The Bottom Line: "Because They Hate" is a well written first hand account of the Lebanese civil war through the eyes of a person made an extremist by the events.

My Opinion:

Brigitte Gabriel's book "Because They Hate" is an easy to read, easy to follow and easy to understand first-hand account of a person who survived one of the worst civil wars in modern history. A Christian born in southern Lebanon at a time when Lebanon was the most forward country in the Middle East, Gabriel goes through a shocking change that her native country never recovered from.

The only child of elderly, well-off parents, Gabriel had a carefree early childhood in a country that was known worldwide as progressive and modern, filled with beautiful people. It was that much more of a shock then when Lebanon started to change, and for the worse. Throngs of Palestinian refugees started entering Lebanon, refugees that no other Middle Eastern country wanted to admit. At first a disadvantaged minority, the refugees started growing in numbers, soon to outnumber the Christians that had ruled the country fairly.

One can not help but feel bad for Gabriel as she, as well as her family, goes through ordeals that test the faith and endurance. Gabriel is excellent in describing her fear and lack of understanding at the sudden violent events that gripped her country. Neighbors turned on neighbors and friends turned on friends. There is a vivid depiction of Gabriel having to go south to Israel in order to save a parent. A Lebanese ambulance took the last of her money for the transportation to the border, whereas the Israelis not only took none of Gabriel's money, but provided everything for free, along with caring words. This was a turning point in Gabriel's life.

Having moved to Israel, Gabriel is more and more outspoken against Muslims and Islam, having seen atrocities and hatred that would tempt anyone's strength. In the process, Gabriel seems to be pushed overboard, and she seems to start hating with the same venom that her enemies exhibited. Pretty soon, a survivor's account turns into a hateful and venomous rant against a whole religion, offering shocking and cold solutions to the problem. This part of Gabriel's book disturbed me, as she slowly progressed into what in a fiction novel would be seen as insanity and hatred on the scale of murderous intent.

While I do understand the need for caution and preparedness, I am hesitant when I see any extreme, be it Muslim or Christian. It was my perception that Gabriel became a Christian extremist through her bad experiences. While she is a Christian, an extremist is an extremist, and I did not enjoy the second part of the book in which Gabriel no longer shares her experiences, but involves herself in conspiracy theories and far-fetched (I dare say un-Christian) solutions. The second part of "Because They Hate" may appeal to those who hate as well.

All in all, I enjoyed reading "Because They Hate", especially the first part. However, the reader should be warned that solutions offered by Gabriel are extremist and only can serve to inflame tempers further. Recommended with caution.