The Crusades

The Crusades lasted approximately 200 years. Pope Urban II called for them in 1095. The two main purposes for Christian armies from Europe invading the Holy Lands were: To help the Byzantines stop the advance of the Seljuk Turks into Asia Minor and to free the Holy Land from Muslim control. There were four major invasions of the Christian armies resulting in only the first Crusades concluding in the Christians taking control of the Holy Lands. In this first Crusade, the Christians took control of the Holy Lands, but they massacred all non-Christians. The last three Crusades were disasters for Christians, and they never recaptured Jerusalem.

The September 11th terrorist attacks in New York, the Pentagon, and in rural Pennsylvania was similar to the Crusades for the fact that many people died. The attacks led by the Al-Queda terrorist group and supervised by Osama bin Laden, took thousand of American lives and forever changed the lifestyle we as Americans live. They resulted in the destruction of the World Trade Center and damage to the Pentagon; and the American people fearing for their safety.

Both the Crusades and the September 11th terrorist attacks took place because of a contrast in beliefs. In the case of the Crusades, Christians believed that they should posses the Holy Lands, and the Muslims felt that it was there land to keep. There was so much bloodshed and killing done for the sake of God. Both parties felt that God approved of what they were doing and that it was fine to kill their brothers and sisters in Christ. Terrorist groups and Osama bin Laden felt that the United States was and still is an "evil empire" and that it should be obliterated. Thousand of innocent people died because of this radical and acted upon hate of the U.S. Whether or not one of these events is more morally acceptable than the other is debated.

What the Christians did to the Muslims and the nation of Islam is not different than what terrorists did to the United States. Innocent lives were lost in both cases. Just as terrorists had no business driving two planes into the Twin Towers, Christians had no business invading the Holy Lands. By the Christians wanting to gain the Holy Lands, they cause 200 years of turmoil and horror in the Middle East; making it one of the most blood soaked places in the whole world. The Christians were greedy and wanted the land to themselves. Why couldn't the two religions collaborate and share the land since they both have historical roots in that area of the world? Just like the terrorists, if they have a problem with the way the United States operate, why don't they come and talk to us instead of blowing up buildings and killing people? Neither of these two situations is morally acceptable, but is actually not that different. We as Christians tend not to look at the perspective of the Crusades from a Muslim