Theologians to Islam: let's all be friends

Recently, many theologians have written an open letter to Muslims in response to a letter written from Muslims to Christians (138 signatories including clerics, scholars, and such) in October. The first letter was titled "A Common Word Between Us And You," which sought to prove that there is common ground between Christians and Muslims, especially when referring to the principles of

The Unity of God, the necessity of love for Him, and the necessity of love of the neighbour is thus the common ground between Islam and Christianity.

The second letter, headlined "Christian Leaders Ask For Muslim Forgiveness," sought to extend the spirit of love and unity:

In this response we extend our own Christian hand in return, so that together with all other human beings we may live in peace and justice as we seek to love God and our neighbours.

There's nothing wrong with living together in peace and justice. I believe that people of different faiths living together in peace and justice is a factor in keeping a just society stablized. However, the letter asks for "forgiveness." Forgiveness for what?

...We want to begin by acknowledging that in the past (e.g. in the Crusades) and in the present (e.g. in excesses of the “war on terror”) many Christians have been guilty of sinning against our Muslim neighbours. Before we “shake your hand” in responding to your letter, we ask forgiveness of the All-Merciful One and of the Muslim community around the world.

Now, I am no history scholar, but my attitude concerning the Crusades is that they aren't what today's world makes them out to be. It would be helpful if the theologians specifically named some injustices committed by Christians against Muslims instead of using a vague blanket statement.
It would also be helpful if they described what exactly they meant by "excesses of the 'war on terror.'" What excesses? What have Christians done to Muslims in our fight against Islamofascism that warrants an apology from numerous Christian leaders who purport to speak for all of Christendom, including Brian McLaren and Rick Warren?
In short, the answer, I believe, is "absolutely nothing." The fact is that our country was senselessly attacked by Muslim extremists on 9/11 and that we are right in fighting against them to ensure that such ideologues do not kill thousands more. The blanket statement of "excesses" sounds more like a loaded political statement than an admission of actual guilt.
And why do Christians ask for the forgiveness of the "All-Merciful One?" Whatever happened to "thou shalt have no gods but Me?"

If we can achieve religious peace between these two religious communities [Christianity and Islam], peace in the world will clearly be easier to attain.

I do not think that mere "religious peace," whatever that means, is going to stop extremists from blowing up mosques, flying airplanes into buildings, and calling for the death of British schoolteachers.

Surprisingly for many Christians, your letter considers the dual command of love to be the foundational principle not just of the Christian faith, but of Islam as well. That so much common ground exists-common ground in some of the fundamentals of faith-gives hope that undeniable differences and even the very real external pressures that bear down upon us can not overshadow the common ground upon which we stand together.

Yes... "love" is definitely the word that I think of when I read "Ye shall not attain unto righteousness until ye expend of that which ye love," and "God loveth the just dealers..."
I also think of the word "love" when I read this:

Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors. And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. And fight not with them at the Inviolable Place of Worship until they first attack you there, but if they attack you (there) then slay them. Such is the reward of disbelievers. But if they desist, then lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah. But if they desist, then let there be no hostility except against wrong-doers. (Koran 2:190-193)

and this:

Fight against such of those who have been given the Scripture as believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, and forbid not that which Allah hath forbidden by His messenger, and follow not the Religion of Truth, until they pay the tribute readily, being brought low. And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they! They have taken as lords beside Allah their rabbis and their monks and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were bidden to worship only One God. There is no God save Him. Be He Glorified from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him)! Fain would they put out the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah disdaineth (aught) save that He shall perfect His light, however much the disbelievers are averse. He it is Who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolaters may be averse. (Koran 9:29-33)

and this too:

Now when ye meet in battle those who disbelieve, then it is smiting of the necks until, when ye have routed them, then making fast of bonds; and afterward either grace or ransom till the war lay down its burdens. That (is the ordinance). And if Allah willed He could have punished them (without you) but (thus it is ordained) that He may try some of you by means of others. And those who are slain in the way of Allah, He rendereth not their actions vain. (Koran 47:4)

But these are just minor details.


To avoid confusion: I am not saying that we should say "screw you" to Muslims or anything like that. However, I think that instead of writing long, sad letters and apologizing for wrongs that have not been committed, we should do as we have been commanded: love one another and treat each other as we ourselves want to be treated.
We should also not hold any illusions. The fact remains that terrorists have attacked our country and that they were Muslim extremists. These same extremists recently sentenced a 19-year old rape victim to 200 lashes and clamored for the death of a British schoolteacher whose only "crime" was to name a school teddy bear "Mohammad." Perhaps the Muslim community-at-large should be condemning these lunatics and apologizing for their actions because they seemingly are not what Muhammad would have them do. Apologies, however, only go so far.

The "apology letter" closes with this statement:

If we fail to make every effort to make peace and come together in harmony you correctly remind us that “our eternal souls” are at stake as well.

The statement refers to this fragment from the original letter:

And to those who nevertheless relish conflict and destruction for their own sake or reckon that ultimately they stand to gain through them, we say that our very eternal souls are all also at stake if we fail to sincerely make every effort to make peace and come together in harmony. (A Common Word)

Tell that to the extremists.

(this would not have been brought to my attention without reading Mark Steyn's priceless commentary on the Corner here and here.)