Muslim fury at pope jihad comments(CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI came under a hail of criticism from the Islamic world Friday for comments he made earlier in the week regarding the Prophet Mohammed and the Muslim faith, in some cities provoking street protests.A growing chorus of Muslim leaders have called on the pope to apologize for the remarks he made in a speech in Germany on Tuesday when he used the terms "jihad" and "holy war."A Vatican statement said Benedict was not trying offend Muslims with his remarks."It was certainly not the intention of the Holy Father to ... offend the sensibilities of Muslim faithful," said Federico Lombardi, the Vatican press officer.In response to the pope's speech, Pakistan's National Assembly -- parliament's lower house -- unanimously passed a resolution on Friday condemning his remarks. The Pakistan Foreign Office also called into question the pope's comments, calling them highly controversial, regrettable and against Islam.Also Friday, Muslim protesters shouted slogans against the pontiff at a rally in Jammu, India.And in Cairo, about 100 demonstrators gathered in an anti-Vatican protest outside the capital's al-Azhar mosque.Meanwhile, a youth center run by the Greek Orthodox church in the Gaza Strip was slightly damaged by a small explosion on Friday, witnesses told Reuters.It was unclear if the blast was connected to the pope's comments.During his address at the University of Regensburg on Tuesday, Benedict quoted 14th-century Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus."God," the emperor, as the pope quoted, said, "is not pleased by blood -- and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature." (Full story)A transcript of the pope's remarks obtained by The Associated Press television network reads: "In the seventh (sura, or chapter of the Quran), the emperor comes to speak about jihad, holy war."The emperor certainly knew that Sura 2, 256, reads: 'No force in matters of faith'. It is one of the early suras, from a time -- as experts say -- in which Mohammed himself was still powerless and threatened."However, the emperor of course also knew the requirements about the holy war that were later formulated in the Quran. Without going into details like the handling of the owners of the scriptures, or non-believers, he (the emperor) turned to his interlocutors -- in a surprisingly brusque way -- with the central question after the relationship between religion and violence."He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Muhammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.'"The Organization of the Islamic Conference, in a statement released Thursday, said it "regrets the quotations cited by the pope on the Life of the Honorable Prophet Mohammed, and what he referred to as 'spreading' Islam 'by the sword.'""The attribution of the spread of Islam around the world to the shedding of blood and violence, which is 'incompatible with the nature of God' is a complete distortion of the facts, which shows deep ignorance of Islam and Islamic history."Muslim Brotherhood Chairman Mohammed Mahdi Akef also expressed anger over the pope's academic speech."The pope's statements come to add fuel to fire and trigger anger within the Muslim world and show that the West with its politicians and clerics are hostile to Islam."Condemnation also came from Turkey where Benedict is scheduled to visit in November."His words are extremely regrettable, worrying and unfortunate in terms of the Christian world and common peace of humanity," the Anatolian state news agency quoted Ali Bardakoglu, the head of Ankara's Directorate General for Religious Affairs, as saying."I do not see any use in somebody visiting the Islamic world who thinks in this way about the holy prophet of Islam."In Syria, the grand mufti, the country's top Sunni Muslim religious authority, sent a letter to the pope saying he feared the pontiff's comments on Islam would worsen interfaith relations, AP reported.In Gaza City, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya issued a condemnation, saying Benedict's remarks "are not true and defamed the essence of this holy religion and it defamed the history of the Islam.""We say to the pope to re-examine these comments and to stop defaming the Islam religion that more than 1 and half billion Muslims believe in," said Haniya, who made the remarks after Friday prayers.In Lebanon, the country's most senior Shiite Muslim cleric demanded the pope personally apologize for insulting Islam."We do not accept the apology through Vatican channels ... and ask him (Benedict) to offer a personal apology -- not through his officials -- to Muslims for this false reading (of Islam)," Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah told worshippers.But the Vatican statement said Benedict's discussion on Tuesday was quite to the contrary."The Holy Father's desire (is) to cultivate an attitude of respect and dialogue towards other religions and cultures, including, of course, Islam."According to Lombardi, Benedict's speech was "a warning, addressed to Western culture, to avoid 'the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom.'"
Muslim Fury at Pope
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About 2,000 Palestinians angrily protested Friday night against Pope Benedict XVI, accusing him of leading a new Crusade against the Muslim world. Earlier, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, of the Islamic Hamas group, said the pope had offended Muslims everywhere. Speaking at a university in Germany on Tuesday, the pope quoted from a book recounting a conversation between 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and a Persian scholar on the truths of Christianity and Islam. "The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war," the pope said. "He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached,"' he quoted the emperor as saying. He did not explicitly agree with them nor repudiate them. The Vatican said the pope did not intend the remarks to be offensive, but Muslim leaders condemned his comments.
I'm sorry but if Christiains and Jews protested and made such a fuss everytime an Islamic clerek called us Infidells,dogs or worse we wouldnt have any time to do anything but protest I find this whole thing quite ridiculous
This is getting to be a bigger thing than the cartoons were. They are burning churchs around the world,burnig pictures of the pope and even calling for him to be hung.Seems to me they are just proving what the Pope said to be true. I think we just moved one big step closer to a Holy War of the end times in fact in past 24 hrs the muslims have been openly, from all over the world, from India to the mid-east declaring war on Christians. Yemen and Moracco today pulled their ambassators from Vatican City.
Two churches in the West Bank town of Nablus hit by firebombs early Saturday in protest against Pope Benedict’s remarks on IslamSeptember 16, 2006, 11:04 AM (GMT+02:00)They left scorch marks on the walls and windows of a Roman Catholic and an Anglican church, claimed by the “Lions of Monotheism.” No one was hurt An explosion damaged the Greek Orthodox church youth center in Gaza. Angry Muslims clamor for the Pope’s apology for is words on Islam. Ankara cannot guarantee his safety if he goes ahead with his visit to Turkey in November. A top official in Ankara compared the pontiff to Hitler and Mussolini. In Britain, Syria, Indonesia, India, Lebanon, Egypt, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Muslim leaders condemned Benedict XVI and demanded he recant. Israeli Arab Islamic leader Sheikh Raed Salah denounced Pope’s words and declared the “Israeli occupation” of Jerusalem will soon vanish and Jerusalem will become capital of the “world Islamic caliphate.” He roared: “With fire and blood we shall liberate al Aqsa!” and was echoed by 50,000 adherents. German Chancellor Angela Merkel stood up for the pope saying he had invited religions to hold a dialogue and was misunderstood.. The controversial words of Pope Benedict quoting the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologus: “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached,” said Benedict XVI in a lecture to scholars in Bavaria. The emperor added: Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul. “God is not pleased by blood…” Faith is born of the soul, not the body. He urged dialogue among religions and cultures to be based on reason.
GazaA hitherto unknown group calling itself the Swords of Islamic Right on Saturday threatened to blow up all churches and Christian institutions in the Gaza Strip in protest against remarks made by Pope Benedict XVI about Islam and Prophet Muhammed. The group, which claimed responsibility for a shooting attack on a church in Zaituon neighborhood in Gaza City on wounded in the attack. "What the Pope said is unforgivable," the group said in a statement. "We will continue to target churches."
No matter how you slice it, the Pope was out of line. Especially since WE are currently the ones trying to bomb everybody into compliance. As far as the Middle Ages is concerned, the Catholic Church is far from innocent. The ultimate act of arrogance was when Saldin offered to allow the Christians to keep Jeruselem only to have the Pope respond "You are all heratics and must die!" Somebody is trying to foment an all out war here. Count me out!
It's a said day when someone is "out of line" for stating what is only further proven in the reaction. I don't play the politically correct game myself.
(SwampFox;2812)
It's a said day when someone is "out of line" for stating what is only further proven in the reaction. I don't play the politically correct game myself.
Once again, we have the fallacy that "We" are soooo good and "They" are soooo evil.The Crusades place the so called "Church" on par with "Those evil Muslims".Currently, it is we who are demanding that they conform to our ways or get bombed.The Pope is way out of line.
It's a said day when someone is "out of line" for stating what is only further proven in the reaction. I don't play the politically correct game myself.
Once again, we have the fallacy that "We" are soooo good and "They" are soooo evil.The Crusades place the so called "Church" on par with "Those evil Muslims".Currently, it is we who are demanding that they conform to our ways or get bombed.The Pope is way out of line.
The Crusades place the so called "Church" on par with "Those evil Muslims".
The Crusades also happened generations ago and were orginally in response to a growing Islamic threat. The Bible clearly states that we're not responsible for the sins of another generation so an argument like that is simple hogwash and not at all Biblical. If there had been no brutal Muslim incursions into Christian areas, there never would have been any Crusades simple as that.
Currently, it is we who are demanding that they conform to our ways or get bombed.
So I guess to you all of those Islamic signs in the streets of convert to Islam and so forth are just friendly banter? Wake up man.
The Crusades also happened generations ago and were orginally in response to a growing Islamic threat. The Bible clearly states that we're not responsible for the sins of another generation so an argument like that is simple hogwash and not at all Biblical. If there had been no brutal Muslim incursions into Christian areas, there never would have been any Crusades simple as that.
Currently, it is we who are demanding that they conform to our ways or get bombed.
So I guess to you all of those Islamic signs in the streets of convert to Islam and so forth are just friendly banter? Wake up man.
Streets over there? Let them banter! To bomb them because of thier banter is wrong.Once again, there is no gospel of bombs and bullets.The Gospel declares "There are non rightious, not a one" To even begin to talk about how "Good" We are and how "Evil They are" is Unbiblical.Anybody who cheers on this war and does not knock on the door of their local recruiter is nothing but a disfuntional chickenhawk. Its easy to call for war when all you do is send others to do the dying while all you do is bles the bombs we are dropping.."Lord! Lord! Have we not bombed millions of "Those evil people in your name?" Thats a quick way to earn a "I never knew you!"Wake up? I refuse to wear your blinders. We are not as innocent as you would have us believe. I for one lost any chickenhawk metality the day I had to dive under a real ship looking for a real bomb.
The Crusades are still fresh in the minds of those people over there as is the western colinialism of the last century. Add to this the underhanded manipulations of the CIA who propped up and toppled governemnts, oil executives who bilked them out of mineral rights, and social reformers who tried to impose our godless ways upon them, no wonder they hate us! And now, the Pope is all but calling for another Crusade as our opostate president pushes a gospel of bombs and bullets. Sorry guy, do what you want with your own scalp! Don't tell me what to do with mine.
Bernie this thread is about the Pope who lives Vatican City which to my knowledge has never bombed anyone and has called for peace talks among all parties.
I'm not trying to offend anyone, but is it a good time to point out that the Pope is Catholic and not Christian, and that he therefore doesn't speak for mainstream Christianity?
you are right that Pope dosn't speak for mainstream Christianity unfortunatley most of the rest of the worlds religions dont realize that,because Catholism claims its base is in Christiainty most of the world beleives they are one in the same.
(kriss;2826)
Bernie this thread is about the Pope who lives Vatican City which to my knowledge has never bombed anyone and has called for peace talks among all parties.
With his latest words, he pretty much said "You evil people". By quoting a 14th century emporor, he gave the impression that he stands behind the Crusades. For all intensive purposes, he blessed the bombs Bush is dropping.
Bernie this thread is about the Pope who lives Vatican City which to my knowledge has never bombed anyone and has called for peace talks among all parties.
With his latest words, he pretty much said "You evil people". By quoting a 14th century emporor, he gave the impression that he stands behind the Crusades. For all intensive purposes, he blessed the bombs Bush is dropping.
Having read the entire lecture, he did Quote Manuel II during the siege of Constananoble.By this time, it was a backlash to the Crusades. The very people who once shouted "God wills it!" As they raped, sacked, and killed off every man, woman, and child in the name of Jesus now complaining about being under siege carries about as much weight as a rapist crying about getting "Lady Smithed" by his intended victim. The Pope then went on to boast about how Christianity does not spread by force. The Catholic Church, by way of the Crusades and inquistions has just as much blood on its hands as does Islam. Coupled with our current gospel of bombs and bullets, Muslims have a cause for being upset. None of them know just when the next smart bomb or cruise missile will fall into their lap.
according to the indepth news stories I have heard this morning the context of his speech was to point out that history should have taught us that no god of any religion should /would endorse violence as a way to spread their beleives so in this long speech he quoted examples of history on both sides to make his point.wheather he was right or wrong in his statements of choice to make his point.It certanly does not justify the stabbing of a nun in Africa the burning of Christiain churches in Gaza and calling for assination of the Pope.
Nor does 9-11 justify going fourth in a gospel of bombs & bullets.I read the Popes lecture and he did not confess to what the RCC did. He pointed the finger at the Muslims. The siege of Constananoble specififally. This is not a very good example since this occured aftetr the 3rd Crusade. At this point, there were no good guys.As far as stabbing of the Nun, nobody can justify it but our outrage is simply a matter of the pot calling the kettle black. Our bombs & misiles have killed a lot more of their clergy than they have ours. (If one can call a Catholic Nun.."Ours")
I think the response illustrates the point perfectly to the point that arguing otherwise becomes fruitless. I cannot count how many offensive statements I have heard made about God but we don't murder an Islamic imam each time they are made or go out and hang an atheist for his cartoon drawing of Christ. Muslim mosques do not burn either. It seems to me that a civilized people would want to first refute the comments made and then demand an apology. Instead, we run rampant in the streets shouting "death to the pope," "death to America," and "Islam will rule all." To top it all off, we burn a few Christian churches and murder a catholic nun. It's still a nonviolent religion though, and they worship a false god to boot. However, the "Christian thing" to do is apologize, bow down to the islamics each time we dare "offend" them, and wish them a nice day each time they kill, threaten, and maim. I will not bow down nor respect a false God. There is only one God; YHVH.Now Bernie, until you comprehend that "I believe in God and the Muslims believe in a false God" does not equate to bomb them all, it doesn't seem that there is much more to say.
By quoting a 14th century emporor, he gave the impression that he stands behind the Crusades.
I stand behind the initial purpose of the Crusades. Let's not forget what started them in the first place. It doesn't justify the actions of all but it does hint to an overall pattern.
By quoting a 14th century emporor, he gave the impression that he stands behind the Crusades.
I stand behind the initial purpose of the Crusades. Let's not forget what started them in the first place. It doesn't justify the actions of all but it does hint to an overall pattern.
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