The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades)
by Robert Spencer
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Read in May, 2008
Well, I never really expect a balanced, nuanced view from a PIG guide. :-) This just happened to be the first of a group of books I began hunting down last summer to show up on my doorstep so. I am still hunting and searching for answers to the paradoxes of Islam--how did a flourishing, progressive culture in the Middle Ages become backward and anti-progress? How can the same people who partner with the Church in standing for decency and family, be the same people who murder those who disag...more
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This is a controversial book; of that there is no doubt. It is difficult to endorse it without appearing to be racist or paranoid. That having been said, let me heartily endorse this book to anyone that does not believe that Western Society, Western Civilization is not threatened by the spread of Islam. Those that believe that Allah as worshipped by Islam is the same God Christians and Jew worship are either ignorant, at best, or diluded, at worst.
This book makes the case, through careful...more
This book makes the case, through careful...more
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Robert Spencer's The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades)'s most useful aspects are its examination of Islamic texts, including the Koran, its historical overview of the application of those texts, especially the violent ones, and its defense, at least in part, of the Crusades. This quick read is divided into three parts. Part one deals with Islam generally and more specifically Islam's relation to war, intolerance, and oppression of women. Part two debunks the myths surroundi...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommends it for:
libertarians
Definitely well researched.
these books usually have the same problem; they have to spend quite a lot of time appealing to their veracity. It becomes mundane. To combat the over-saturation of the politically correct opinion, they add too many examples of each of their claims.
This book is well worth reading if only for the angle in which it portrays the Crusades and the estimable aspects of Western Culture. The world view that if found in the western Judeo Christian cultures is at confl...more
these books usually have the same problem; they have to spend quite a lot of time appealing to their veracity. It becomes mundane. To combat the over-saturation of the politically correct opinion, they add too many examples of each of their claims.
This book is well worth reading if only for the angle in which it portrays the Crusades and the estimable aspects of Western Culture. The world view that if found in the western Judeo Christian cultures is at confl...more
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
Anyone interested in saving Western civilization from the new barbarian hordes.
This is the definitive answer to Karen Armstrong's well known history of Islam. Scary, captivating, and damned blunt, this is a must read book for anyone that hopes to live through the next two decades!
You think you know about Islam. But, did you know that Islam teaches that Muslims must wage war to impose Islamic law on non-Muslim states, or that American Muslim groups are engaged in a huge cover-up of Islamic doctrine? These and other "politically incorrect" facts are revealed b...more
You think you know about Islam. But, did you know that Islam teaches that Muslims must wage war to impose Islamic law on non-Muslim states, or that American Muslim groups are engaged in a huge cover-up of Islamic doctrine? These and other "politically incorrect" facts are revealed b...more
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Read in January, 2007
An excellent historical overview of the founding of Islam, the life of Mohammed, the spread of Islamic supremecy througout the world, the reason for the current threat of violent Islamic jihad that the world currently faces, an explanation of the violent texts of the Koran and how they are the rule of law for Islamic violence, as well as little-known facts about the events leading up to and resulting in the Christian Crusades. This is an excellent introduction to a timely and important topic. Th...more
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Read in February, 2008
Firstly, I read the first part that is ostensibly about Islam and that's why I chose to read the book. Then I skipped the second part about the Crusades and only quickly scanned the third part about specific contemporary issues. So I haven't read the whole thing.
Spencer asks some good questions, but leaves some stuff out. His approach is sometimes to draw on the Quran for defining Islam, and at other times to draw on the behavior and speech of self-declared Muslims for defining Islam; I reje...more
Spencer asks some good questions, but leaves some stuff out. His approach is sometimes to draw on the Quran for defining Islam, and at other times to draw on the behavior and speech of self-declared Muslims for defining Islam; I reje...more
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Read in July, 2005
recommends it for:
People needing an introduction to Islam
After having read an English translation of the Q'uran, I found this book extremely helpful. To anyone who has read the Q'uran, it seems disjointed and random, as Muhammad engages in discussions with Allah about questions of theology. In a number of cases, his questions are difficult to understand, as he makes allusions that the reader may not be familiar with. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) provides excellent context for the Western reader who is curious about Is...more
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Read in April, 2007
recommends it for:
every American
Having done some of my own research on Islam and the Koran several times before, I felt Mr. Spencer did a very thorough job going through the Koran and accessing the teachings of various Imams. With no desire to waffle or coat the truth with political correctness - he paints a picture that is sobering and, sadly I fear, all to accurate. In fact, I learned several things about the theological framework of Islam that I did NOT know before. Americans need to understand some of this stuff before ...more
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Read in March, 2006
recommended to Ibrahim by:
a friend of mine.recommends it for: anybody who wants to learn about Islam or teach a course on Islam.
I used to be a preacher of Islam as a little boy on the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt. Reading this book cheered me up considerably; finally somebody tells it as it is and speaking the truth in love. He deals magnificently with the issue of the Crusades that Muslims keep bringing up. If you want the real meat and get to the point without being too much diplomatic and want the truth, the whole truth, this is the book that I highly recommend for you.
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Read in July, 2008
Hmmm. I like this Politically Incorrect Guide series. If anything, I hate just buying the prevailing view hook line and sinker. So give me the Contrarians.
Of course the Muslims see the crusades in a negative light. It was the crusades that kept them from conquering more of the world than they did.
I guess you can call me Islamophobic, whatever that mean.
Of course the Muslims see the crusades in a negative light. It was the crusades that kept them from conquering more of the world than they did.
I guess you can call me Islamophobic, whatever that mean.
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Read in January, 2007
You might think this is not a serious book because its associated with the "P.I.G." series, but this really lays it all out: Islam is not a religion of peace, and the Crusades were not wholly unjustified vile blots on our history. We need to examine history, religion, and reality with clear eyes, and this book helps us do that. I recommend it.
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the book is somewhat dated as it was written as an answer to the ridley scott crusade movie. kingdom of heaven bombed, i think this book grossed more. but a significant part is spent dealing with the films errors.
but it does serve as an introduction to spencer's far superior other works, "onward muslim soldiers" and "islam unveiled".
but it does serve as an introduction to spencer's far superior other works, "onward muslim soldiers" and "islam unveiled".
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Read in January, 2007
Tells it like it is, full of insightful and useful information about Islam. Shows that the radical Islam is really true Islam, it is the modern Islam we see in Western nations that is not true historical Islam. It has adapted to make itself appealing, but moderates are not what the original followers of Muhammad were.
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If you don't know much about this religion, then this will be a real eye-opener for you. Keep in mind that what you know or hear about is filtered. Who's doing the filtering? Check the media. Government. Family. School. Town. State. You know. Read this and begin the opening of the eyes.
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Scary if it is to be believed. A bit one-sided. I'd need to read other accounts of Islamic beliefs to form an opinion. If I based it on this book, I'd say we're all in big trouble in this country.
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Read in January, 2005
Great. Reads like a scholarly Cliff's Note's on the subject. Not as in-depth as his other books on the subject, but it does a great job of laying out the basics of this "peaceful religion".
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Read in January, 2004
The Crusades are not the source of the middle east conflict. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the threat of Radical Islam and a little bit more about world history.
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This book preaches hatred and I am disgusted that something so blatantly discriminatory is regarded as remotely acceptable. Shame on Robert Spencer for spreading hatred.
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Whether or not people want to talk about it, Western Culture kicks ass, no, its not perfect, but it is pretty damn good.
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