From a netfriend

Thank you for sending this hyperlink. I’ve been aware of Huntingdon’s book for a number of years, but haven’t read any of it until now. I’ve perused the extracts now and can see there’s much more complexity in his thesis than I’d suspected.

What *has* concerned me recently is that the term ‘clash of civilisations’ may have actually been exacerbating the problem. [eg The book has been widely promoted in Indonesia, so the title at least is familiar there.] Here’s the final paragraph in a lecture on Islam given by Prof Moshe Sharon:-

“I believe that Western civilization must hold together and that we must support each other. Whether this will happen or not, I don’t know. Israel finds itself on the front lines of this war. It needs the help of its sister civilization. It needs the help of America and Europe. It needs the help of the Christian world.”

[“This article is adapted from a lecture presented at the Feast of Tabernacles Celebration 2001* by Professor Moshe Sharon. Sharon received his Doctorate in Medieval Islamic History from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He has served as an Advisor on Arab Affairs to former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin as well as the Ministry of Defence. Prof. Sharon is a former director of the World Zionist Organisation branch in Johannesburg, South Africa and currently lectures as professor of Islamic History at the Hebrew University.”]

Granted that Dr Sharon makes some valid points, but aligning a Judaeo-Christian ‘West’ against the ‘Muslim world’ is surely simplistic and dangerous, and playing the same ‘game’ as the Muslim extremists. I noticed that chapter 7 of Huntingdon’s book is entitled “Islam: Consciousness without Cohesion”. That seems to be much closer to the reality. [Huntingdon’s book deals with China as well as Islam and European culture by the way.]

Thanks again, [ ]