Order Robert Spencer’s new book, The Tragedy of Islam: Failure and Excuses: HERE.

They’ve enjoyed media adulation and the uncritical admiration of hopeful non-Muslims for over a quarter of a century now. Yet self-styled “moderate Muslims” and “Muslim reformers” have not delivered on their promises or substantiated their vision of Islam, and it’s time that Americans recognized the entire “moderate Muslim” endeavor for what it really is: an effort to lull them into complacency and indifference regarding the advancing jihad threat.

These mediagenic moderates offered the glittering promise of an Islam that was not violent, oppressive, or the least bit incompatible with Western secular pluralism. Relying on the total ignorance of most Americans regarding Islam, and their eagerness to be reassured that the U.S. wasn’t facing the prospect of a war that would engulf the entire world, particularly after 9/11, these smooth-talking moderates, always gentle, soft-spoken, and polished before the cameras, assured the jittery public that properly understood, Islam was peaceful.

And peace was only one manifestation of Islam’s glory. The moderates told us that Islam had a glorious past, a Golden Age, in which it pioneered societal tolerance and multiculturalism, as well as respect for intellectual inquiry and scientific exploration. Today, they told us, a handful of terrorists had twisted and hijacked its teachings, but the true Islam would soon reassert itself, overwhelm, shame, and crowd out the terrorists, and revitalize our society, which had strayed so far from its Judeo-Christian foundations, with its unique virtues.

Innumerable people, including prominent talk show hosts, opinion makers, policymakers, legislators and philanthropists bought into this, and gave the moderate Muslims massive platforms upon which to proclaim the reassuring message that the vast majority of Muslims abhorred and repudiated terrorism, and soon, very soon, would rise up en masse to put a stop to it.

Twenty-five years after 9/11, we’re still waiting. The moderates are still out there, still enjoying their bully pulpits on major networks and even increasing their activities in the political sphere, but none of what they promised has come true. In fact, at this point, it can be stated definitively: the promise that “moderate Muslims” made of a “moderate Islam” was false and hollow. There never was a moderate Islam, or a vast majority of peaceful Muslims that would rise up and put a stop to Islamic terrorist activity.

This is not to say that there aren’t Muslims who are not terrorists. Obviously there are, and there are many. But these are simply Muslims who, either for lack of will, or because the time isn’t right, or simply because they aren’t really all that devout and have other interests and priorities, are not waging jihad. Some of these, in fact, although non-Muslims complacently assume that they’re moderate, are actually waging jihad of the pen, jihad of the tongue, or jihad of the pocketbook, rather than violent jihad. Others, for a variety of reasons, just aren’t interested and can’t be bothered.

Their indifference to what the Qur’an states is their Islamic obligation (see, for example, 4:95) does not remove that obligation. Secular or Westernized Muslims, and Muslims in general who aren’t waging jihad against the West, do not have their own sect of Islam, or their own interpretation of the Qur’an and Sunnah. They simply aren’t following some of their religion’s commands, like Christians who don’t love their enemies or turn the other cheek. In fact, they’re always vulnerable to recruitment at the hands of jihadis who guilt-trip them with the observation that they aren’t living as good Muslims.

If what the moderates and reformers have been telling us about their enlightened, peaceful Islam were true, we would expect that by now, they themselves would have massive followings among Muslims. None of them do. All of them are much more popular and respected among non-Muslims than they are among Muslims.

We would also expect to see numerous Islamic authorities repudiate jihad terrorism (not just an undifferentiated “terrorism” that turns out to be talking about the U.S. and Israel) and shown how it was a misuse of and misunderstanding of Islam. We should see classes in mosques all over the U.S., and, indeed, all over the world, teaching young Muslims why they should reject the Islam of al-Qaeda and ISIS, and how they can resist the jihadi appeal. We should see “Muslims Against Terrorism” organizations with hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of members.

We see none of that. And we see none of it because Islam is not what the moderates and reformers say it is. And they, as observant Muslims, must know that full well. I once spoke at a counterterror event just before a prominent “moderate Muslim,” who proceed to tell the crowd that she read the Qur’an every morning and could assure everyone that it taught peace and tolerance.

Well, as I’ve illustrated again and again and again, it doesn’t. And if this moderate really read it every morning, she would have known that, as I’m sure she did.

If they know that Islam is not peace, however, then what are the moderates doing? They’re trying to make Americans think that the vast majority of Muslims don’t want Sharia, or jihad, or to make war against and subjugate Jews and Christians. The reassured infidels, having duly received the instruction of the moderates, will then see no need to protect their societies or defend them against the spread of Sharia. Why should they? Islam is peaceful, rational, or tolerant. Only bigots could oppose those things!

The result of the moderate efforts, then, is to soften up the infidels in the face of the advancing jihad. The moderate Muslims, the great reformers, the foes of jihad violence, turn out to be the most insidious, and effective, jihadis of all.