Originally Posted By: getthesenets
Foot,

I agree with you guys that are calling BS on Obama's comment about Islam and the fabric of the country but what some of the interviews alluded to was Muslims and Jews mentioned specifically when some of the founding fathers were discussing religious freedom in the colonies.

I mean it could be reaching even further back and talking about how the areas where Islam sprung up from and their cultural influences were responsible for taking Europe out of the "dark ages" and tracing some of the intellectual ideas about enlightenment that Jefferson and company studied to that.

Not sure, Foot.


Interestingly there are a number of historians who believe that the so-called Dark Ages (term isn't really used anymore) were in fact CAUSED by the Muslims who invaded Europe in the 8th century and thereafter and who blocked off trade with China, India and other countries. The end of Europe's Middle Age seems to coincide to when Spain kicked out the Emirate of Granada.

But the Founding Fathers barely mention Islam at all, so if Obama was thinking that it shows his historical ignorance.