The icon of St. John of Damascus, the great defender of icons during the era of iconoclasm, remains intact on the blood-stained wall of a Syrian church attacked by terrorists.
He defended the sacred images with words,now his icon testifies in silence, soaked in the blood of… pic.twitter.com/ff4NN0ZjED— Greco-Levantines World Wide (@GrecoLevantines) June 23, 2025
See Saint John of Damascus’ critique of Islam here. His writings are also discussed in Muhammad: A Critical Biography, as they show evidence that the Qur’an was not in its present form at the time he was writing, early in the eighth century.
An excerpt from Saint John on Islam:
They furthermore accuse us of being idolaters, because we venerate the cross, which they abominate. And we answer them: ‘How is it, then, that you rub yourselves against a stone in your Ka’ba [107] and kiss and embrace it?’ Then some of them say that Abraham had relations with Agar upon it, but others say that he tied the camel to it, when he was going to sacrifice Isaac. And we answer them: ‘Since Scripture says that the mountain was wooded and had trees from which Abraham cut wood for the holocaust and laid it upon Isaac, [108] and then he left the asses behind with the two young men, why talk nonsense? For in that place neither is it thick with trees nor is there passage for asses.’ And they are embarrassed, but they still assert that the stone is Abraham’s. Then we say: ‘Let it be Abraham’s, as you so foolishly say. Then, just because Abraham had relations with a woman on it or tied a camel to it, you are not ashamed to kiss it, yet you blame us for venerating the cross of Christ by which the power of the demons and the deceit of the Devil was destroyed.’ This stone that they talk about is a head of that Aphrodite whom they used to worship and whom they called Khabár. Even to the present day, traces of the carving are visible on it to careful observers.
As has been related, this Mohammed wrote many ridiculous books, to each one of which he set a title. For example, there is the book On Woman, [109] in which he plainly makes legal provision for taking four wives and, if it be possible, a thousand concubines—as many as one can maintain, besides the four wives. He also made it legal to put away whichever wife one might wish, and, should one so wish, to take to oneself another in the same way. Mohammed had a friend named Zeid. This man had a beautiful wife with whom Mohammed fell in love. Once, when they were sitting together, Mohammed said: ‘Oh, by the way, God has commanded me to take your wife.’ The other answered: ‘You are an apostle. Do as God has told you and take my wife.’ Rather—to tell the story over from the beginning—he said to him: ‘God has given me the command that you put away your wife.’ And he put her away. Then several days later: ‘Now,’ he said, ‘God has commanded me to take her.’ Then, after he had taken her and committed adultery with her, he made this law: ‘Let him who will put away his wife. And if, after having put her away, he should return to her, let another marry her. For it is not lawful to take her unless she have been married by another. Furthermore, if a brother puts away his wife, let his brother marry her, should he so wish.’ [110] In the same book he gives such precepts as this: ‘Work the land which God hath given thee and beautify it. And do this, and do it in such a manner” [111]—not to repeat all the obscene things that he did.
Today many Christians, even among those who revere him as a saint, would abominate and shun him as an “Islamophobe” if they read these things.
William Kemmler says
How nice the icon survived but why are Christians allowing their churches and members to be violently attacked by moslems. Why?!? Until Christians get off their lazy hind ends and start defending the faith incidents like this will never end. For every Christian church defiled/destroyed then _two_ mosques must meet a similar fate. For every Christian slaughtered in the name of islam then _two_ moslems must meet the same fate. And so on. And eye for an eye and all that. It’s time for Christians to realize that islam is not their friend and is hell bent on destroying them. Unless and until they do there’s not much hope of Christianity surviving as a major religion anywhere in the world.
somehistory says
True Christians do not go about slaughtering others. And most in such nations as Syria, do not have the means of defending themselves. It’s isn’t like there are gun shops on every street, nor even in every town.
True Christians are **not*** lazy. If you study what Jesus commanded, you would understand the situation. You would also know that Christianity will not be destroyed, but evil will be.
William Kemmler says
Oh, I understand the situation. I understand the situation very well. And the situation is this, if Christians (True or otherwise) don’t get off their fat, lazy hind ends there won’t be too many Christians left at the end of this decade. And _none_ will be remaining in the decade that follows.
Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34
somehistory says
No, you understand nothing about Christianity.
You quote Jesus Christ, but you have no understanding of His words.
You quote Him, but you have no faith in what he says; and therefore any ideas you have on the subject are totally unimportant.
I AM THE INFIDEL YOUR IMAM WARNED YOU ABOUT says
You fail to realize that that church is in Damascus, Syria – an muslim country currently under the control of islamists and where the muslim population is about 90%. Just imagine if Christians retaliated, it would be like committing suicide.
Muslims/Islamists are an evil and satanic menace on earth.
William Kemmler says
Better to die fighting the good fight for the faith rather than being the sheep to the slaughter as moslems kill Christians and defile Christian churches around the world with apparent impunity.
Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Matthew 10:34
࿗Infidel࿘ says
We’re discussing Syria, not some country in Europe. A country that is already 90% muslim at least (including Alawites)
OLD GUY says
It maybe Syria today, but Islam is coming for all Jews and Christians around the world to convert or die.
somehistory says
The adherents of islime worship satan the devil, just as the ancient people of Canaan did, and as did the philistines, the ammorites, hitites, hivites, and those in assyria, egypt, babylon, etc.
All of those ancient people had idols and abominable practices of human (esp child) sacrifice.
Just as the majority of the ancient people worshipping satan refused reason, so do those who worship satan today.
Anonymous says
Muslims attacking churches, temples, monasteries, synagogues and pagodas should not be tolerated. Last time in 2019, a mosque in Australia was attacked and it was enough for UN to declare that day for Islamophobia awareness but several synagogues in USA, churches in Syria, Egypt and African regions and temples being attacked in Bangladesh are far from the reach of eyes of UN. Can they not declare Jewphobia, Hinduphobia, Christophobia as well?
Gurek says
Because of the desert pirate, barbaric idiot gangs of OIC scums, the UN has submitted to sharia law. These people will never care about Muslim persecution of Infidels. We must build our organization to defend ourselves. What does the UN does about the plight of Christians in all over Africa? Or the plight of Hindus in Pakistan and Banhladesh? All of these show that they indeed subscribe to sharia law even if they themselves could be non-Muslims. Since islamic law describes all non-Muslims as subhumans. The UN is working with the barbaric jihadists to bring an INFIDELREIN world, same with the Nazi goal of Judenrein.