If Pope Benedict is truly against jihad, why did he invite Imam Qazwini to the Vatican?
interesting question.
christians have often asked why jesus chose as one of his deciples a guy named judas.
not to get all religious on you or anything.

louielouie on September 13, 2006 at 6:24 pm

Love the headline (“Tough Talk Doesn’t Match Weak Walk”), Debbie! Better copyright it, else Jesse Jackson will expropriate it.

Bachbone on September 13, 2006 at 6:33 pm

Debbie,
The Pope has made quite a few statements against Islam. The one that sticks in my mind is that Islam is not capable of reform. I think the Pope is trying to make his position clear to Catholics on Islam while keeping things civil with Muslim leaders.
I know they don’t deserve it but Catholics still get flak for all of the other Crusades hundreds of years ago. If the Pope were to state his and probably most Catholic’s true beliefs that Mohammad is a false prophet and he was posessed by satan, we would never hear the end of it.
Bottom line, he is trying to keep the dialogue open but he DOES NOT support them. Islam is directly against everything Catholics stand for. Besides the Jews, the Catholics will be the last hold out against Muslims.
As for anyone who wants to jump down my throat about how evil Catholics are come up with more than just the typical leftie soundbites of the Crusades, IRA, Spanish Inquistion and the small, very small handfull of abortion clinic assaults/attacks. They are growing pretty tiresome.
PS I did disagree with the Pope on how he called for a “proportionate” response to the whole Israel/Hezbollah conflict but I suspect he was trying to be diplomatic.

Minnie Mouse on September 13, 2006 at 9:17 pm

Debbie:
It is not suprising that Benedict would follow in the footsteps of John Paul II in wooing Mecca to Rome. Pope Paul II visited the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus in 2001, and held joint prayers with Sheikh Ahmed Kataro. At the same time, the 1994 new Catholic Catechism acknowledges muslims:
“The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together
with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.” (para. 841)
and continues with:
“The Church has also a high regard for the
Muslims. They worship God, who is one, living and subsistent, merciful and almighty, the
Creator of heaven and earth, who has also spoken to men. They strive to submit themselves without reserve to the hidden decrees of God, just as Abraham submitted himself to God’s plan, whose faith Muslims eagerly link to their own. Although not acknowledging him as God, they venerate Jesus as a prophet, his virgin Mother they also honor, and even at times devotedly invoke. Further, they await the day of judgment
and the reward of God following the resurrection of the dead. For this reason they highly esteem an upright life and worship God, especially by way of prayer, alms-deeds and fasting.” (Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, No. 56).
So there is clear official Catholic documents supporting Islam (and actually equating Allah with Jesus), which Benedict is only following. His apparent “disapproval” with Islam is only rhetoric; as he is attempting to keep his ecumenical image.
I WROTE ABOUT POPE JOHN PAUL II’S VISIT TO SYRIA’S AL-OMAYYAD MOSQUE IN THIS VERY ENTRY. YOU MUST HAVE MISSED THAT PART:
“These words give us hope that this Pope is more enlightened on reality than his predecessor who knelt at Syria’s Al-Omayyad mosque, a church destroyed by Muslim crusaders and rebuilt as a mosque.”
BUT IF HE THINKS HE’S WOOING MECCA TO ROME, HE’S MISGUIDED. IT’S THE REVERSE FROM THAT’S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL

right-to-carry on September 13, 2006 at 11:42 pm

After 9/11, the object of focus was moved to a ficticious organization called “Al Qaeda” when the real enemy was a dogmatic religion. Instead of going after a non-existent organization which was given shape and form by the government and the media, the world should have been made aware of the danger posed by the outdated faith and its blind believers.
Freedom of practising religion, should not mean that a hateful cult can be allowed full freedom to operate and spread. Religion is a personal thing for guidance and spiritual enlightment, not something that causes a fight with your neighbour who does not share the same beliefs – not a way to form a group so as to exclude and make enemies of the outsiders. Any so-called religions that goes beyond that should be banned unless it can remove its purged of its hateful idealogy. Only then we would be targeting the real enemy.

birdseye on September 13, 2006 at 11:48 pm

It is apparent that there seems to be some sympathy for the terrorists and support from large sections of certain communities for their actions. This is what makes terrorism harder to eradicate. As per the teachings of some religions, it is mandatory to support the believers against non-believers. This blind faith makes a religion more than what it should be – something for your own spiritual evolution and discpline. To interpret the teachings correctly, one should be willing to accept the universal brotherhood of good people of all faiths, rather than identify with someone evil just because they happen to follow the same religion.

birdseye on September 13, 2006 at 11:51 pm

Dearest Debbie,
I see your point entirely about first the message and then the in-person contact with those who he is condemning. Much to our disliking, the Pope’s role is to promote peace and he did this only for the sake of a peace that the Muslims will never actually allow. You and I both know, that Islam is building its strength, for it has a singular vision and that is the complete conversion of the world to Islam. I have studied Islam and there are some really big problems with it. The first real problem with it is its authority and knowledge of the facts. Muhammed followed after Christianity a good three hundred plus years and the first actual Koran wasn’t made for hundreds of years after his death; yet, this mad man during his life told the nomads of his time his views on the Hebrews and Christians and even placed many of their characters within his rhetoric with complete distortion to their identities and the history of these groups. Keep in mind, that we have the dead sea scrolls which predates Muhammed’s life by four hundred years and so his misguided statements about biblical ‘anything’ would be the same as some knuckle-head standing up today and telling all kinds of ‘different’ views about George Washington, though we have hundreds of his handwritten letters and other regionally dated materials that say just the opposite. This is what Muhammed did, he made statements that fly in-the-face to the written records of both the Hebrews and the Christians. He was in other words an outright lier or false prophet. Another thing is the many citations of Moses in the Koran. You probably already knew this, but Moses is mentioned more times than Muhammed it in the Koran. Moses is the person who told the Jews to be where they are today! Hello! I mean stupid doesn’t even begin to describe the Islamic hoax and yet, it is a cult by the purest definition. A cult is any organization or group that refuses to allow its followers or students to examine any other materials other than what it selects as true or appropriate. Public Schools are a perfect example of a government sponsored church(assembley) cult. It forbids any opposing views against evolution and other social deviant beliefs and it threatens the teachers with the loss of their jobs and even court action if they teach anything other than what they deem true. As well, so does Islam tell its followers what to believe and it threatens them with their very lives if they dare to examine the bible or any other religious writings. Muhammed knew that his hoax could not survive if he did not put within it such threats to scare away any who would consider challenging his pitiful teachings. His god is the devil and he is powerless to destroy, for a true god would not need the help of man to kill/murder other human beings for him. When I see the hatred that fills the minds of those who follow their murdering forefather Muhammed, I have to thank the good Lord that I found the truth within the pages of the Holy Bible. Take care my dear. Respectfully, Hebrews 13:1, “Let brotherly love continue.” Coop

Coop on September 14, 2006 at 1:03 am

Dearest Debbie,
I wanted to state one important reason why there is so much anti-Christian feelings amongst so many different groups. Take for example that many atheist, many religious beliefs, many homosexuals, many evolutionist and many other belief systems has a deep hate towards Christianity and the Jews is because our existence means we are right. Did not God tell Moses to tell the Jews to enter the promised land? Yes indeed and they are there to this day. Do you know this is proof that the message that Moses heard was real and true? Israel is the key to the bible’s reality and the enemies of the bible hate the Jews for that reason alone. The bible speaks in absolute terms of human conduct. It forbids murder and yet we have a religious faith that thinks as Christ predicted of their arrival, “..they will kill you thinking they do God service…”. The bible condemns homosexuality and this can only be undone by destroying the book that says their ways are wrong. This was Hitler’s very method of silencing any external voices of conscience, by burning those books that contained such messages of accountability and righteousness. The bible has many predictions that are coming true almost on a daily basis, this must be silenced by the political aristocrasy so that they can achieve their global goals without anyone understanding their exploits. The bible speaks historically of kings, nations, dates, characters, places and so on with great detail and accuracy. It speaks of God’s wrath in flooding the word for its many sins. We are actually powering this last civilization with the oil that was produced by their deaths. How else can we explain oil (which comes from decomposed organic materials) being thousands of feed below the surface of the earth? It couldn’t have grown down there without light, water and so forth. Noah’s flood is the only explanation. Any way, I could go on, but I just wanted to sound off about why there will never be peace, no matter how many good intentioned dum-dums are out there petitioning and praying for it. Peace cannot never be achieved when people desire to fight. Take care. Respectfully, Hebrews 13:1, “Let brotherly love continue.” (Notice how the bible calls humanity to a family love, whereas the Koran calls humanity to murder? Which would you follow if you had a choice?) Coop

Coop on September 14, 2006 at 1:23 am

Debbie, for some reason you seem to have this anti Catholic thing? Can’t figure it out. I have never wavered in my absoulute hate for Islamist terrorism, and I also think that my Church has never given me any reason to think there is any reason to accomodate terrorism, but for some reason, you feel you are the begining and ending in this clash of civilizations and it’s your way or no way.
TOTALLY WRONG. I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR RELIGIOUS CATHOLICS AND CATHOLICISM. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THE HYPOCRISY OF THE POPE ON JIHAD IS OFF-LIMITS TO ME. I DIDN’T EVEN MENTION THE POPES ABSURD COMMENTS ABOUT ISRAEL’S “DISPROPORTIONATE” RESPONSE AGAINST HEZBOLLAH. BUT A NUMBER OF OTHER SITES DID. DOES THAT MAKE THEM ANTI-CATHOLIC? THIS IS ONE OF 3 POSTS (OUT OF ALMOST 1500) I CAN REMEMBER IN WHICH I EVEN MENTIONED CATHOLICISM. MY WAY IS THE WAY TO END THIS CLASH OF OUR CIVILIZATION VS. A NON-CIVILIZATION. APPEASEMENT IS NOT. YOU SEEM TO WAIVER IN YOUR VIEW ON THAT.
DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL

MQ on September 14, 2006 at 11:39 am

Debbie, I want to commend you for being truly Jewish.
In the New Testament we read about the Pharisees criticizing Jesus for the company he was keeping.
?I mean, didn?t Jesus know what type of woman she was?!?
And elsewhere, Jesus was criticized by the Zealots for also keeping company with Roman soldiers!
?How could He? Doesn?t He know how the Romans oppress us in our homeland, and tax our people?!!?
I have no doubt about how these New Testament Jewish believers reacted then, BECAUSE it is exactly how YOU REACTED, today, in our post-modern world, to those recent and similar actions of the Vicar of Christ, Pope Benedict XVI.
When you understand CATHOLICISM, then you will understand the actions of this Pope?and also the last one.
WELL Debbie, we can see?you really struggle with this. This is not the first time you have taken swipes at the Popes!
And here is a trite-but-true saying for you: Don?t judge by appearances.
I KNOW EXACTLY why he met with that imam.
And AN INVITATION does not mean collaboration~
ISLAM as a religion?can only ever be a concubine~~
So please?leave the wild-eyed and simple-minded assertions to Jack Chick?
I’VE ONLY MENTIONED THE POPE IN TWO OTHER POSTS ON THIS ENTIRE SITE. ONE MENTIONED POPE JOHN PAUL II GOING TO SYRIA’S AL-OMAYYAD MOSQUE. THE SECOND ONE WAS ABOUT POPE BENEDICT INVITING THIS GUY, EARLIER IN THE YEAR, TO THE VATICAN. THAT’S IT. OTHER THAN THAT, I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST THE POPE AND ONLY GENERAL RESPECT.
DEBBIE SCHLUSSEL

The Canadien on September 14, 2006 at 11:49 am

WAY TO GO…Minnie Mouse~
YOU’RE not so Minnie as an apologist, and you’re not really a mouse…more like a subdued tigerñ
And all said in a spirit of love~

The Canadien on September 14, 2006 at 12:00 pm

Thanks Canadien. The Minnie Mouse name is what my late grandfather used to call me when I was little. He was REAL American patriot and hero to me. Although his grandfather came off the boat from Germany, he didn’t hesitate to be an American soldier in the European theater during WWII. It was his DUTY as an American, period.
Anyway, I don’t think Debbie was trying to be anti-Catholic, I think she was just asking what’s up with the Pope’s harsh statements on Islam while he meets with Mulsim leaders. It’s a valid question and one I think some of us answered for her. She’s not Catholic so she probably doesn’t follow the statements of the Vatican as closely as some of us do. I’ve read this site for months and haven’t seen any anti-Catholic statements by Debbie.

Minnie Mouse on September 14, 2006 at 3:08 pm

Debbie, you are so right.
The question over who’s wooing whom may be up for grabs. One thing is for sure, and that is Benedict can count. The estimated 1.3 billion muslims outnumber the 1 billion Roman Catholics.
The driving force behind his tactical appraisal of Islam is the determination of the Vatican to bring about a New World Order under the moral and religious leadership of the Pope. This goal was expressed at Vatican II which declares: “The encouragement of unity is in harmony with the deepest nature of the [Roman Catholic] Church’s mission”.
The profound danger facing Evangelical Christians today is to naively accept the Pope’s claim to be the official spokesman for Christ on earth, a deception that is deeply embedded in the new thrust to create a global coalition of nations on the basis of a politically constructed god which can be adapted to different religious systems.
The determination of the Pope to develop a partnership with Muslims stems from
the simple fact that their members outnumber the Catholic members.
By acknowledging the legitimacy of the Islam faith, the Pope is facilitating the Muslims’
acceptance of His role as the leader of a future New World Order.
The late Jesuit and Vatican insider, Malachi Martin, in his almost 700 page “Keys of This Blood” (1990) outlines the Popes plan to be the geopolitical world leader in the New World Order. The book is accurately sub-titled “The Struggle for World Dominion Between Pope John Paul II, Mikhail Gorbachev, and the Capitalist West”.
Islam is featured as the key non-christian global player, who the Pope is confident will eventually see things his way (pp. 284, 285). Until then “…the Pontiff knows that Islam will stand against him and his Church and his geopolitical vision”(285).
As has historically been the case with many previous Popes, and now Benedict, the end justifys the means.

right-to-carry on September 14, 2006 at 10:52 pm

There may be more Muslims than Catholics, but overall I believe there are more Christians than any other religion. And fortunately, the countries based (at least in theory) on beliefs in Christian values hold most of the power cards in the world today. Maybe the Pope has seen the looming storm, and is trying to get all Christians ready for the battle.

Craig C on September 15, 2006 at 7:44 am

Right-to-carry,
What the hell are you talking about witht the Pope being the leader of the New World Order? This sounds very much like leftie Rove-Bushitler conspiracy talk to me. I seriously doubt Evangelical Christians will follow the Pope too.
The Pope is merely trying to keep things friendly with Muslim leaders, he does not support them. The Pope is fully aware of how Caholics are being murdered in Muslim countries around the world. The Catholics are being driven/murdered out of Iraq in mass quantities.
In case you haven’t noticed, the Pope doesn’t have the army he had during the Middle Ages. He cannot go out and declare another crusade, thus the only recourse he has is dialogue. I know it’s a waste of time as do most of us, but it’s all we have to go on at least from the standpoint of the church.

Minnie Mouse on September 15, 2006 at 7:53 am

@right-to-carryÖthe profound danger facing Evangelical Christians today isñ evangelicals like you with no filters!
Malachi Martin, Art BellÖcímon stop chasing after spurious ODDBALLS~
Malachi appeared on Art Bellís ìGhost-to-Ghostî show quite a bit when he was still alive. Actually, he might have appeared on the revamped show last night because it now regularly interviews ghostsÖyou know, no appearance fees need to be paid and all that~~
Do you think, these guys ACTUALLY HAVE some kindaí INSIDER INFORMATION you almost missed out on?
FRIGHTENED EVANGELICALS like you will believe ANYTHING or ANYONE!
In Catholicism, we call it the sin of RASH JUDGEMENT.
Look to the Scriptures and TEST the spirits is the advice there~
Öand TOO BAD you donít know the Scriptures or you would see quite clearly the case for Peter and the Pope.

The Canadien on September 15, 2006 at 10:26 am

Excuse me, Minnie. I was only quoting a Jesuit and former professor at the Vatican’s Pontifical Biblical Institute. Oh, and he was also a close associate of the renowned Jesuit cardinal Agustin Bea and Pope John XXIII.
Are you and Canadien calling the Jesuit a liar?
The front cover of his book (Keys) says “Pope John Paul II versus Russia and the West for Control of the New World Order.” The Jesuit said it, not I.
If you won’t buy that, look at his intro in Keys:
“Willing or not, ready or not, we are all involved in an all-out, no-holds-barred, three-way global competition. Most of us are not competitors, however. We are the stakes. For the competition is about who will establish the first one-world system of government that has ever existed in the society of nations. It is about who will hold and wield the dual power of authority and control over each of us as individuals and over all of us together as a community; over the entire six billion people expected by demographers to inhabit the earth by early in the third millinium….It is not too much to say, in fact, that the chosen purpose of John Paul’s pontificate-the engine that drives his papal grand policy and that determines his day-to-day, year-by-year strategies-is to be the victor in that competition, now well under way”(p.1, 17).
If what Martin the Jesuit said in Keys was wrong, I’m sure he would have been excommunicated. As far as church authority goes, I thought Jesuits were “right up there”.
And don’t tell me “…you don’t know the Scriptures…” Canadien. I do know them. Well. And the plan of the Holy See scares the hell out of me.

right-to-carry on September 15, 2006 at 8:16 pm

Please read the whole speech by the pope,then you will understand

David Poem on September 16, 2006 at 12:24 am

http://www.catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?art_id=34568

The Canadien on September 29, 2006 at 8:18 pm