I was comparing one meaning/interpretation of Jihad to a religious 'Crusade'; and another meaning/interpretation of Jihad to the more generic, secular use of the word crusade.

I wasn't really trying to draw a direct one-to-one parallel to the Crusades, just trying to show that both words can mean either a personal endeavor (struggle), or a broader religious/political movement or war.

I.e., either "crusade" or "Crusade" .  Likewise, either "jihad" or "Jihad"  .  And when Imams & Mullahs call for Jihad, they don't mean it in the personal endeavor -- lowercase -- sense of the word.

Eyas wrote:I was comparing one meaning/interpretation of Jihad to a religious 'Crusade'; and another meaning/interpretation of Jihad to the more generic, secular use of the word crusade.

I wasn't really trying to draw a direct one-to-one parallel to the Crusades, just trying to show that both words can mean either a personal endeavor (struggle), or a broader religious/political movement or war.

I.e., either "crusade" or "Crusade" .  Likewise, either "jihad" or "Jihad"  .  And when Imams & Mullahs call for Jihad, they don't mean it in the personal endeavor -- lowercase -- sense of the word.

Yes, and "Mein Kampf" can mean "my struggle" in German.  But when Adolf Hitler used those words in German evidently the only two people in the world who took it to mean anything about Mr. Hitler's personal struggle or endeavor for self improvement were Chamberlain and Daladier.  And  you see where that got Europe.

paleocon wrote:

Eyas wrote:I was comparing one meaning/interpretation of Jihad to a religious 'Crusade'; and another meaning/interpretation of Jihad to the more generic, secular use of the word crusade.

I wasn't really trying to draw a direct one-to-one parallel to the Crusades, just trying to show that both words can mean either a personal endeavor (struggle), or a broader religious/political movement or war.

I.e., either "crusade" or "Crusade" .  Likewise, either "jihad" or "Jihad"  .  And when Imams & Mullahs call for Jihad, they don't mean it in the personal endeavor -- lowercase -- sense of the word.

Yes, and "Mein Kampf" can mean "my struggle" in German.  But when Adolf Hitler used those words in German evidently the only two people in the world who took it to mean anything about Mr. Hitler's personal struggle or endeavor for self improvement were Chamberlain and Daladier.  And  you see where that got Europe.

Exactly!