This month marks the release of the newly updated and expanded work, Unveiling Islam (Kregel, 2009).  The excerpt below is drawn from chapter 17, "Freedom and the Conscience of a Nation," a nod to the greatest political heroes of our time, Ronald Reagan, who wrote the concise and prophetic pamphlet, "Abortion and the Conscience of a Nation." In a day when so many political figures are either cowering or ignoring the threat of Islam and its ever-expanding Sharia Law, it is my hope that another Reagan will rise from the grassroots and engage in the battle for our very civilization.

Freedom and the Conscience of the Nation: A Nod to the Gipper

On the tenth anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, President Ronald Reagan, affectionately known as "The Gipper" by his closest friends, penned a brief yet profound essay entitled "Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation." This eleven-page pamphlet called our nation to grieve over a decision which, up to 1983, had "snuffed out" fifteen million lives.[i] Referencing Abraham Lincoln's arduous battle to emancipate millions of African-Americans from the grip of slavery, Reagan related, "Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be free . . . Likewise, we cannot survive as a free nation when some men decide that others are not fit to live."[ii] Reagan dreamed that his pursuit for the rights of the unborn would come to fruition during his presidency, yet his hopes were dashed and, indeed, did not even materialize during his lifetime.

Nonetheless, his words have not been forgotten as millions of Americans still hope for a brighter future for the unborn in this country. The battle, seemingly passé to so many, still carries forth, although it does not get the regular media attention it did when Reagan held office. This chapter, as the title denotes, is dedicated to the noble efforts of that great president and gleans from his perspective. In many ways, the authors realize that present-day battles in our culture are not greatly disassociated from previous culture wars. Freedom, whether it be for the unborn or for those overseas, is a righteous pursuit worth undertaking. Reagan's platform while president overtly demonstrated such, as he not only fought for the freedom of those within the States, but heralded an unbridled optimism that one day men and women behind the Iron Curtain-the Soviet Empire-would taste freedom as well. On June 12, 1987, Reagan delivered a speech at the Bradenburg Gate, near the Berlin Wall, and gave the now-famous challenge to the dictator of the Soviet Union, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Just before that clarion call, Reagan prophetically uttered, "We believe freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty could only strengthen the cause of world peace."

Beginning in 1989, what once was deemed impossible by so many-freedom-came to multitudes in Germany, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Poland, and many other countries. As Peter Jennings asserted about the era, "It was a magnificent decade for democracy." May the same be said today. May another prophetic voice rise from the ashes of pessimism and confront tyranny. And may people desire such freedom with the passion of their souls.

The Clash of Civilizations: Democracy or Theocracy

In February 2008, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams triggered significant debate over remarks he made about the inevitability of Islamic Law coming to Great Britain. Great Britain is home to more than two million Muslims, the majority of which live in the London area. Speaking to a crowd of more than 800 at the Great Hall for the Royal Courts of Justice, Williams articulated, "It's not as if we're bringing in an alien and rival system; we already have in this country a number of situations in which the internal law of religious communities is recognized by the law of the land . . . There is a place for finding what would be a constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law as we already do with some kinds of aspects of other religious law."[iii] He further clarified in subsequent interviews that only the moderate forms of Islamic laws, such as are found in divorce law, would be welcome. Harsher laws, like those found in Saudi Arabia, were not to be considered. Williams was purportedly stunned by much of the nation's backlash. Many political and religious leaders called for his resignation, but to no avail. Instead, he simply reiterated his support for English law and his desire to discuss the issue further in the future.

The vision of Archbishop Williams is in complete contradistinction to that of Reagan. His hopes are based on the supposedly realistic notion that Islam is an unstoppable force that must be given its proper place within the West. Reagan, with his eternal optimism, believed freedom could convince even the hardest critic to abandon old philosophies (or theologies) for those of a divine order. To the naysayer who mocks this optimism, one can look to Turkey for a glimmer of hope. Consider the following:

     •     Before the reforms by Turkish President Mustafa Ataturk, Turkey was the leader of Islam and home of the caliphate (Islamic Council).

     •     Before the inauguration of democracy, Turkey was the most noted persecutor of Christians in the early twentieth century. Between 1915 to 1918, two million Armenian Christians were killed by Turks.

     •     Turkey was the first Islamic nation to implement democracy in a significant way.

Here is a nation that at its core was an Islamic superpower which, for more than four centuries, ruled much of the civilized world. Yet, two major events transformed the country. First, the nation was brought to its knees after World War I as Turkey sided with the Central Powers against the Allies. Ataturk returned to an Istanbul which was occupied by British and French forces. Second, Turkey was guilty of some of the worst persecution in the history of the world.

The aftermath of such tragedies brought the Turkish people toward a new day and a new mind-set. The lessons learned by the Turks are still as applicable today. First, where bloodshed is greatest may be where freedom finds its next home. Second, for freedom to flourish, it needs an indigenous face such as Ataturk. Third, democracy is possible even in places where it has never gained a footing. Finally, freedom, when captured by people, is a powerful force that can change a country. No one would have ever guessed that the nation which conquered the greatest Christian city outside of Rome, Constantinople, could be transformed into a secular democracy. And, yet, it happened.

In the wake of today's rising Islamic militancy, the greatest irony may be that if America does not awake and fight against the tyranny of Islamic Law, Turkey may gradually move toward its former roots. As more than a dozen countries have already implemented Islamic laws within the past twenty years, the tide presently is in favor of Islamic theocracy. And all of this has occurred while much of the West has slumbered and slept. Remember, when free countries are unwilling to stand up for the inalienable rights of all, other countries are the first to suffer the consequences. Freedom can only survive if it is believed, defended, and expanded. Otherwise, freedom will be enslaved. Truth is Immortal.

[i] President Ronald W. Reagan, "Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation" (Washington, D.C.: The White House, 1983), 1.

[ii] Ibid., 11.

[iii] Riazat Butt, "Archbishop Backs Sharia Law for British Muslims," Guardian (7 February 2008), http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/feb/07/religion.world.