Scholastic Studies Without Understanding Cannot Discern Central Issues of Truth-Missing the Point of the Middle East Conflicts
Reader comment on item: The Problem with Middle East Studies

Submitted by M. Tovey (United States), Jul 14, 2008 at 18:00

It is understood that scholasticism suffers greatly when issues of importance transcend the pedestrian population's need to know such things when such other things overrun them, like a gallon of milk costing as much as a gallon of petrol; a nutritious loaf of bread sometimes costing half an hour of United States minimum wage. So when we read that certain (are there not many more) scholastics who, for the sake of advancing a certain agenda, take liberties with the works of others so as to make them disingenuous, thereby making their own work suspect, how are we, the unschooled readers, to make valid assessments except by the exposure of such vagaries of unscrupulous academics, even as their appearances, let alone their substance, seems to have little to do with common life on the street. Do we resort to Orwellian bliss in ignorance? In this particular subject, were it only so; but alas, it is not.

Contrary to what many may hold, the circumstances the world immediately faces is not only a question that requires answers from the governments in charge of billions of lives, but also in each of those lives, an answer of how will we get through until tomorrow. Mainstream religion in America seems unable to provide any answers that can effectively deal with the issues since they have variable ideas on the subject, just as it seems, so does the European religious community. All seem unable to come to terms with the resurgence of Islam as a long time belief system, and much of it centers on the West's Occidental mentality conflicting with the Oriental mindset, now saturated in the Middle East and South Asia's issues with Islamic ideology.

Now as our host, we have read the position of Dr. Pipes in his understanding of Islam and the possibilities of its being moderated into a more ‘sophisticated and democratic' expression of belief, and while that is a commendable posture to adopt, Islam's continuing progression to redirect its energies to a fundamentalist mindset required all of Islam's adherents appears to be the rule of the moment. One cannot see and hear the antipathies and hostilities directed to Israel and not come to the conclusion that this is what the majority of Islam strives for, submission of Israel to Islam for destruction, and submission of the rest of the world were Islam to gain complete control of Jerusalem, were Almighty God to allow it for the final tribulation and judgment of all other nations.

Full adherence to Islam will require full submission, and if the Holy Bible did not direct all who believe in Jesus Christ to have faith in Him, the Quran would have its way. Thank Almighty God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, the Father of our LORD and Savior Yeshua HaMashiach, that by the power of His Holy Spirit Israel has His promise to look forward to, and by His mercy over His believers, so do those that look forward to His return.

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