Mr. Siljander builds a compelling case that any faithful reading of religion and its teachings should serve to unite, not to divide. He documents what many of us instinctively believe: that people of the great faith traditions all share the same core beliefs and ideals. That compassion, solidarity, respect for life, and kindness towards others are but some of the many common threads tying together men and women of faith.

H.E. Ban Ki Moon
Secretary-General of the United Nations
from the Foreword

As President George W. Bush has said, the West has no quarrel with the faithful followers of Islam, but rather with radical fundamentalists who have distorted a well-respected religion and, as a result, want to do us harm. Mark Siljander's insightful book offers a sensible and compassionate explanation for this deadly discord between cultures. Recognizing that there is controversy surrounding Mr. Siljander and this book, does not diminish the importance of his central theme: a key to reconciling the East and West is to clear up the historic misunderstandings that define the Muslim-Christian divide. His book offers a blueprint for breaking this logjam of dissention that contributes to so much conflict today.

Hon. James A. Baker III
61st U.S. Secretary of State & Chairman Iraq Group

I cannot overstate the importance of Mark’s strategic efforts to defuse the activities of radical Muslims worldwide. Many are convinced that he is on the cusp of what will prove literally to be the tipping point in realigning radical terrorist enemies… These unique activities, which are crucial to our national security, have received enthusiastic support from Members of Congress, the Vatican, Oxford University, the UN Secretary General and a host of others. His acceptance and favorable response is derived in large measure from a mastery of the Muslim mind and culture.

Hon. Edwin Meese
Former U.S. Attorney General and Fellow at the Heritage Foundation

A Deadly Misunderstanding is a political thriller. It is a riveting personal memoir and, more importantly, it is a blueprint to challenge the "Ideology of Terror" that threatens our way of life.  I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I think that it is a great read.

Hon. John H. Dalton
The 70th Secretary of the Navy under Pres. Clinton, was recognized by the National Security Caucus as their International Security Leadership Award recipient

I believe passionately that Mark has discovered a real pathway here—a means to open dialogue that we have not seen in centuries.

Dr. Ergun Caner
President of Liberty University Theological Seminary

A Deadly Misunderstanding is an astonishing piece of work. A self-described “conservative Republican and Evangelical Christian,” Siljander’s faith was literally burst wide-open amid rockets and rifles in the Middle East. The former congressman and ambassador began to study the Bible and Koran and came to realize that Islam and Christianity were “not contradictory at their core.” Siljander calls for a “friendship diplomacy” so that religions can become paths to love, paths to peace, and therefore paths to God. In a quietly passionate voice that speaks to our hearts, Siljander shows us how we can go from diversity to unity and from conflict to peace.

Ayatollah Ahmad Iravani, Ph.D.
Director for Islamic Studies and Dialogue at the Center for the Study of Culture and Values, Catholic University, Washington, DC

Mark Siljander’s belief that ancient “holy books” have been mistranslated and that warring factions don’t really know what they are fighting about — in fact, shouldn’t be fighting at all — is the most fascinating proposition I’ve read since Muslims, Jews and Christians started killing each other nearly two millennia ago. It warrants serious study and detailed analysis.”

Cal Thomas
Syndicated columnist/Fox News contributor

This exceptional and inspirational work reveals the possibility of firm conviction and non-exclusive faith that enables a person to approach to “the other” with open arms and become a bridge between two worlds. The author provides a precious balm for wounds that need to be healed and a most sincere and effective antidote to stereotypes based on fear and hatred that need to be transformed into love and understanding on both sides.

Dr. Seyyed Hossein Nasr
University Professor of Islamic Studies at the George Washington University, Washington D.C. is one of the most important and foremost scholars of Islamic, Religious and Comparative Studies in the world today. Author of over fifty books and five hundred articles.

Anyone involved in Christian-Muslim relations knows that both sides too frequently inflame distrust and misunderstanding. Thank God for peacemakers like Mark Siljander, who are working for mutual understanding and respect. Christians who read A Deadly Misunderstanding will gain insight not only into Islam but into the way of Jesus as well. They'll also find themselves unable to put the book down: it's a real page-turner, and its message is revolutionary.

Brian McLaren
Author of Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope and one of Time magazine's "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America"

This is very good work Mark has been doing: building bridges, looking on what unites us as humans, and addressing our fears and prejudices with rational argument and love.

Dr. Yasir Suleiman
Professor of Modern Arabic Studies, King's College, Cambridge

I have experienced first-hand the strategy underlying Mark’s book: that loving our enemies has the power to counter the threat of religious extremism.

Hon. Tony Hall
Former U.S. Congressman (D-Ohio), U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Food Program and three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee

This courageous and groundbreaking work represents the culmination of many years of tireless effort, painstaking research and travels to the dangerous corners of he world. A Deadly Misunderstanding is an important book that should be read by people on both sides of the Muslim-Christian divide.

Hon. Joe R. Reader
14th U.S. Army Undersecretary and Chairman of the Panama Canal (Pres. Clinton)

This is an extraordinary and revolutionary book. Irrespective of whether one agrees or disagrees with every word, I believe this book has the potential to create a truly breakthrough interfaith dialogue perhaps for the first time - with profound implications for society. I am convinced that Congressman Siljander's approach can truly change enemies into friends. While reading, I could not stop my tears on many occasions.

Dr. Tawfik Hamid
Islamic scholar, former member of Jamma'a Islameia, a terror organization and author of Inside Jihad.

A thought provoking revelation and awakening that all should read and heed. Unless solutions are forthcoming soon, the world can expect an apocalyptic event affecting billions of people.

Gen. Teddy Allen
U.S. Army Lieutenant General (ret) and former Director of the Defense Security Assistance Agency

While prophets of doom and gloom are busy promoting the cataclysmic philosophy of clash of civilizations, we now have a whole band of committed thinkers , and writers who are working hard to promote dialogue and reconciliation, building on our shared beliefs and interpreting our religious scriptures to give a message of hope and confidence. Mark Siljander is one of these bridge builders. His book teaches us how to transform barriers into bridges and promote respect and understanding between Muslim and Christian believers. I would like to recommend this powerful book to Muslims, Christians, Jews, and to all the faithful who are concerned about the safety and security of our planet and the wellness of the human family.

Dr. Sayyid Syeed
National Director Islamic Society of North America

Resolving existing hostilities between Muslims will require that we deal with the ideas behind the guns. This book does a masterful job of pointing the way.

Dr. Douglas M. Johnson
President and Founder International Center for Religion and Diplomacy & author of Religion the Missing Dimension of Statecraft & Faith Based Diplomacy

Mark Siljander arrived in the U.S.Congress as part of the Gingrich led invasion. To have a man of his background, a religious conservative who still affirms his faith and stand, write such a book is nothing less than astounding. "A Deadly Misunderstanding" is extremely well researched and a product of enormous thought. This book deserves to be read.

Prof. T. Davis Bunn
Award-winning novelist of over 30 books & visiting teacher Oxford University.

Christians and Muslims have been in dialogue with one another from the very beginnings of Islam; Aramaic-speaking Jews and Christians were among those whom the Arabic Qur'an addressed in the time of the prophet Muhammad. In A Deadly Misunderstanding, Mark Siljander has highlighted one of the most exciting areas of contemporary research in Jewish/Christian/Muslim relations: the healing of memories through the historical recall of shared origins in the scriptural languages of all those whom God's word addressed when the Qur'an came down to Muhammad in Mecca and Medina in the early seventh century of the common era.

Fr. Sidney H. Griffith
Eminent professor of Aramaic/Syriac at The Catholic University of America, Washington is author of The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque & more than seventy scholarly articles. He is consulting editor of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations.

This is a superb work of passion, reason and devotion, one that could have great impact in building bridges between societies, nations and faiths that seem to be getting ever more hardened towards each other. Instead of trying to connect dots between the languages of the Gospel and the Qur’an and going back and forth between the two, A Deadly Misunderstanding connects these two via Aramaic—this is absolutely brilliant. Understanding the two paradigms and their respective contexts on the basis of what was meant in Aramaic paradigm seems to provide a roadmap to peel through issues that are not only spiritual but also religious, political and civilizational.

Dr. Mohammed Karim
Islamic scholar & Vice President for Research, Old Dominion University. He has authored 10 text books and over 325 research papers. He is a Distinguished Engineering Fellow of the University of Alabama.

Mark's knowledge and understanding of the Aramaic language of the Scriptures has given him a wide acceptance among Muslim religious and political leaders. I believe this book will be a breakthrough to overcoming the Muslim/Christian divide.

Rev. John Booko
Lecturer on Assyria and author of Assyria - The Forgotten Nation In Prophecy and The Assyrian Revelation

Caught in the vise of ancient hatreds and ethnic conflicts, millions around the world suffer inordinately because of a lack of biblical statecraft based on the Way of Shalom/Salam/Shlama taught and demonstrated by Jesus of Nazareth. Slowly, the Church is reawakening to its mandate and call to demonstrate "the word and ministry of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) I have been privileged to witness Mark D. Siljander's pioneering efforts. Each page of "A Deadly Misunderstanding" is a testimony of Mark's willingness to study, struggle and pay the price necessary to see Jesus' Way of reconciliation and transformation restored to the Church and society.

Rev. Gary P. Bergel President
Intercessors for America / Heritage Harvest International

A Deadly Misunderstanding is an incredibly important work in the field of ideology change related to terrorism and war. It represents hope for the integration of civilizations in a world much too fixed upon the clash of civilizations.

Rod A. Beckstrom
Coauthor of The Spider and the Starfish

I received Congressman (retired) Mark D. Siljander's book, A Deadly Misunderstanding in the mail two days ago.  I couldn't put it down!  From first to last I was riveted, hooked, shocked, elated, and challenged.  I was also filled with hope – for the expanding heart and gut-wrenching conflict between Muslims, Christians, and Jews in today's chaotic world.  Mark Siljander may not have all the answers but he certainly has some essential pieces to the puzzle.

Edward J. Hoskins
MD, PhD and author – A Muslim's Heart

I could not put it down... This is truly a unique gift to people of deep faith and good will who are convinced of doing something rather urgently about the gathering dangerous misunderstanding. I am very impressed by Mark's forays into Aramaic, Hebrew, & Arabic; the crucial, and yes, his revolutionary potent antidote to the deadly misunderstanding that envelopes us.

Hon. Ali Khalif Galaydh
Former Prime Minister of Somalia