was the > > birthplace > > of the Christian Church. It was the Christians who had been conquered and > > oppressed by the Seljuk Turks. So many of the towns in the Middle East > > welcomed the crusaders as liberators. > > > > Far from the crusaders being the aggressors, it was the Muslim armies > > which > > had spread Islam from Saudi Arabia across the whole of Christian North > > Africa into Spain and even France within the first century after the death > > of Muhammad. Muslim armies sacked and slaughtered their way across some of > > the greatest Christian cities in the world, including Alexandria, > > Carthage, > > Antioch and Constantinople. These Muslim invaders destroyed over 3,200 > > Christian churches just in the first 100 years of Islam. > > > > > > Defensive Wars > > > > > > As Professor Thomas Madden in The Real History of the Crusades points out: > > "The crusades to the East were in every way defensive wars. They were a > > direct response to Muslim aggression - an attempt to turn back, or defend > > against, Muslim conquests of Christian lands. Christians in the 11th > > Century > > were not paranoid fanatics. Muslims really were gunning for them.Islam was > > born in war and grew the same way. From the time of Muhammad, the means of > > Muslim expansion was always by the sword.Christianity was the dominant > > religion of power and wealth.The Christian world therefore was a prime > > target for the earliest Caliphas and it would remain so for Muslim leaders > > for the next thousand years.The crusades.were but a response to more than > > four centuries of conquests in which Muslims had already captured over two > > thirds of the Christian world." Without the Crusades it is questionable > > whether Europe or America would even exist. > > > > > > Thinking The Unthinkable > > > > > > As the London Telegraph pointed out: "A more realistic view of history > > requires less retrospective fantasy and more brain work. It means forcing > > your head around to see what motivated men and women centuries ago. Try to > > think the unthinkable - that the Crusaders were right, and that we should > > be > > grateful to them." > > > > Christian Love And Self Sacrifice > > > > Professor Jonathan Riley-Smith explains that crusading was "an act of > > love" > > for one's neighbour. An act of mercy to right a terrible wrong. As one > > church leader wrote to the Knights Templar: "You carry out in deeds the > > words of the Gospel, 'greater love than this hath no man, than that he lay > > down his life for his friends'." > > > > Professor Riley-Smith points out that the goals of the crusades were > > firstly > > to rescue the Christians of the East: "Many thousands of Christians are > > bound in slavery and imprisoned by the Muslims and tortured with > > innumerable > > torments." And secondly the liberation of Jerusalem and other places made > > holy by the life of Christ. > > > > The Medieval crusaders saw themselves as pilgrims, restoring to the Lord > > Jesus Christ His property. "The Crusaders conquest of Jerusalem, > > therefore, > > was not colonialism, but an act of restoration and an open declaration of > > one's love of God.It is often assumed that the central goal of the > > crusades > > was forced conversion of the Muslim world. Nothing could be further from > > the > > truth. From the perspective of Medieval Christians, Muslims were the > > enemies > > of Christ and His Church. It was the Crusaders' task to defeat and defend > > against them. That was all. Muslims who lived in crusader won territories > > were generally allowed to retain their property and livelihood and always > > their religion." > > > > Against All Odds > > > > When we think about the Middle Ages, we inevitably view Europe in the > > light > > of what it became rather than what it was. The fact is that the superpower > > of the Medieval world was Islam, not Christendom. The crusades were a > > battle > > against all odds with impossibly long lines of supply and cripplingly > > inadequate logistics. It was a David against Goliath enterprise from the > > beginning. The chances of success for the first crusade were highly > > improbable. They had no leader, no chain of command, no supply lines and > > no > > detailed strategy. The first crusade consisted simply of thousands of > > dedicated warriors marching deep into enemy territory, thousands of > > kilometres from home. Many of them died of starvation, disease and wounds. > > It was a rough campaign that always was on the brink of disaster . > > > > "Yet it was miraculously successful. By 1098, the Crusaders had liberated > > Nicea and Antioch to Christian rule. And in July 1099 they re-conquered > > Jerusalem and began to rebuild a Christian state in Palestine." > > > > > > A Judgement Of God > > > > > > When Jerusalem fell to Saladin in 1187, Christians across Europe perceived > > that God was punishing them for their sins. Numerous lay movements sprang > > up > > throughout Europe dedicated to purifying Christian society so that it may > > become worthy of victory in the East. > > > > Professor Madden, of St. Lewis University and the author of A Concise > > History of the Crusades, has observed: "From the safe distance of many > > centuries, it is easy enough to scowl in disgust at the crusades. > > Religion, > > after all, is nothing to fight wars over. But we should be mindful that > > our > > Medieval ancestors would have been equally disgusted by our infinitely > > more > > destructive wars fought in the names of political ideologies.Whether we > > admire the Crusaders or not, it is a fact that the world we know today > > would > > not exist without their efforts. The ancient faith of Christianity, with > > its > > respect for women and antipathy toward slavery, not only survived but > > flourished. Without the crusades, it might have followed Zoroastrianism, > > another of Islam's rivals, into extinction." But for the crusades Europe > > would have probably fallen to Islam and the USA would never have come into > > existence. > > > > Learn To Discern > > > > Dr. Ted Baehr of Movieguide warns viewers to be "media wise enough to > > reject > > revisionist history" such as the Kingdom of Heaven. " The problem is that > > the future generations could accept this politically correct, > > anti-Christian > > propaganda." > > > > Hollywood's Crusade Against History > > > > Ridley Scott's blockbuster epic "Kingdom of Heaven" presents one of the > > worst distortions of history seen on any screen in recent years. Focusing > > on > > the fall of Jerusalem, in AD1187, to Saladin's Muslim armies, this > > anti-Christian, politically correct revisionism gets everything wrong. > > > > Who Cares About Geography? > > > > First of all, Scott's Kingdom of Heaven has its geography very wrong. We > > know that the film was shot in Spain and Morocco, and it shows. Most > > people > > should know that Jerusalem is not in the middle of the Sahara Desert! Yet, > > in his film Jerusalem's high walls are surrounded by sand dunes, without a > > tree, a bush or a blade of grass. The Mount of Olives, the Kidron Valley > > and > > the Valley of Hinnon are nowhere to be seen. Unlike the Crusaders who > > liberated Jerusalem in 1099, Saladin's Army has no problem moving his > > siege > > engines and assault towers right up to the walls of Jerusalem, because > > Scott's Jerusalem in Kingdom of Heaven is not surrounded by valleys or > > ditches. > > > > This film also boldly asserts that Messina was the seaport to the Holy > > Land. > > As Messina is on the Island of Sicily, one wonders why French crusaders > > would, or how they could, depart from there. In fact Genoa, Venice and > > Naples were the ports which crusaders set sail from. > > > > This is a True Story - Only the Facts Have Been Changed > > > > Kingdom of Heaven also distorts history beyond all recognition. The > > "hundred-year truce" between the Christian and Muslim armies is a figment > > of > > their imagination. The warfare throughout the 12th Century was incessant. > > > > The depiction of the Knight's Templar as a band of religious fanatics > > trying > > to shatter the truce and provoke war with the Muslims by attacking > > caravans, > > is a total fabrication. No Knight's Templar ever attacked any caravans. > > Attacking caravans is what the founder of Islam, Muhammad, engaged in > > regularly. As did his handpicked apostles, the Caliphas. The Knights > > Templar > > were formed primarily to protect travellers from the attacks of the Muslim > > army. In fact it was the slaughter of Christian pilgrims, by Muslim > > armies, > > in violation of earlier agreements of safe passage, that precipitated the > > crusades in the first place. > > > > The central figure of this film, Sir Balian, is a historical figure, who > > did > > in fact play a critical role in the defence of Jerusalem in 1187, but the > > film script distorts his character and role beyond all recognition. First > > of > > all, Balian was not a blacksmith, nor did his wife commit suicide, nor was > > he illegitimate, nor raised as a commoner. His father, Balian the Old (not > > Godfrey as in the movie), had three sons, all legitimate: Hugh, Baldwin > > and > > Balian. Balian never had to travel to the Holy Land, because he grew up as > > part of the nobility there. Balian was married to royalty long before the > > events portrayed in the film, and he was not at all romantically involved > > with the Princess Sybilla. (Although his brother, Baldwin, had some love > > interest in Sybilla). > > > > In Kingdom of Heaven, Balian is portrayed as questioning whether God > > exists, > > although according to the historical records it is clear that Balian was a > > dedicated Christian who took his faith very seriously. Nor did Balian > > desert > > the defence of the Holy Land following the fall of Jerusalem. Far from > > returning to France, Balian proceeded to Beirut in Lebanon which he helped > > fortify against Muslim invasion. He was present with Richard the > > Lionhearted > > at the signing of the peace with Saladin, which secured safe passage for > > Christian pilgrims and recognised crusader control over the 90 mile > > stretch > > of coastline from Tyre to Jaffa. > > > > According to Kingdom of Heaven, the real hero in the story is the famous > > Muslim general, Saladin (1138 - 1193). Although an exceptionally gifted > > military strategist and unusually chivalrous, the film has uncritically > > accepted, and embellished, the legends about Saladin beyond what the > > historical record would support. A Muslim Kurd, from Northern Iraq, > > Saladin > > was raised in a privileged family, and was very ambitious. At age 14 he > > joined his uncle's military staff, and at 31 followed him to Egypt where > > his > > uncle was Grand Vizier. When his uncle died two months later, Saladin > > seized > > power, defeated competing Muslim leaders and started a dynasty which > > established Egypt as the major Muslim power in the Middle East. > > > > Far from having war forced upon him, Saladin initiated the conflict by > > declaring a Jihad against the Christians. He swept throughout Palestine > > capturing more than 50 crusader castles in two years. At the battle of > > Hattin on 4 July 1187 Saladin's army defeated the Christians on the shores > > of Lake Tiberius (the Sea of Galilee) - although in the film this battle > > is > > depicted as in waterless desert! Far from being the magnanimous victor > > depicted in modern legends and this film, Saladin was a ruthless general > > who > > had thousands of Christian prisoners beheaded in cold blood - including > > after the battle of Hattin. > > > > In the film, Saladin is portrayed as being most gracious in allowing the > > defenders of Jerusalem safe passage. In fact after the negotiated > > surrender > > of Jerusalem, which the Patriarch of Jerusalem initiated, Saladin demanded > > that every man, women and child in Jerusalem pay a ransom for his or her > > freedom or face the grim prospect of Islamic slavery. In order to save the > > lives and liberty of the poor people who could not afford the heavy ransom > > demanded by Saladin, Balian paid out of his own resources the ransom > > required for those who could not afford it. > > > > Twisted Theology > > > > The theology in Kingdom of Heaven is also all wrong. The film depicts some > > monk standing by the roadside repeating: "To kill an infidel is not murder > > it is the path to heaven!" As any student of the Bible would be able to > > tell > > you, neither the concept nor those words appear anywhere in the Christian > > Bible. However, as any student of the Quran should be able to inform you, > > that is exactly what the Islamic doctrine of Jihad teaches. > > > > At one point early in the film as Muslims bow in prayer towards Mecca, > > Balian comments: "You allow them to pray?" A knight sneers and answers : > > "As > > long as they pay their taxes!" In fact the crusaders never required any > > extra taxes of Muslims in order to allow them to pray. That is the Islamic > > doctrine and practice of Jizya. To this day Muslim governments require > > Jizya > > - tribute taxes - of dhimmi's (Jews and Christians under their Islamic > > rule). > > > > Before the crusaders march out to the disastrous battle of Hattin, the > > film > > has one knight declaring: "The army of Jesus Christ cannot be beaten." > > However, there is no such doctrine in the Bible, or in Christian theology. > > It is, in fact, Islamic dogma that no Muslim army can never be defeated by > > an infidel army. This Muhammad asserted on the authority of Allah himself. > > (Something which the recent defeats, of the Taliban, in Afghanistan, and > > Saddam Hussein's Muslim military superpower of the Middle East, Iraq, by > > the > > Americans has precipitated a serious theological problem for Islamic > > scholars). > > > > Insults to Intelligence > > > > Quite aside from the factual errors in geography, the attributing of > > Islamic > > doctrine to the Christians, and the blatant distortion of history, the > > Kingdom of Heaven is an insult to the intelligence of its viewers in terms > > of its preposterous script. > > > > Here we are expected to believe that: Balian is grieving his wife's death, > > yet he does not even attend to her burial; that Balian raised a commoner, > > trained only as a blacksmith, from France, could within days of arriving > > in > > Palestine be teaching the local people how to practice agriculture and dig > > wells in the desert; and that this blacksmith with no military training > > could know more about siege weapons and military strategy that all the > > knights and military professionals concentrated in the Holy Land put > > together! Just where would a blacksmith have learnt all about siege > > engines, > > trebuchets, cavalry tactics and defensive strategy? > > > > The fictional, adulterous relationship depicted between Balian and > > Princess > > Sybilla strains all credibility. As does Balian's presumed ethical > > objections against executing the venomous and bloodthirsty husband of his > > presumed adulterous interest! Apparently justice and the avoiding of a > > disastrous war were not as important as his adulterous affections. > > > > Aside from the terrain around Jerusalem being so conveniently flat for the > > invading armies, the depicted firepower and range capabilities of the > > catapults and trebuchets are ridiculous. Steel cranes with three-inch > > titanium cables would have trouble sustaining the weight and strain with > > which these 12th Century wooden and rope trebuchets were meant to have > > pulverised the thick walls of Jerusalem! The film makers of Kingdom of > > Heaven try to make up for a lack of script and character development by > > overdosing on computer generated explosions and fictional firepower > > capabilities. (Actually maximum range for a 12th Century catapult would > > have > > been 150 yards with a 300 pound rock). > > > > And how can any viewer with a grasp of history or military tactics swallow > > the kind of tactics and strategy dished up in films like Kingdom of > > Heaven? > > What soldiers throw their shields away just before engaging a massive > > assault by the enemy?! Apparently, Orlando Bloom wanted his long flowing > > locks to flow in the breeze, but seriously, what knight would throw his > > helmet away just before engaging in hand to hand combat?! > > > > Also, as any student of history and anthropology should be able to tell > > you, > > the crusaders did not burn the bodies of their dead. That was the practice > > of the Vikings, the ancient Greeks and the Hindus, but not of the > > Christians > > who buried their dead. > > > > The ridiculous speech with its feel good "why can't we all just get along" > > drivel dished up by Orlando Bloom's Balian on the walls of Jerusalem > > (while > > Saladin's armies politely delay their attack until he has finished) may > > sound believable to some 21st Century Humanist, but these were not the > > convictions or sentiments of any 12th Century crusader. As for the > > pathetic > > egalitarian gesture of knighting everybody - without any training, testing > > or code of conduct - is so unhistorical, and so out of touch with reality, > > as to make one wonder what drugs the scriptwriter was on at the time. > > > > Then there's that shipwreck. To expect us to believe that the hero of the > > film could go down with the ship in high seas, and awake the next morning > > alive and well, on the shore - with the entire crew and every passenger, > > and > > every horse dead, and neatly deposited on the shore - is ludicrous. > > Especially that the only survivors of the shipwreck were the hero, and his > > horse! And of course, very conveniently, his father's sword was not the > > kind > > of heavy sword that would sink to the bottom of the ocean, but was also > > neatly deposited next to this sole survivor! > > > > Crusade Against Christianity > > > > The ridiculous and inane comments attributed to the bishop in the film are > > also not only highly unlikely, but jarringly anachronistic. Producer > > Ridley > > Scott, and scriptwriter William Monahan, obviously hate Christianity. But, > > just in case any viewers lack the discernment to detect the unveiled > > anti-Christian hostility and prejudice, which permeates the entire movie, > > Ridley Scott, has gone on record as stating: "Balian is an agnostic, just > > like me." Of course there was no such thing as agnosticism in the 12th > > Century, especially not amongst crusaders. The word "agnostic" was a 19th > > Century invention. > > > > Just in case anyone misunderstood the motivations behind his movie, Ridley > > Scott has been quoted as saying: "If we could just take God out of the > > equation, there would be no f. problem!" > > > > Entertainment or Exploitation? > > > > Considering how few people today read history books, and how most depend > > entirely on these kind of "based on a true story - the names and the > > places > > are true - only the facts have been changed to protect the guilty" films, > > for their understanding of the past, this kind of blind prejudice and > > obsessive hatred against Christianity on the part of producers and > > directors > > should be frightening. As Karl Marx declared: "The first battlefield is > > the > > rewriting of history." I'm sure that all the enemies of Christianity are > > delighted with propaganda pics like Kingdom of Heaven. > > > > The Facts of History > > > > The fact is that the crusades of the Middle Ages were a reaction to > > centuries of Islamic Jihad. In the first century of Islam alone Muslim > > invaders conquered the whole of the previously Christian North Africa > > destroying over 3200 churches - in just 100 years. In the first five > > centuries of Islam, Muslim forces killed Christians, kidnapped their > > children to raise them as Muslims, or compelled people at the point of the > > sword to convert to Islam . Up to 50% of all the Christians in the world > > were wiped out during the first three centuries of Islam. The Saracens (as > > the Muslim invaders were called) desecrated Christian places of worship > > and > > were severely persecuting Christians. Pilgrims were then prevented from > > visiting those places where our Lord was born, was crucified and raised > > from > > the dead. It was only after four centuries of Islamic Jihad that the > > crusades were launched as a belated reaction to the blatant Islamic Jihad. > > > > Logistics and Economics > > > > As the Christian History Institute has pointed out, the characterising of > > crusaders as only in it for the plunder and the loot betrays an ignorance > > of > > both geography and history. The vast majority of the crusaders were > > impoverished and financially ruined by the crusades. Crusaders, through > > great sacrifice and personal expense, left their homes and families to > > travel 3000km across treacherous and inhospitable terrain - and the > > shortest > > crusade lasted 4 years. Considering that only 10% of the crusaders had > > horses, and 90% were foot soldiers, the sheer fact of logistics is that > > the > > crusaders could not possibly have carried back enough loot to have made up > > for the loss of earnings and high expenses involved with these long > > crusades. Many crusaders lost their homes and farms to finance their > > involvement in the crusades. > > > > There's More to Life than Money > > > > Perhaps self-seeking materialistic agnostics in the 21st Century cannot > > understand that some people could be motivated by something other than > > personal financial enrichment, but the fact is that many people make > > sacrifices for their religious convictions, and in order to help others. > > In > > the case of the crusaders, the historical record makes clear that amongst > > the motivations that led tens of thousands of volunteers to reclaim the > > Holy > > Land was a sense of Christian duty to help their fellow Christians in the > > East whose lands have been invaded and churches desecrated by Muslim > > armies, > > and a desire to secure access to the Holy Lands for pilgrims. There was > > also > > a desire to fight for the honour of their Lord Jesus Christ, Whose > > churches > > had been destroyed and Whose Deity had been denied by the Mohammadan > > aggressors. In other words, to the crusaders this was a defensive war to > > reclaim Christian lands from Muslim invaders. > > > > We may not share their convictions, or agree with their methods, but we > > ought to evaluate them in the light of the realities of the 11th and 12th > > centuries, and not anachronistically project our standards and politics > > back > > upon them. > > > > The Missing Jihad > > > > Scriptwriter William Monahan, and Director Ridley Scott, obviously don't > > understand the motivations behind the crusaders, and apparently they do > > not > > understand the Islamic doctrine of Jihad either - which the film makes no > > reference to. Considering that Jihad was the central threat that had lead > > to > > the reaction of the crusades, this omission is inexplicable. Kingdom of > > Heaven preoccupies itself with fictionalising crusader atrocities, but it > > ignores the pattern of the preceeding five centuries of genocide and > > aggression by Islamic armies. For those wanting the politically incorrect > > rest of the story which Kingdom of Heaven does not even hint of, you would > > want to read Slavery, Terrorism > > <http://www.frontline.org.za/books_videos/sti.htm> & Islam - The > > Historical > > Roots & Contemporary Threat. > > > > Scott's Kingdom of Heaven is politically correct, anti-Christian, > > pro-Muslim > > propaganda. It makes poor entertainment and is a worthless distortion of > > reality. > > > > > > MOHAMMED VS CHRIST > > > > > > In his article "Self Hate, Revisionist History and Christophobia in the > > movie Kingdom of Heaven" Dr. Ted Baehr notes some of the differences > > between > > Mohammed and Christ: > > > > "Mohammed was the prophet of war; Christ is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah > > 9:6-7). > > > > Mohammed's disciples killed for the faith; Christ's disciples were killed > > for their faith (Acts 12:2; 2 Tim. 4:7). > > > > Mohammed promoted persecution against the "infidels"; Christ forgave and > > converted the chief persecutor (1 Tim. 1:13-15). > > > > Mohammed was the taker of life; Christ is the giver of life (John > > 10:27-28). > > > > > > Mohammed and his fellow warriors murdered thousands; Christ murdered none > > but saved many (John 12:48). > > > > Mohammed 's method was COMPULSION; Christ's aim was CONVERSION (Acts > > 3:19). > > > > Mohammed practiced FORCE; Christ preached FAITH (John 6:29, 35). > > > > Mohammed was a WARRIOR; Christ is a DELIVERER (Col. 1:13; 1 Thess. 1:10). > > > > Mohammed said to the masses, "Convert or die!"; Christ said, "Believe and > > live!" (John 6:47; 11:25-26). > > > > Mohammed was swift to shed blood (Rom. 3:15-17); Christ shed His own blood > > for the salvation of many (Eph. 1:7). > > > > Mohammed preached "Death to the infidels!"; Christ prayed "Father, forgive > > them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). > > > > Mohammed declared a holy war (Jihad) against infidels; Christ achieved a > > holy victory on Calvary's cross (Col. 2:14-15) and His followers share in > > that victory (John 16:33). > > > > Mohammed constrained people by conquest; Christ constrained people by love > > (2 Cor. 5:14). > > > > Modern terrorists derive their inspiration from Mohammed and carry out > > their > > despicable atrocities in the name of his god; Christians derive their > > inspiration from the One who said, "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew > > 5:9). > > > > Modern day disciples of Mohammed respond to the terrorist attacks by > > cheering in the streets; modern day disciples of Christ are deeply grieved > > at past atrocities carried out by those who were "Christians" in name only > > (the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, etc.). > > > > Many Muslims are peaceful and peace-loving because they do not strictly > > follow the teachings of their founder; many Christians are peaceful and > > peace-loving because they do strictly follow the teachings of their > > Founder > > (Rom. 12:17-21). > > > > Mohammed called upon his servants to fight; Jesus said, "My kingdom is not > > of this world; if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants > > fight . . . but now is My kingdom not from here" (John 18:36) > > > > Mohammed ordered death to the Jews (see A.Guillaume, The Life of Muhammad, > > Oxford University Press [1975], p. 369); Christ ordered that the Gospel be > > preached "to the Jew first" (Rom. 1:16). > > > > The Koran says, "Fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them" (Qu'ran > > 9.5); Christ said, "Preach the Gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15). > > > > Mohammed's mission was to conquer the world for Allah; Christ's mission > > was > > to conquer sin's penalty and power by substitutionary atonement (2 Cor. > > 5:21; 1 Pet. 3:18). > > > > Mohammed claimed that there was but one God, Allah; Christ claimed that He > > was God (John 10:30-31; John 8:58-59; John 5:18; John 14:9). > > > > Mohammed's Tomb: OCCUPIED! Christ's tomb: EMPTY! " > > > > JIHAD VS THE GOSPEL > > > > The word "crusade" does not appear in the Bible, nor is it commanded in > > Christianity. However, Jihad is the sixth pillar of Islam and the second > > greatest command of Muhammad. It is not only commended, but commanded in > > the > > Quran. > > > > The crusades ended many centuries ago. However Islamic Jihad is carried > > out > > to this day. Millions of Christians have been slaughtered throughout the > > centuries by Islamic militants - such as the 1.5 million Armenians > > murdered > > in Turkey in 1915. Christians have continued to be slaughtered by Islamic > > militants in Indonesia, the Philippines, Sudan and Nigeria to the present > > day. > > > > Therefore, before Christians fall over themselves to apologise for the > > crusades, which ended over 700 years ago, it would be wise to first learn > > from reliable sources what the crusades were all about, and study the > > Islamic teachings and track record of Jihad over the last 14 centuries . > > <http://www.frontline.org.za/books_videos/sti.htm> "Slavery, Terrorism and > > Islam - The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat" would provide a good > > introduction. Those who do not know their past have no future. > > > > Dr. Peter Hammond > > http://www.frontline.org.za/images/CDs/Crusades%20&%20Jihad.gif > > Frontline Fellowship > > P.O. Box 74 > > Newlands > > 7725 > > Cape Town > > South Africa > > > > E-Mail: admin@... > > Website: www.frontline.org.za <http://www.frontline.org.za/> > > > > The above text is most of what was presented by Peter Hammond at the > > Universities in Minnasota. The CD's on his presentation and the open > > discussion times with the students is available from: > > > > Frontline Fellowship USA > > P.O. Box 728 > > Manitou Springs > > CO 80829 > > Tel: 719-685-2899 > > Fax: 719-685-9330 > > email: info@... > > Web: www.frontlinefellowship.net > > > > See also related articles: > > <http://www.frontline.org.za/news/Muslim_Evangelism_in_Minnesota.htm> > > Muslim Evangelism in Minnesota > > The End <http://www.frontline.org.za/news/end_of_islam.htm> of Islam > > Slavery > > <http://www.frontline.org.za/news/slaverytoday_battleoverhistory.htm> > > Today > > and the Battle over History > > Slavery > > <http://www.christianaction.org.za/articles_ca/2004-4-TheScourgeofSlavery.ht > > m> - The Rest of the Story > > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.frontline.org.za/images/Dropdownmenus_sites.gif > > > > http://www.frontline.org.za/images/Dropdownmenus_mission.gif > > > > > > All rights reserved | Contact the webmaster > > <mailto:admin@...> > > for comments and questions about the site > > http://www.frontline.org.za/IMAGES/FOOTER%20IMAGE.GIF > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ > > > > Post message: [email protected] > > Subscribe : [email protected] > > Unsubscribe : [email protected] > > List owner : [email protected] > > Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! 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