By Richard Cimino

Throughout 2002 and early 2003, evangelical Protestant leaders had shown themselves to be among the most caustic critics of Islam in the U.S. In separate instances and within a few months, evangelist Franklin Graham called Islam a “very wicked and evil religion”, while Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell criticized Islam and its founder violent and sympathetic to terrorism. In a similar manner, Southern Baptist leader Jerry Vines created headlines by preaching that Mohammed was a “demon-possessed pedophile”. At the February, 2003 meeting of the National Religious Broadcasters, an important base of the New Christian Right, Islam was called a “pagan religion.” A news report noted that what was unique about the wave of anti-Islamic fervor was how “many Christian commentators are pushing these views in broader, secular formats,” such as talk radio and TV. Muslims vigorously protested these remarks and actions, claiming they represented a dangerous wave of prejudice and discrimination against Islam in the U.S. The comments were also ridiculed and criticized by more liberal Christians and other religious and political leaders. The Bush administration on several occasions distanced itself from these anti-Islamic statements, maintaining its public stance that Islam is a religion of peace...

Read the full article -- PDF file (145 Ko)
Click here for downloading!