Brethren in our Lord Jesus Christ, I greet you in the Peace and Truth of the Saviour!

I thought it would be most interesting to actually read the text of a piece written by Usamsa Bin Laden some 5 years ago. This is his "fatwa" or declaration of war on the U.S.

One interesting phenomena I note is how the press is carefully trying to differentiate between "normal" or "moderate" Muslims and "fanatic" or "terrorist" Muslims.

I would submit to you that in fact the face of Islam we see as "moderate" is a rather hodge-podge artifice created in recent times by the need of some Muslims to acculturate/assimilate into European and North American society --- we have the "noble" Muslim therefore - educated, moderated, sensitive and poly-ethnic and cultural.

I would further submit that this historically recent phenomena - understanding of Islam by Muslims - is wholly out of sync with what in fact is normal Islam.

I would submit that these are not "suicide bombings" (our western understanding) but religious acts consistent with traditional Muslim piety.

I would submit that Islam is a "religion" and consequently sick.

(regarding the premise employed here: "religion as sickness, see http://www.romanity.org/htm/ rom.00.en.some_underlying_positions_of_this_website.htm)

For normal Islam the question the WTC bombings confronts us with is, "What is the meaning of jihad/holy war for Muslims?" Is it a spiritual ascesis/exercise (as some Muslim revisionists would say) like Orthodox ascesis/podvig or is it something else?

Life in the Muslim understanding belongs to God but so does Death - God is the giver and origin of both life and death. The "Angel of Death" is sent by God at the "appointed time of the end of life" or AJAL.

In reference to Jihad one writer notes;

"O you who believe, do not be like the disbleivers who said to thier brothers when they went to fight: If they were with us they would not have been killed. Allah will put this in thier hearts as a misery and Allah gives life and takes life and Allah is the all knowing of what you do." (EMQ3:156)

Allah has prescribed Jihad and struggle in His way upon us. Do not let the fear of death be the reason for you not engaging in this struggle. Allah and His Messenger call upon us all to establish His rule on earth, to remove the systems of disbleief and to liberate all muslim land. All this requires great sacrifice, even death itself. But be assured whether one is in the house or on the battlfield death cannot come without Allah's permission. So we should be aware that our ajal may expire when we are sitting at home in the armchair rather than in the path of Allah."" .......

Is there Quranic support for understanding "Jihad" as "holy war"?

....slay the idolaters, wherever ye find them, and take them (captive) and beseige them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free.

and:

Fight against such of those who have been given the Scriptures as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messeneer, and follow not the religion of truth, until they pay the jizyah readily, being brought low. Qur'an VIII:61

The goal a a pious mujahaddin/warrior-for-Islam is SHAHEEN or "martyrdom for the purpose of restoring a Muslim umma (community) and deen (way of life).

Online one may find many sites which give what is a grim and bizarre parody of Christian Acta Sanctorum/Synaxaristes/ Martyriologies. Photos of the deceased - descriptions of a "musky" smell which implies SHAHEEN/sanctity - incorruption of bodies of SHAHEEN --- etc.

Death has no cause for fear for the pious Muslim. In fact the struggle to die in Jihad, to be SHAHEEN is even admirable in this mind.

All of this goes to underscore how vulnerable and naive we often may have been about the meaning and implications of the spread of Islam in our times.

The purpose of my writing this is to educate and discourage the social convention of distinguishing between "radical" and "moderate" Islam.

The Pentagon bombing and WTC Towers were, I humbly submit, the face of active and normal Islam of a very significant variety.

I include a text by Usama Bin Laden. It is so important to the mind of such people. We really do not know how they think if we are surprised at the last few days.

The actions of some Muslims - these Mujahaddin - seeking Paradise by SHAHEEN/martyrdom in the holy cause is wholly predictable.

The promise they seek is this false paradise - which is carnal and the arms of the Houri's who are there to grant sensual pleasures.

To understand Islam -it is necessary to understand "religion-as- sickness", (really to understand any "religion" including nationalism, communism, pietism, etc), as difficult as that may be for us from a western heritage.

Orthodoxy is the cure of the sickness of religion --- alas many Orthodox Christians are "sick" with religion, mistaking form with content, law with life, typicon with magic.

This subtle (and not so subtle) weakening of Orthodoxy is only challenged by living Orthodoxy in a fearless and honest way, struggling with our passions as individuals, communities and even as nations. Purification is what is at hand enviromentally --- the Orthodox response to assualt, destruction, is martyrdom and forgiveness. The national response may well be "raze their city, salt their fields".

Perhaps now we can begin to arise from our sleep, our "anesthesia" particularly regarding the meaning of "religion" and the real danger of heresy. Islam is heresy. That says more than enough. How to respond to Islam? We have many examples. All involve martyrdom.

Are we ready?

St. John Damascene properly called Islam a heresy many centuries ago. What is happening shows us the truth that in "heresy is death". May we ourselves learn, live and witness as true believers in these difficult times.

In Jesus Christ,

in Whose Hand

is the winnowing fan,

Protopresbyter Benjamin Henderson

p.s. --- a footnote

Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ!

I had hoped to make the following points:

1. Islam as understood in the West is either a caricature of mercy/ justice/benevolence or wholly "fanatic" The muslims who pursue accommodaton with non-muslim faiths/cultures are viewed by certain others as apostate. Thus the fury of some in regards to the Saudis and Mobarek, etc.

2. It is traditional Islam to pursue the expansion of the Umma/ Islamic Nation by Jihad --- jihad was the preferred means historically for expansion of Islamic in spite of some revisionists attempts to equate "jihad" (Arabic -- struggle/holy war) with Christian ascesis/podvig. I believe I reasonably stated that Islam has not spread to some 60 nations by pacific and irenic methods.

3. Islam is essentially to be understood as a deviation (heresy) of Orthodox Christian doctrine. Its teachings are syncretic marriage of pan-Arab nationalism, Christian teaching, Jewish sources and paganism no less strange than the religion of Joseph Smith - Mormonism.

4. It is quintessentially violent, misogynistic and authoritarian. Violent because it promotes and approves of war as a preferred method (historically) of expansion. Misogynistic becasue females in spite of historical revisionism essentially are not understood to bear souls - that it is authoritarian is implicit --- "individual" rights only exist insofar as they serve the muslim Umma/Community. The Dhimmi - (islamic idea that Jews and Christians share the same "Abrahamic God") exist as second class citizens.

The idea that this writer ever has expressed the idea that discrimination against muslims or anyone is absurd. I oppose the idea that islam is in any way inspired. I oppose the idea that Muhammed is anything but a "false prophet" and that his followers are seriously deluded.

I recommend the following two articles for those who wish to more deeply understand islam.

Once again I append quranic support for jihad.

In Jesus Christ, in Whose Hand is the winnowing fan,

opponent to dhimmitude and slavery of children and women,

Father Benjamin Henderson

* * *

The Qur'an > Surah Al-Baqarah> Verse 154

And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah: "They are dead." Nay, they are living, though ye perceive (it) not.

The Qur'an > Surah Al-Baqarah> Verse 195

And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loveth those who do good.

The Qur'an > Surah Al-Baqarah> Verse 218

Those who believed and those who suffered exile and fought (and strove and struggled) in the path of Allah, they have the hope of the Mercy of Allah: and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The Qur'an > Surah Al-Baqarah> Verse 258

Hast thou not turned thy vision to one who disputed with Abraham about his Lord, because Allah had granted him power? Abraham said: "My Lord is He Who giveth life and death." He said: "I give life and death." Said Abraham: "But it is Allah that causeth the sun to rise from the East do thou then cause him to rise from the West?" Thus was he confounded who (in arrogance) rejected Faith. Nor doth Allah give guidance to a people unjust.

The Qur'an > Surah Al-Baqarah> Verse 261

The parable of those who spend their substance in the way of Allah is that of a grain of corn: it groweth seven ears, and each ear hath a hundred grains. Allah giveth manifold increase to whom He pleaseth: and Allah careth for all and He knoweth all things.

The Qur'an > Surah Al-Baqarah> Verse 262

Those who spend their substance in the cause of Allah, and follow not up their gifts with reminders of their generosity or with injury, for them their reward is with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

The Qur'an > Surah Al-i-'Imran> Verse 142

Did ye think that ye would enter Heaven without Allah testing those of you who fought hard (in His Cause) and remained steadfast?

The Qur'an > Surah Al-i-'Imran> Verse 145

Nor can a soul die except by Allah's leave, the term being fixed as by writing. If any do desire a reward in this life, We shall give it to him; and if any do desire a reward in the Hereafter, We shall give it to him. And swiftly shall We reward those that (serve us with) gratitude.

The Qur'an > Surah Al-i-'Imran> Verse 157

And if ye are slain, or die, in the Way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all they could amass.

The Qur'an > Surah Al-i-'Imran> Verse 195

And their Lord hath accepted of them, and answered them: "Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female: ye are members, one of another; those who have left their homes, and were driven out therefrom, and suffered harm in My Cause, and fought and were slain, verily, I will blot out from them their iniquities, and admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing beneath - a reward from the Presence of Allah - and from His Presence is the best of rewards."

The Qur'an > Surah Al-i-'Imran> Verse 200

O ye who believe! persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah; that ye may prosper.

The Qur'an > Surah An-Nisaa> Verse 74

Let those fight in the cause of Allah who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter, To him who fighteth in the cause of Allah - whether he is slain or gets victory - soon shall We give him a reward of great (value).

The Qur'an > Surah An-Nisaa> Verse 76

Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah, and those who reject Faith fight in the cause of Evil: so fight ye against the friends of Satan: feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan.

The Qur'an > Surah An-Nisaa> Verse 77

Hast thou not turned thy vision to those who were told to hold back their hands (from fight) but establish regular prayers and spend in regular Charity? When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! a section of them feared men as - or even more than - they should have feared Allah; they said: "Our Lord! why hast Thou ordered us to fight? Wouldst Thou not grant us respite to our (natural) term, near (enough)?" Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world: the Hereafter is the best for those who do right; never will ye be dealt with unjustly in the very least!

The Qur'an > Surah An-Nisaa> Verse 84

Then fight in Allah's cause - thou art held responsible only for thyself - and rouse the Believers. It may be that Allah will restrain the fury of the Unbelievers; for Allah is the strongest in might and in punishment.

The Qur'an > Surah An-Nisaa> Verse 94

O ye who believe! when ye go abroad in the cause of Allah, investigate carefully, and say not to anyone who offers you a salutation: "Thou art none of a Believer!" coveting the perishable goods of this life: with Allah are profits and spoils abundant. Even thus were ye yourselves before, till Allah conferred on you His favours: therefore carefully investigate. For Allah is well aware of all that ye do.

The Qur'an > Surah An-Nisaa> Verse 95

Not equal are those Believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home). Unto all (in Faith) hath Allah promised good: but those who strive and fight hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward.

The Qur'an > Surah An-Nisaa> Verse 96

Ranks specially bestowed by Him and Forgiveness and Mercy, for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The Qur'an > Surah An-Nisaa> Verse 100

He who forsakes his home in the cause of Allah, finds in the earth many a refuge, wide and spacious: should he die as a refugee from home for Allah and His Messenger, his reward becomes due and sure with Allah: and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

The Qur'an > Surah An-Nisaa> Verse 104