Spreading Islam through Public Schools

Our friend Tom enrolled his seventh grade son in a local Christian school this year. But he felt a bit uneasy when he saw the new history text. And as he leafed through the pages of World History: Medieval and Early Modern Times (a standard nationwide textbook), his concern grew.

The dramatic images, evocative suggestions and interesting group assignments would probably prevent boredom, but what would his son actually learn? How accurate were the lessons? And most important: What kinds of values would they instill?

Page 4 (in the section on "Strategies") told students to "Try to visualize the people, places, and events you read about."[4] With all the inspiring stories and pictures, that should be easy! Group dialogue and peer consensus would help seal those biased impressions! This was not what Tom expected from a Christian school!

The first unit dealt with the Roman Empire. It had nothing nice to say about Christianity -- not a word about the courage, commitment and charity of the persecuted Christians.

The second unit covered "The Growth of Islam." It began with an inspirational story that built a positive context for the rest of the chapter: Thirteen-year-old Ayesha and her family went on a hajj [pilgrimage] with "nearly 100,000" fellow Muslims ("a gross exaggeration"[2,p.19]) to Mecca back in 632 A.D. After the long, hot journey, "Ayesha tells [her brother] Yazid that the trip has been very hard, but it was also satisfying. They agree with their parents that being near Muhammad was especially meaningful."[4,p.83]

This warm introduction to Muhammad was followed by stirring descriptions of Islam's miraculous beginnings, noble beliefs, vast conquests, amazing scientific discoveries, and exceptional tolerance toward unbelievers. But were they true?

The facts are far less flattering. Back in the 7th century, large Muslim armies fanned out in different directions, forcing their way through the Middle East, Central Asia, northern Africa and southern Europe. Resisters were massacred or enslaved, while the vast "unbelieving" masses became taxpaying subjects at the mercy of Muslim rulers. Jews and Christians [dhimmis] were held captive to the demeaning rules of dhimmitude ["protection']. Here's a brief explanation from "The Myth of Islamic Tolerance, "

Those rules included special dhimmi clothing that shows the Christian's low social status, humble submission to Muslims everywhere, a ban on evangelizing or building new churches, and many others. The constant threat of punishment (i.e. loss of "protection" which often meant death or slavery) -- along with the crushing tax for "unbelievers" -- broke down resistance to Islamic conversion. In vast regions around the Mediterranean, Christian communities were virtually wiped out.

Yet the textbook tells students that the conquered masses were generally impressed by Islam and willingly converted:

Tom was stunned! Why this idealization of Islam? There was no such support for "Christianity." [See note] In the section on the Crusades (to retake the "Holy Land"), Christians were presented as violent attackers. The fact that Jerusalem was central to both Jewish and Christian history was ignored. While most Crusaders tended to be mercenaries rather than "Christians," such bias against any semblance of "Christianity" is striking.

References to slavery were just as misleading. "While Christian belligerence is magnified, Islamic inequality, subjugation, and enslavement get the airbrush," wrote Gilbert T. Sewall in an excellent report titled "Islam in the Classroom: What the textbooks tell us." After examining the six main World History texts for junior high students, he and The American Textbook Council concluded that--

In the chapters on "European Renaissance and Reformation" the light of political correctness shone briefly on the Protestant Church. To help students internalize a new view of Christianity, the text included a story about Martin Luther -- an excerpt from a biographical children's book by the notoriously liberal pastor, Harry Emerson Fosdick. Dr. Fosdick led Manhattan's large interdenominational Riverside Church built by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.. No wonder his excerpts misrepresented the courage and convictions behind Luther's battle against theological corruption. Missing were Luther's famous words, "Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God." [4,p.467-469]

In contrast to the negative and confusing treatment of Christianity, the "Five Pillars of Islam" got plenty of positive attention. This set of basic rules was repeated several times throughout the book. Page 95 explains their significance:

Since Muhammad was the "last prophet," his teachings supposedly supersede the teachings of Jesus. And in spite of the textbook's assurances of hope and tolerance, Islam's global aims and militant threats are every bit as real today as in the seventh century. Whether living in the East or the West, its leaders still envision global Islamic dominion and religious supremacy -- and the Qur'an still calls Muhammad's followers to jihad:

This recent article from the British Times Online illustrates this ongoing threat:

Why? How can this be happening in Europe! What has happened to Western objectivity, conviction and freedom?

The American Textbook Council helps answer that question. After a thorough examination of the primary US textbooks and their publishers, it concluded that--

In this context of global change, "Christians" such as Harry Emerson Fosdick fit right in. Like Muslims, he accepted the reality of a "Jesus" but denied His deity, resurrection, and miraculous birth. No wonder he was favored by the Rockefellers. He was no threat to their vision of socialist unity.

Though Islam is incompatible with the vision of multicultural solidarity, it's still one of the world's most effective weapons in its battle against absolute Truth. It provides globalist change agents with (1) an energizing crisis, (2) the diversity and tension needed to stimulate the dialectic process, and (3) an active partner in the war against Biblical Christianity.

Why is this important?

A spiritual war is raging! And the primary target in today's march toward a New World Order is Biblical Truth. It's no accident that the European media describes Christians as "hardliners" and "fighters"[7] but hardly dare mention the violent power behind the rising Muslim establishment. Or that the British government now allows Muslims to impose Sharia in their communities.[8] Or that countless critics have been assaulted or killed for their convictions. Or that "Hate Crime" laws may soon silence American dissenters.[9]

Let me repeat two Scriptures that I often quote these days. We can't afford to ignore them:

"...we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand..." Ephesians 6:10-12

"Do not be discouraged... For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15

** Explaining our references to "Christianity: In the textbooks, as well as in our culture, Christianity means different things. While the references to Islam refer to a religious and political system based on the Qur'an, the historical meaning of Christianity varies. It may mean "cultural Christianity," politicized Christianity, or Biblical Christianity. See Biblical versus Cultural Christianity

5. The Myth of Islamic Tolerance: How Islamic Law Treats Non-Muslims, edited by Robert Spencer (Prometheus Books, 2005), p. 535.