Apparently, there's a stir over local high school districts adopting a new textbook that only puts Islam in its best light:
Sewall complains the word jihad has gone through an "amazing cultural reorchestration" in textbooks, losing any connotation of violence. He cites Houghton Mifflin's popular middle school text, "Across the Centuries," which has been approved for use in Montgomery County Schools. It defines "jihad" as a struggle "to do one's best to resist temptation and overcome evil."
"But that is, literally, the translation of jihad," said Reza Aslan, a religion scholar and acclaimed author of "No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam." Aslan explained that the definition does not preclude a militant interpretation.
Has anyone out there used this book? I'd be curious how it defines "crusade."

Indeed. I'll put money on the words "armed" "violent" "campaign" and "persecution" being used in conjunction with crusade.
Posted by: Matt | June 09, 2008 at 08:26 PM