Customer Reviews

Waging Peace on Islam

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Christine spends a great deal of time passionately and methodically explaining why our stereotypes of the situations and problems in the Middle-east are wrong. She very clearly articulates that the issues in Palestine are not simply Jew versus Muslim, but also include the dwindling population of Christians, who are also Palestinian! This book is a must read if you want to see behind the cleverly managed and manipulated media presentations of current events so that you can formulate viewpoints and positions based on reality. If you care more about being a follower of Jesus than merely a creature of culture called a "christian", read this book.

As a sympathetic insider to the plight of oppressed peoples in the Middle East, the author shares tragic tales of victimization, war and poverty. As ardent and devoted followers of Christ in the Arab world, she and her husband have loved their Muslim neighbors and family members sacrificially.

Christine Mallouhi writes from her heart, and she doesn't try to present a balanced viewpoint. As a relatively inexperienced author, she meanders, repeats herself and dwells on discomforting details. So, this book is difficult to read from many perspectives. But in the end, its main thrust for Christians to seek to understand Muslims by interacting together on a personal level is noble and Christ-like.

Amidst escalating tensions between Christians and Muslims, this book presents a refreshing perspective. Fanaticism and stereotyping abound on both sides, yet Christine Mallouhi urges her readers to see people as people, complete with names, parents, kids, siblings, extended families and life stories. And, she supplies plenty of examples taken from her own life story as an Australian evangelical Protestant who has spent the majority of her life in North Africa and the Middle East married to a Muslim disciple of Jesus Christ. If you think that last statement is an Oxymoron, read the book.

As the title indicates, Mallouhi's book targets Christians and proposes peace, love and grace as infinitely preferable to fear, hatred and bigotry when dealing with Muslims. Especially poignant is the insight Mallouhi gives into the plight of the Palestinians, one of the least understood groups of people on earth.

Mallouhi is no Pollyanna and freely acknowledges the existence of Islamic terrorists, though she contends they are a small minority. Her point is that beneath the cultural and religious differences most Muslims are just people like you and me. She also informs us that many Muslims have the same difficulty of seeing Christians beyond their own stereotypes, including several centuries of Christian terrorists who ravished the Middle East during the Crusades. Sadly, even today there are right-wing fundamentalist Christians who probably would love to establish a "Christian Taliban."

The thread that ties the book together is the example of St. Francis of Assisi. The chapter title "The Mad Monk" informs the reader that Mallouhi is well aware of Francis' numerous and well-documented eccentricities and excesses. You may wonder what St. Francis is doing in a Protestant book on the need for an attitude adjustment toward Muslims, but the ploy works well and adds an interesting historical dimension to the book.

The strength of the book is Mallouhi's lifetime of personal experience. Some of her experiences and commentaries will challenge many evangelical readers and stretch them far beyond their personal comfort zones. You do not have to agree with all of her viewpoints to benefit greatly from reading Waging Peace on Islam. I have already recommended it to several people and will continue to do so.

Christine Mallouhi's beliefs about the relationships, or lack thereof, between Christians and Muslims are heartfelt and personal. They are based on years of living within the Muslim community.

Mallouhi's premise is that Christians don't know Muslims personally, are separated by fear, ignorance, and misunderstanding-and therefore are impacted negatively by what they read and hear. Her use of the beliefs and approach of St. Francis toward Muslims adds much to the book.

I love and embrace Mallouhi's call to wage peace on Islam. I believe that is what Jesus wants. It's through personal relationships that trust and understanding is built. I also admire Mallouhi's passion. I applaud her determination to encourage people to look past stereotypes.

Mallouhi's experiences are rich and full. They are, however, her experiences. One caution, followers of Christ may feel admonished by Mallouhi.

I would have felt more comfortable if both Christians and Muslims were called to wage peace against radicalism, of any kind.

Readers may find Mallouhi's relationship with Arafat disconcerting. Her experiences with him were kind and loving. That's not what is often portrayed in the media.

What I like about Mallouhi's book is the challenge to think differently, to strive to understand, to seek to have empathy, to love as Jesus would want us to love.

The book challenges the reader to understand, especially in a post 9/11 world that encourages us to remain vigilant.

Armchair Interviews says: A thought-provoking book that is a must-read.

This book will go a long way towards helping the West understand the Middle-East from religious perspectives. I learned a tremendous amount and have been able to apply a lot of it. It was very, very eye openning and I believe should be read by especially by Christians who want a balanced view Christian-Muslim issues. It dealt with history, culture, and faith inter-twining the three to give a comprehensive picture. Bob Roberts - Author Glocalization & Transformation

We like to stand on our feet to look at the world, but this is a book that tips you upside down. Christians need a whole new perspective on Muslims, a radical new outlook, on people who are flesh and blood, just like us. Christine gives many amazing stories about the delightful Muslim people she has come to know and love from living for many years as a Christian in various Middle Eastern countries. St Francis of Assisi was a radical in his day, and Christine wonderfully connects this "man of peace" with the "Prince of Peace" and strongly argues how much better our Christian outreach to Muslims would be if we came to them in peace, instead of seeing them as enemies.

"This book was suggested by one my dear friend. Reading this book make me realized that we all hide prejudism with in us .Many times completely unaware of our inner secrets. This book makes you realize your own hidden prejudism towards other religions,people of different ethnicity and background.How we develope them through out our life span.Our source is Minipulative media images,misinformation and misrepresentation that becomes a cause of our stereotypeing others.Fears becomes a powerful force that create division,hatred towards others. Christine encourage others to self analyze,remove hatred and prejudism and connects with others on human level by following the footsteps of Christ and Fransis of Assisi. Good book to read also deals with political issues between palestines and isreal's relations.Cause of conflict is not merely political but fear, lack of understanding ,love, respect towards other faith.

A great book, very well researched, very well written, very well lived! This book is alive with history, two thousand year old history, thousand year old history, and today's history. Are we destined to go on repeating history? Not if we read and apply the Malouhi method which they got from Francis, which he got from Jesus. I wish at least one person in every church could read this book, and every student in every University, Bible College, and Seminary. It could have a profound impact on our own culture as well as on the cultures we encounter along life's journey.

This book I think is about getting along with Muslims.It is written I thought to make one better understand them.A good writer ,well written,but I'm not sure if I agreed with everything this book had to say. check out my book about a similar topic-Sharper Than A Two Edged Sword-by Nadia N. Rehmani.you can find it on Amazon as well.

The author of this book, Christine Mallouhi, is a Christian zealot who is obsessed with us, Muslims. Her true agenda is not to understand Muslims (As if Muslims are some psychotic people who need a shrink to analyze them! What an arrogant attitude!), but to trick the unwary and naive of them into Christianity. That is her message and her purpose in her entire life! She is a liar because her husband is Christian not Muslim. He is also a self confessed CIA agent. Both were kicked out from Tunisia by the way. She is not a normal woman and I despise dishonest people like her who use the undeserved hospitality and generosity of the hosts for their sinister and selfish aims. The book's title itself is a cheap shot at Muslims themselves (Whom this liar pretends to "love") who are portrayed in Christian media as "waging war" or "jihad" on Christians.

I don't hate Christians at all. Some of my friends have been Christians, but I don't respect the kind of dishonest Christians like this Christine.

True love and understanding involves no expectations in return. When I befriend Christians I do not do so so that on the long run I may bring them to Islam. Such thoughts never cross my mind. I befriend them because I like and respect them.

If you are a zealot Christian who wants to convert people by whatever means possible including forming fake "friendships" and "bridges" then this book is for you. But if you are an honest person who wants true understanding and forming genuine friendships to make our world more tolerant and peaceful, then look elsewhere.