Is the book "The Politically Uncorrect Guide to Islam & the Crusades" any good?

Question

I just ordered this book. Amazon has nothing but good reviews of it and I've read some of Robert Spencer's stuff before and usually he's good. Does anyone whose read the book have any thoughts on it?
http://www.amazon.com/Politically-Incorrect-Guide-Islam-Crusades/dp/0895260131/sr=8-1/qid=1158611107/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-1332274-3863947?ie=UTF8&s=books

Answer 1

I've read a few of the "Politically Incorrect Guide" books, and so far my opinion is that they are just INCORRECT. They seem to foment the view that everyone is conspiring against you to make you believe things that are not true in some kind of massive power conspiracy. If you believe that everyone is out to get you, then this is the kind of series you'll like. If, on the other hand, you want bi-partisan factual treatment of issues, you should steer well clear.

I'm surprised you found only good reviews of it. Here's a rather thorough one I found without too much trouble:

"This book is really quite a cackel. It proports to be a guide to Islam. All but the most gullible will be immediately suspicious of this text. Per Mr. Spencer, Islam is quite a hateful religion. He seems to be able to find no positive statements to make about a religion followed by something like a billion people. (The visually inclined will already be suspicious by the cover photo. Never saw a Muslim that looked like that myself, and I've seen a fair number.) Furthurmore, all but the most intellectually isolated people will suspect, if not know, that it is unlikely that all these Muslims will agree on an single interpretation of the religion or the text (Qu'ran). A pious Sunni from Egypt will have a very different take on what the Qu'ran means, compared with a Sufi from Afghanistan, or a Shi'a from Iran. Christians will immediately understand this: Christian scripture has been used to support and oppose the war on Iraq, and in the Constitutional Convention (USA) was used to argue both for and against slavery.

"Mr. Spencer basically ignores the problem of different interpretations. Not to fear: he provides his own. He casually refutes the opinions of experts with short quotations from the Qu'ran, Hadith, or some radical Imam his has pulled off the internet. Unfortunately, he has apparently had little exposure to the centuries of interpretation of the Qu'ran by Muslims, and unless I miss my mark, little or no knowlege of classical arabic. Consequently, his interpretation bares little resemblance to the interpretation used by the vast majority of Muslims. What you get instead is Mr. Spencer's personal interpretation of the Qu'ran. Thank God he is no Muslim (he'd be out there with Osama).

"This is not to say this book has no utility. (After all, I did give it two stars!!) Fanatical hate mongers of all non-Muslim varieties (White supremicists, Christian Warriors (should be an oxymoron, but it isn't, nowadays), etc.) will love it. Plop it right down on the shelf next to Protocals of the Elders of Zion and go prepare for Armageddon. Radical Muslim hate mongers will love it as well, for different reasons: " look at how the Crusader's malign our religion. Come join us for retribution!" Finally, Absurdists will enjoy bits and pieces of the text: the part where he (Spencer) tries to show how Islam is both anti homosexual and yet somehow promoting homosexuality (in the chapter on Paradise) is quite a trip. Serious Absurdists will probably find the book to banal to buy however. Sociologists may find it useful for understanding how propagandists can lead to misunderstanding between religions. For the rest of us, there are many better introductions to Islam out there. No one book or text is capable of introducing a religion completely. However, in my opinion this book is misleading and of little utility to anyone seriously interested in Islam."

Here is one who says how I felt about the copy of a different book in the series that I got:

"...I didnt even want to give my copy away because I was so horrified at the methods used to "compare" Islam with Christianity. I threw mine in the garbage. I hope that people would take this book with a grain of salt, and read a more balanced book BEFORE reading this one. Then make their own conclusions..."

So, if you want to read misleading propaganda, go for it. To those who know a bit more about the subject before reading it, however, such books are so misleading that they are actually frightening.

Answer 2

This book is POLITICAL, if anything. He pushes his own rightist, conservative agenda THROUGHOUT. If you want a non-political account of Islam, read some basic religion book on Islam. Try whyislam.org. Trust me, as a Muslim, I can tell you sincerely, there is no global conspiracy to take over the world. We are not taught to convert non-Muslims. How does Mr. Spencer explain the co-existence of Jews and Christians in the Mid-East for centuries? How does he explain that the OLDEST functioning monastery in the world is in the Middle East because Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave it a personal guarantee of protection. This is nothing but rightist, conservative garbage. If you'd like to know the truth, go read the Qur'an or go to whyislam.org

Answer 3

I read "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Science" thinking it would be funny (I was thinking Bill Mahr) but it was anti science to no end. It acted like science was a tool of the devil created to kill religion. I am thinking it was not by Robert Spencer though. Good luck

Answer 4

i've got no longer examine the e book myself yet i'm responsive to the Politically incorrect instruction manual series of books. the purpose of those books is to reason controversy by making use of rewriting what's quite often primary. there is an entire series of them and that all of them shop on with this comparable theory. to illustrate, you're able to desire to think of that the yankee shape is a crucial checklist and that that is which ability is quite sparkling - no longer in accordance to the PIG which thoroughly rewrites the form. It additionally rewrites American historic previous, the 1st international conflict, US politics, Islam, Literature, Darwinism and interior the instruction manual to women describes them as 'disposable intercourse products'. You stated the comments made by making use of anotherguy. This e book would be very lots affiliated with the others as that is component to a chain from the comparable publishers. The PIG's have a area of interest contained available, in the event that they needed to submit a severe instruction manual to worldwide warming they might have completed so outdoors of the PIG series. previous to answering I regarded up a assessment of the PIG to worldwide Warming, the 1st sentence from the extract I examine claims greenhouse gases can not heat the planet. Even the main ardent of skeptics is unquestionably conscious that GHG's do heat the planet, in the event that they did no longer the planet would be so chilly that life would on no account have stepped forward. The e book fairly for sure would not even attempt to refute worldwide warming on a severe point yet relies upon upon comprehensive nonsense. There are sturdy books that query the technology of world warming and make valid factors and use clever arguments to make their case - this e book isn't considered one of them.

Answer 5

why do you want to learn about cults that dont teach the truth??
True religion is Christianity and Trinity!