Winston Churchill’s view of Islam

In 1899 Churchill wrote:

How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity. The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property – either as a child, a wife, or a concubine – must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men.

Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen: all know how to die: Individual Moslems may show splendid qualities. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen; all know how to die; but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it. No stronger retrograde force exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome

Considering what we have seen since he wrote this, he may have been too generous.

4 thoughts on “Winston Churchill’s view of Islam

  1. He doesn’t seem to have had a high regard for faithful Christianity either; our saftey certainly doens’t lie in science. Churchill did, however, accurately portray Islam’s effect on societies that follow it, and should sound the tocsin to those who ignore or underplay it.

    • Like many of his era (he was born in 1874), Churchill grew up never doubting the doctrines he was taught in the Church of England. However, his travels about the British Empire as a cavalry officer exposed him to many other religions. He and his fellow officers came to accept what he called “The Religion of Healthy-Mindedness”, which concluded that “if you tried your best to live an honourable life and did your duty and were faithful to friends and not unkind to the weak and poor, it did not matter much what you believed or disbelieved.” In the end it appeared he chose science over religion.

      • Considering what passed for doctrine in all too many sections of the C of E at that time, no surprise that Churchill would end up an unbeliever, as the false dichotomy between true religion and true science was often inadequately pressed on either side of the Pond. The definition of “healthy-mindedness” apart from Scripture is added proof for my contention; after all, if Islam is true, how could the infidel have an healthy mind? Too much science and entrepreurship and too little Koran memorizing makes one takfiri.

  2. Possibly this is the reason that President Obama, in one of his first official acts as President, returned the bust of Sir Winston Churchill to the UK.
    That is half the equation.
    The more concerning half of that equation is provided by
    Dr. Richard L.Rubinstein in “Obama The Most Radical President Ever”,
    interviewed at ‘The New English Review’,
    posted February 12, 2015, at ‘Unity Coalition for Israel’.

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