Christianity v. muslim -- Who is Right?

As I watch in amazement how the muslim terrorists proved Pope Benedict's point by vowing to fight Christianity and spill blood until islam conquers the world, I wonder at what point the Christian world says, "Enough!"

It's going to be hard -- Christianity after all preaches love for your fellow man while the muslim's retaliate by saying:

"You infidels and despots, we will continue our jihad and never stop until God avails us to chop your necks and raise the fluttering banner of monotheism when God's rule is established governing all people and nations."

A few weeks ago I was reading "Be My Guest" by Conrad Hilton who founded the Hilton Hotel empire. This book was written 50 years ago and I was amazed and how it perfectly encapsulated today's events.

I tried to find a copy of this speech online, but could not. I feel it is important enough to type it out so other's can come to their own conclusions:

The following is an exact exerpt from pages 268 - 269:

In addressing the National Conference of Christians and Jews at the Waldorf-Astoria in the fall of 1950, I took my stand as a verteran of World War I, as the father of two boys who fought in World War II, and as an American. That talk, "The Battle of Freedom," came from a heart filled with a deep and abiding love for and faith in our country and our way of life.

Since in it was contained the seed, the dream which fulfilled itself in the proudest moment of my life, I must recall here in sbstance what I said.

There was no sense in glossing over existing conditions. We were, if not technically at war, still a long way from peace in Korea. We were failing our sons for we had not secured the peace they had fought and died to win. This had to be admitted. Here is the stand I took:

"We are compelled to face the awful prospect of another war.

"We are losing the battle for peace, for we have neglected, abandoned and betrayed those great principles to which we dedicated ourselves for the establishment of peace.

"We have broken faith with those who fought and died for freedom. Why? Because when the boys had won their victories at arms we permitted the forces of hate, injustice and appeasement to take the victories from them.

"Freedom, my fellow Americans -- Protestant, Catholic and Jew -- is foremost in our minds and hearts this evening. It is in the minds and hearts of all the world who look to us as the last sanctuary, the last bastion of free men.

"But what is freedom? What right have we to it? This is why; because we possess an intrinsic human dignity, an inner majesty, which gives us an appetitie, a passion for freedom. Man possess human dignity because he is made in the image and likeness of God. This image is found personally in every man; each one possess it entirely and undividedly.

To many youngsters today this does not mean too much, but if they only knew, as we know, it is the basis of everything they fight and die for: the privilege to remain free men.

"Peace is more than the absence of war. It is a tranquility of order, it is security, liberty -- religious, political and economic freedom. It is life with honor, life with dignity of the children of God.

"It was for that freedom that peace we fought in 1917, and we did not get it. For that freedom and peace we fought in 1941, and we did not get it. For that freedom and peace we are fighting now.

"Are we at war with Russia? Are we at peace with Russia? Are we at war with China, with East Germany? Are we at peace with those nations? No. The old concept of 'War' and 'Peace' belongs to a world which the Communists have destroyed.

"The essence of Communism is the death of the individual and the burial of his remains in a collective mass. And the insidious thing, the frightening thing is this: It can win even with it is losing. They want us to live more and more on a constant war footing without being at war, without being at peace.

"This is a crucial time in the destiny of our nation, in the destiny of mankind. The remaining free peoples of the world must be strengthened and defended. Should there come a time when the Communist flood overwhelms those free nations we must be prepared to stand alone. There must be no more appeasement, no more sacrifice of principle for expediency, and never shall we abandon a free nation that stands with us against the common enemy.

"In this struggle for freedom, at home and abroad, our greatest weapon, both a sword and a shield, will be our lovve of, and faith in God. To opoen the hearts and minds of men to this truth will require a mighty river of faith and effort. Each one of us is a drop to swell that river and augment its force.

"The destiny of our people is to hold high the banner of freedom for all men everywhere.

As I read these pages, I was stuck at how easily one could substitute Communism for muslim. 50 years and what's really changed? America and it's allies are still the bastion of hope for so many.

Communism was not pure at heart and it cratered and fell. Is the muslim belief any different?

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