"The Decline of Eastern Christianity: From Jihad to Dhimmitude"

[Sphinx777]

Anyone read this book? It looks... interesting, at least to a history geek like me... I wonder how many people read this kind of history...

http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles/Ye'orDeclineIntro.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decline_of_Eastern_Christianity:_From_Jihad_to_Dhimmitude

[Anglian]

Dear Sphinx,

An interesting read. It raises important questions of a wider sort.

There is often something of a feeling of guilt in the West about the way in which our media sometimes portrays Muslims as though all of them were extremists; but if we examine how Christians are treated in Muslim states, then we see something far worse than media stereotyping.

It might be useful if the Western media knew more and reported more on what, for example, the Copts have to put up with every day in Egypt.

We often hear complaints about 'Crusaders' as though that episode (which the Christians lost) were unconnected with the millennium of conquest by the Muslims. This book highlights the way in which, for example, what is now Turkey had, before Islam, the greatest concentration of Churches and saints in the Christian world. Had Christianity done to Islam what it has done to Christianity in these areas, I suspect we would never hear the end of it.

None of this is to argue for ignorant criticism of Islam - but informed historical criticism might lead to a better dialogue - if only because Western commentators might be able to shake off their post-imperial guilt complex.


Anglian

[Lbet123]

Way too complex for me!

I like to keep things simple!
Simply put any religion is a lie if it does not have Jesus Christ as the Only Begotten Son of God who was born, lived and died for man's sin and who now sits at the right hand of God and He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead, who's kingdom has no end.

He was not a Phrophet
He was not a really good man
HE was Emanuel God is with us!

[Anglian]

Way too complex for me!

I like to keep things simple!
Simply put any religion is a lie if it does not have Jesus Christ as the Only Begotten Son of God who was born, lived and died for man's sin and who now sits at the right hand of God and He is coming again in His glory to judge the living and the dead, who's kingdom has no end.

He was not a Phrophet
He was not a really good man
HE was Emanuel God is with us!

Dear Lbet,

That's about it:thumbsup:

We worship God in three persons, the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost, and we believe that Christ was the Incarnate Word, the second person of the Trinity, who is perfect man and perfect God with no mingling of the two natures. He is of one essence with the Father.

Not all who call themselves by the name of Christian hold these things, as one finds quickly on these boards, but that is what the Orthodox Church has taught from the beginning, what it teaches now and what it will teach until He comes again in Glory.

To call other systems of belief a 'lie' is perhaps a little harsh - it might be better to say that they are in error. As most who hold such views are very content with them, we can, after trying a few times to put the Orthodox view, desist since to persist when our words are unwelcome would be a cause of dissension and scandal. We are not wiser than them; we are simply reading the Word in a better light!

In peace,

Anglian