tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11110174.post7183375595816550664..comments2024-02-26T23:17:11.132+13:00Comments on Blessed Economist: Belloc’s ProphecyRon McKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03989126812730583009noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11110174.post-68648694613373436012015-10-25T17:32:31.269+13:002015-10-25T17:32:31.269+13:00Excellent. I am an American of Protestant and Ort...Excellent. I am an American of Protestant and Orthodox background, now teaching in a Catholic school, with theological credentials in both Christianity and Islam, and with extensive experience with Muslims, and I agree absolutely with this post. (I also used excerpts from Belloc's work in my medieval history class just yesterday.) Unfortunately most of Belloc's and Sobran's remarks would only cause defensiveness and/or rage amongst American evangelicals, who share our government's belief that it isn't necessary to know anything about Islam as a belief system. (We're the people who put an army on the ground in Mesopotamia without knowing the difference between a Sunni and a Shi'ite.) I have encountered amongst evangelicals a hostility toward even the academic knowledge of Islam, and a deliberate cultivation of ignorance coupled with hostility. Along the way, Christians in predominantly Muslim countries suffer because of the combination of American power and American ignorance. The point I am making here is that most Americans, including and perhaps especially conservative Protestants, have NO IDEA what we are up against with Islam, and they don't want to know. "Most Christians learn about Islam from the ugly caricature that is presented on Western television news, so they do not understand it's appeal in many parts of the world. This is unfortunate, because you cannot beat something that you do not understand." Ne'er was truer word blogged. I have tried to help, I really have, and it is impossible to reach people who seem determined to slouch blindfolded but boastful to their doom. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com