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Writings and Publications by Joseph B. H. McMillan
Part 4 of "Free Speech, The War on Terror and Islam" by Joseph B.H. McMillan
The Problem Identified; Debate or Debacle; Arabs, Islam and the Nazis; Islam and the Dark Ages; Civilization and Tolerance under Islam; Conservatives "calling it as it is"?; Free Speech and Debate; The Consequences; A Solution?; Footnotes
Islam and the Dark Ages
So the myth has been popularly peddled and accepted, as Blair stated in his 12 October 2001 article, that “the Muslim world was a beacon of civilisation and tolerance when Europe was in the dark ages”, and "Muslim Governments .. seek world peace and order ..".(37)
A popular distortion among the historically illiterate is to equate the Dark Ages with a period of barbarism and anarchy in Europe. In truth, the word ‘dark’ refers to the fact that some art, culture and learning was lost, but not as much as was once believed.
This is the age of Justinian (527AD). The Institutes and Digests of Justinian are the cornerstone of all modern day Civil Legal systems. Regrettably, in over 10 years of legal practice in England, I found not one new law graduate familiar with Justinian.
This is the age of St Augustine (597AD). Hopefully some may recognise the name, but, I would wager, few could say why.
Or what of Charlemagne? I wonder how many people could point to his achievements. He saved Europe from the advancing Muslims. And, as will be seen below, I use the word ‘saved’ deliberately. But Charlemagne did much more. All scholars were welcomed by him; he encouraged education; he promoted monasteries; and he improved the legal system.
Or what of Bede and Lindisfarne? Most British people today will think the former a misspelling of the contraption found in continental bathrooms, and the latter a pop group.
“Such seemeth to me, my lord the present life of men here on earth .. as if a sparrow should come to the house and very swiftly flit through … Right for the time it be within the house it feeleth no smart of the winter storm but after a very short space of fair weather it soon passeth again from winter to winter and escapeth your sight. Wherefore if this new learning [Christianity] hath brought us any better surety, methinks it is worthy to be followed.” Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England.
The master-artists at the monastery of Lindisfarne created an industrial type production line of books of magnificence which preserved great Latin and Christian literature.
Ireland was also a great centre for learning, art and culture during the so-called Dark Ages. Irish scholars and priests traveled throughout Europe founding schools and building monasteries and cathedrals which became great centres of learning and craftsmanship.
All of this should be general knowledge to the average High School student. Instead, the general public passively absorbs the assertions about the 'dark ages in Europe' and Islam's 'enlightenment' like a "rubber ball which has lost its elasticity."
Yes, there were wars, feuds and the Vikings during the so-called Dark Ages. But since the popular myth contrasts the “Muslim world’s civilization and tolerance”, let us see what the record shows.
Click here for Part5 of this article, "Civilisation and Tolerance under Islam"
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