My Own Thoughts on the Clash of Civilizations
Reader comment on item: My Debate with London Mayor Ken Livingstone

Submitted by Rebecca Moulds (United States), Feb 3, 2007 at 14:14

Dear Mr. Pipes,

I have just experienced your London Debate in the written form. (It was much more understandable than that You-Tube version). I have a few comments to make.

That you are a prolific orator is accepted, but I take an opposing view about "moderate Islam vs. extreme Islam".

Firstly, you have vast knowledge of the Muslim world, perhaps more than I do, even though I lived six years in Indonesia and ten years in Egypt. Many years before I lived in Egypt, I was living in the UK. I met an Egyptian woman through a god British friend of ours. They married eventually and we went on holiday with them to Cornwall.

I knew Sanaa was a Muslim, a "good Muslim" as she stated. She had been married twice before with children from both marriages. I can accept that, I am also divorced, so there was no problem as far as that was concerned. She smoked and drank a lot of alcohol. So what, I like my champagne and wine, and the occasional beer, too. I am not the Morality Police. We were starting to become good friends, then something happened: There was some controversy over a film (The Last Temptation of Christ). I said I would probably not go to see it because I was a Christian. Well, that as the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak. Her reply to that was, "ANYONE who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God is MY ENEMY and the ENEMY of ISLAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Believe me, I was dumbfounded. I accepted her Muslim beliefs without reservation, but in her own words, I was her enemy. How could that be, if she were so moderate in her beliefs (as I believe she thought herself to be).?

I have my belief and I have never shoved it down anyone's throat. I have had friends from all religions, and even my grandfather on my mother's side was a non-practicing Italian Jew. My mother even served at a passover because someone she met in a supermarket thought she was Jewish! And yet, this Muslim woman was full of hatred for my beliefs.

I have met many so-called moderate Muslims in Egypt, and have become friends with several up to this day.( I have taken part in many iftars, etc. and also my sister and I celebrate the Passover.) But when push comes to shove, where are the moderate Muslims when the right is to be defended? We are not supposed to come to their rescue, they should be speaking up against radicals in their religion. I do not associate myself with those tele-evangelists, in fact I abhor them. Anyone in any religious group who does wrong should account for it. I am some times ashamed to even say that I am a Christian, it seems to be a dirty word these days. It is sufficient for me to say that I am a saved sinner, that's all, with a long way to go to be like God.

The Apostle Paul said that we are to "live peaceably with all men" if we can, so that is what I have tried to do in my life so far. I do not hate anyone or would wish them ill, but I do worry about the state of the Islamic world if they are bent on destroying the rest of us and not condemning the wrong-doers, especially in their own religion. Until they are not afraid anymore to stand up, this war between Islam and the West will continue.

Respectfully yours,

Rebecca Moulds

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