The Native Iowan

OK, it’s starting to get confusing, even strange. It’s starting, happening as we speak.

The tallying of Wrongs (capital W) of various religions/ empires/ governments past and present. From the Roman Empire to the Crusades. From Osman to Balfour.

Of course the USofA is a vilest, evilest, most loathsome. Or is it Israel?

I do get confused.

Confusion #1)
The Crusade to reclaim Jerusalem from the Muslims was a holy war. This is what I recently heard. I listened to an intelligent sounding person tell me such…

Which Crusade are we thinking of? Do most folks know there were numerous Crusades over a century or more?

First Crusade
1095–1099
Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemond of Taranto, Raymond IV of Toulouse, others
Successful capture of Jerusalem (1099) after sieges of Nicaea and Antioch. Established Crusader states, including the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Second Crusade
1147–1149
Louis VII of France, Conrad III of Germany
Failed to recapture Edessa or make major gains. Ended in defeat.

Third Crusade (Kings’ Crusade)
1189–1192
Richard the Lionheart (England), Philip II (France), Frederick Barbarossa (Holy Roman Empire)
Launched after Saladin recaptured Jerusalem (1187). Recaptured coastal cities like Acre but not Jerusalem. Truce allowed Christian pilgrimages.

Fourth Crusade
1202–1204
Boniface of Montferrat, others (diverted)
Diverted to sack Constantinople (Byzantine Christian city) instead of reaching the Holy Land. Weakened Byzantium but achieved little for Jerusalem.

Fifth Crusade
1217–1221
Andrew II of Hungary, Leopold VI of Austria, others
Aimed at Egypt to weaken Muslim power; captured Damietta but ultimately failed.

Sixth Crusade
1228–1229
Frederick II (Holy Roman Emperor)
Diplomatic success: Negotiated Treaty of Jaffa, temporarily regaining Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Nazareth without major fighting.

Seventh Crusade
1248–1254
Louis IX of France (St. Louis)
Targeted Egypt; initial successes reversed. Louis captured and ransomed. Jerusalem lost again (1244).

Eighth Crusade
1270
Louis IX of France
Aimed at Tunis (North Africa) as a base; Louis died of illness. Limited impact.

Ninth Crusade (sometimes grouped with Eighth)
1271–1272
Edward I of England (Prince Edward)
Minor raids and truces in the Holy Land. Acre (last major Crusader stronghold) fell in 1291, ending the Crusader states.

Noting this all transpired over something like 200years, I am of the opinion that much was of a political nature, rather than religious or holy. In the name of God, but for political and worldly purposes.

Confusions #2)
I hear folks support/ claim that Islamists putting infidels to the sword is holy and good. Allan smiles when infidels are murdered.

Islam is the religion of peace and love, the “Book” tells us such…

Quran 9:5 (Surah At-Tawbah, the “Sword Verse” or Ayat al-Sayf) “And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”

Quran 9:29 “Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture — [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.”

Quran 2:190-193 (often paired with defensive rules) “Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors. And kill them wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah [persecution] is worse than killing… Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] worship is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then indeed, Allah is Seeing of what they do.”

Confusion #3)
I remain quite perplexed per the idea that “The Jews” control everything! All blame belongs to The Jews…

Total Jewish population worldwide: ~15.8 million.

World population: ~8.1–8.3 billion (making the Jewish share ~0.19–0.2%).

So zero.2% of the world are to blame for 100% of the wrongs?

Dumb-shit stuff)
I hear some really dumb-shit stuff. One of my favourites: “Antifa is mostly peaceful”. Another is: Iran is being “persecuted” for practicing their religion. Along with: Israel has “stolen” their land from the indigenous peoples.

We do live in a looney-tunes universe.

A Universe where critical thought and a thirst for knowledge is “old fashioned”.

War is Sin.

Wood, Not War…