There’s one headline you didn’t read in the aftermath of the Manchester attack:
Isis celebrates ‘crusaders’ attack and vows further violence against Christians
Sounds silly, I know. But look at what Isis actually said in their statement after the bombing:
I have not seen the word ‘Christian’ mentioned in a single report since this statement was published. Not surprising in itself, as mainstream hacks can be relied upon to avoid the ‘C’ word wherever possible. In this context, though, it’s a serious oversight.
For Isis, the West is a Christian construct. In their astonishingly retro outlook, we’re all under the religious authority of Rome – and that makes us all followers of the Cross. By illogical extension, that also makes us ‘crusaders’. Yep – jihadi thinking isn’t known for its nuance. How else could they conflate ‘Cross Worshippers’ with the little girls at an Ariana Grande gig? No distinction between religion and culture here.
Failure to grasp this simple point is at the root of the hours of banality-laden head-scratching punditry that followed Manchester. Salman Abedi wasn’t a loner, grown bored of his Xbox. He wanted to be a foot soldier in a religious war. Christianity on one side, ‘true’ Islam on the other. The principles of Christian civilisation on one side, the principles of Salafism on the other.
Just have a look at the snappily titled 2016 flick ‘Isil Fantastic Dream, End of World by Conquering Crusaders in Rome’. For these idiots, a ‘Cross Worshipper’ and a Westerner are the same thing. A Christian is a crusading ambassador of the West, and any Westerner is a Christian.
Most commentators choose to ignore this, and not irrationally.
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