Author: Marc Morano (CNSNews.com
Senior Staff Writer)
Publication: Cybercast News Service
Date: November 15, 2002
URL: http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=\Nation\archive\200211\NAT20021115b.html
One of America's most prominent
religious leaders Thursday refused to back away from his criticism of Islam,
despite efforts by the Bush administration to separate Islam from the hostility
Americans feel toward Muslim terrorists
Rev. Pat Robertson, founder of the
Christian Coalition, challenged the media and Jews in the U.S. to read
the Koran and "see who your real enemies are." Robertson once again rejected
the view that Islam is a religion of peace.
"To say the religion of Islam is
peaceful, I do not think that is accurate," Robertson said on his television
program, The 700 Club Thursday morning, a day after Bush chastised conservative
Christian leaders for their comments on Islam.
Robertson did handle Bush's criticism
gently.
"One minor disagreement among friends
does not end a friendship ... I appreciate the president, appreciate what
he's doing; and I want everybody to know that something like this does
not sever the support that I have given him over the years," Robertson
said.
However, Robertson left little doubt
he was not backing down from his critique of Islam.
"The Koran teaches that the end
of the world will not come until every Jew is killed by Muslims. Now that
is what it says in the Koran, written by Muhammad," Robertson said.
"Jews in Germany did not want to
read [Hitler's autobiography] Mein Kampf and did not want to believe it,"
he added.
"There is no doubt that the religion
of Muhammad and those who adhere to it firmly, such as the [Saudi Arabian]
Wahabis, and the Taliban and the Iranian Mullahs and other mullahs operating
in other parts of the world, is extreme and violent," Robertson said.
'See Who Your Real Enemies Are'
Robertson, acknowledging the criticism
he has received for his critiques of Islam, issued a challenge to the media
and the American Jewish community.
"Please read the Koran and see what
it says ... Please see what the mullahs are teaching the little children
in Palestine and in other parts of the world about you. And when you get
through, do us a favor, don't criticize your friends, but see who your
real enemies are," Robertson said.
"In today's world, people say it
is not possible for us to believe that a religious system could teach what
the Koran clearly teaches. It's the religion that's the problem, not necessarily
the adherents to it," Robertson explained.
"Yet, if I tell the truth about
this, I am criticized," he complained.
Robertson made it clear he does
not believe U.S. Muslims are violent.
"We must distinguish between the
origin of the religion and those who adhere to it in the United States,
who are indeed peaceful," Robertson said. "To say that most of the adherents
in America to the Islamic religion are peaceful, is absolutely correct."
On Wednesday, President Bush declared
in an Oval Office meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, that,
"Some of the comments that have been uttered about Islam do not reflect
the sentiments of my government or the sentiments of most Americans."
White House officials said it was
a deliberate effort on Bush's part to repudiate several comments made recently
by conservative Christian leaders including Robertson, Rev. Jerry Falwell
and Rev. Franklin Graham, son of Rev. Billy Graham.
Falwell, in a recent television
interview, called the prophet Muhammad a "terrorist." Falwell later apologized
for the comment, but not before Muslims, angered by Falwell's comments,
rioted in Bombay, India and an Iranian cleric threatened Falwell with death.
On Thursday, Secretary of State
Colin Powell joined Bush in condemning the Christian leaders' comments
about Islam.
"We will reject the kind of comments
you have seen recently, where people in this country say that Muslims are
responsible for the killing of all Jews, and who put out hatred. This kind
of hatred must be rejected. This kind of language must be spoken out against,"
Powell said at a meeting of business executives.
"We cannot allow this image to go
forth of America, because it is an inaccurate image of America. We are
a welcoming nation," Powell added.
