Ernst Overarching Argument: The overarching argument is that Americans and the world have false descriptions of the Islamic/Muslim culture because of European colonialism. People have built up these ideals since colonialism and no one is trying to check the facts.
Three distinct assertions or claims: 1. Americans aren’t good at understanding other cultures. 2. Anti-Islamic attitudes have been influenced by criticism from the Christian religion and those in high powers of the church at different times in history. 3. Islamic culture was separated from the West when in reality both hold similarities in their core foundations.
The assertion, Anti-Islamic attitudes have been influenced by criticism from the Christian religion and those in high powers of the church at different times in history, is established through multiple examples of medieval events. There has been barrier put up between the two religions because of the Crusades. Christian writers have spun biblical stories to paint Muslim characters as coercive and untruthful prophets. The Muslim Prophet Muhammad was a target of these rewrites by European Christians in the bible. Ernst uses this as one of his main points of evidence describing how the story of Muhammad has changed and made people question his authenticity as a religious prophet. This evidence is directly relating to how the Christians were painting over old written texts and are creating the idea of Anti-Islamic attitudes that Ernst is talking about. The claim Ernst makes relates to the larger picture of his argument that Europeans have basically somewhat whitewashed Islamic/Muslim cultural aspects that have influenced the worlds opinions on this culture today.
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