What is your opinion on the pope’s declaration on Islam?

[emiliano]

AMMAN, Jordan -- Pope Benedict XVI began his first trip to the Middle East yesterday, expressing his "deep respect" for Islam and hopes that the Catholic Church would be a force for peace in the region as he treaded carefully following past missteps with Muslims and Jews.
The pope was given a red-carpet welcome at the airport by Jordan's King Abdullah II and Queen Rania and praised the moderate Arab country as a leader in efforts to promote peace and dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

 

[tomspug]

What other response can there be? Well done, Pope Benedict. I am very eager to see if his Middle East peace efforts show positive results.

 

[*Paul*]

How a so called Christian leader can express respect for a religion which in a good many of the countries it has power oppresses and kills so many Christians, Jews, Bahai and any one else who believes so differently says as much about the Catholic church as it does Islam. They are a match made in blindness!

 

[.lava]

there is nothing new. today he says this next day he calls Mohammad (PBUH) murderer. he is not a religious character, he is a political person who wears special costumes. Islamic nations are invaded by Western armies. so? according to Pope, "peace" means Muslims giving up their lands, giving up there authority in their own land and for the best giving up their religion. as long as this occupation goes on in Middle East, there won't be peace, Pope knows it very well if you ask me.

.

 

[Karl R]

The pope ... praised the moderate Arab country as a leader in efforts to promote peace and dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

I'm pleasantly surprised by Benedict's diplomacy. Given how conservative he is (in general) I feared that his declaration would sound more like this:

How a so called Christian leader can express respect for a religion which in a good many of the countries it has power oppresses and kills so many Christians, Jews, Bahai and any one else who believes so differently...

Paul ... you don't initiate efforts to promote peace and dialogue by insulting the other side.

 

[emiliano]

How a so called Christian leader can express respect for a religion which in a good many of the countries it has power oppresses and kills so many Christians, Jews, Bahai and any one else who believes so differently says as much about the Catholic church as it does Islam. They are a match made in blindness!

You are missing the point of his message: praised the moderate Arab country as a leader in efforts to promote peace and dialogue between Christians and Muslims.

 

[emiliano]

there is nothing new. today he says this next day he calls Mohammad (PBUH) murderer. he is not a religious character, he is a political person who wears special costumes. Islamic nations are invaded by Western armies. so? according to Pope, "peace" means Muslims giving up their lands, giving up there authority in their own land and for the best giving up their religion. as long as this occupation goes on in Middle East, there won't be peace, Pope knows it very well if you ask me.

.

He is peace maker and provably he does think that Islam seek peace, I like to make the difference between moderate Muslim and the terrorist murderers that over centuries have kidnapped the teaching of Islam and ancient Israelites and turn a religion that seek peace into what we see today, if anything I am critical of the Moderate for not doing enough to rescue their faith from the hands of terrorist.

 

[.lava]

He is peace maker and provably he does think that Islam seek peace, I like to make the difference between moderate Muslim and the terrorist murderers that over centuries have kidnapped the teaching of Islam and ancient Israelites and turn a religion that seek peace into what we see today, if anything I am critical of the Moderate for not doing enough to rescue their faith from the hands of terrorist.

dear, i still remember Popes earlier speeches. he did not mind to insult Islam, Mohammad (PBUH) and make Christians dislike Islam. he is nothing like a peace maker. he says whatever fits situation just like politicians.

.

 

[.lava]

dear Emiliano, i do not want to break your heart or anything, OK. but there are some facts. i will give you just one example from Popes last visit. he went to a mosque. mosque is a place where we perform our salaats so to speak what church means to you is similar to what mosque means to us, house of God. we and non-Muslims who go inside a mosque take off their shoes. it is a must and it is done by anyone who goes into a mosque. Pope knows it but he did not care, he did not show respect to our rules. if i may interpret this, i would say that he means even if he enters our mosque he does not care for what rules were followed there. because he does not respect Islam or Muslims. maybe this is not very important to you but it is important to us and Pope knows it. he stepped on a carpet that Muslims keep clean for Allah, with his shoes that he walks on the streets, where we put our foreheads during salaats. then he makes a speech about dialogue. this is absurd and tragic. acts tell more than words. i would not care if he did not show respect to us here and there but in a mosque, dear, you must!

.

 

[smitten508]

Respect for Islam? That the Pope didn't take off his shoes was probably a sign that he doesn't especially consider the place to be holy, as no Catholic Christian would. That he spoke of peace between us, wonderful!!! I must agree with the post that says blame, if anywhere, rests on the Muslims that haven't taken back a religion of peace from terrorist... And to the Protestant that said the Catholic Church and Islam were a match made in blindness, I suggest you break out a history book and see where your church came from. Then research the reformation. Look at Martin Luther and his dogma and see exactly who it is you follow down the path of rebellion.

 

[.lava]

Respect for Islam? That the Pope didn't take off his shoes was probably a sign that he doesn't especially consider the place to be holy, as no Catholic Christian would. That he spoke of peace between us, wonderful!!! I must agree with the post that says blame, if anywhere, rests on the Muslims that haven't taken back a religion of peace from terrorist... And to the Protestant that said the Catholic Church and Islam were a match made in blindness, I suggest you break out a history book and see where your church came from. Then research the reformation. Look at Martin Luther and his dogma and see exactly who it is you follow down the path of rebellion.

dear, i can not understand what you're talking about. would you please explain what you're saying?

.

 

[Smoke]

Respect for Islam? That the Pope didn't take off his shoes was probably a sign that he doesn't especially consider the place to be holy, as no Catholic Christian would. That he spoke of peace between us, wonderful!!!

Talk's cheap. If a Muslim leader came into your church, sat down on the altar and started talking about peace, would you think it was wonderful?

 

[Alla Prima]

Just more appeasement as far as I'm concerned. He was right the first time out of the gate.

 

[gnomon]

How long must humanity maintain this charade?

 

[kai]

walking on eggshells.expressing his "deep respect" for Islam ,how can this be? its hippocritical really, Islam dictates that Jesus is an Islamic prophet, so how on earth there can be any deep respect from beleivers of either side i dont know.




David Willey
BBC News, Amman


Pope Benedict has been treading an exceedingly careful path since his arrival here in order not to do or say anything in public likely to offend either his Muslim hosts or the Jewish authorities who will be his hosts in Jerusalem next week.


But even so, there has been some carping. Earlier in the day, the Pope talked of inseparable bonds between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people. Some clerics in Jordan reacted angrily.


Others remarked that the Pope had failed to remove his shoes when he visited the mosque in accordance with Muslim custom. All I can say is that I too was allowed to enter the mosque before the Pope's arrival without removing my shoes.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8041421.stm

 

[Alla Prima]

Pope Benedict XVI has warned against the misuse of religion for political ends, in a speech to Muslim leaders on the second day of his visit to Jordan. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8041421.stm

What's he talking about? Islam's a political ideology. It's a misuse from the get-go.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

OK. but there are some facts. i will give you just one example from Popes last visit. he went to a mosque. mosque is a place where we perform our salaats so to speak what church means to you is similar to what mosque means to us, house of God. we and non-Muslims who go inside a mosque take off their shoes. it is a must and it is done by anyone who goes into a mosque. Pope knows it but he did not care, he did not show respect to our rules. if i may interpret this, i would say that he means even if he enters our mosque he does not care for what rules were followed there. because he does not respect Islam or Muslims. maybe this is not very important to you but it is important to us and Pope knows it. he stepped on a carpet that Muslims keep clean for Allah, with his shoes that he walks on the streets, where we put our foreheads during salaats. then he makes a speech about dialogue. this is absurd and tragic. acts tell more than words. i would not care if he did not show respect to us here and there but in a mosque, dear, you must!

.

Yes, dear, let's talk about facts ...

As controversy surrounds the Pope's shoes in a mosque in Amman, a Vatican spokesman insists that it would be "absolutely wrong to make a problem" out of the issue.

The controversy was sparked when Pope Benedict XVI kept on his shoes during a keynote address to Muslim leaders in a Jordan mosque.

However, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the Pope meant no disrespect to Islam when he entered the Al-Hussein mosque.

"Benedict XVI was ready to take them off but his escorts led him down a special walkway and did not ask him to do so," the spokesman said.

The controversy aroused at a time when the pontiff is seeking to mend fences with the Muslim world during his Middle East tour.

- source

On May 9, he visited the new Al-Hussein bin-Talal Mosque, also in Amman.

The Pope surprisingly entered the mosque wearing his shoes, but so too did Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal, a Hashemite prince and descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, who escorted him.

To pre-empt possible misunderstandings, Vatican spokesperson Father Federico Lombardi hastened to explain afterward that the Pope “was ready to take off his shoes out of respect for the holy place, but his host did not request him to do this.”

- source

Thanks for your fair and dispassionate portrayal of the situation. I'm sure you've managed to teach us all an important lesson about Islam.

 

[emiliano]

The problem seems to me that these two faiths are so ready to take offence; I don’t think that the Pope meant any disrespect for Muslim or the Jews. He did not purposely intend to insult. Why should they take offence for the Pope lifting the bishop excommunication as this step is not a life long punishment of the sinner, Catholic don’t demand the excommunication of Rabbis that rubbish our faith and deny the times of their persecutions and killings. Diplomacy to these countries is a very difficult and all Christian should pray for the Pope’s success, if it wasn’t for the Romans rules that forbade the Jews executions, how many more Martyrs would we have? Would the Apostle Paul have survived? And what about the Talmud that is the most hateful piece of anti-Christianity ever written? The Pope has to overlook a lot in order to carry out his diplomatic mission, may God give him wisdom. As for Muslims what about the imprisonment and death sentences of Evangelist that preach in their countries? I must tell he really need our prayers.

 

[darkendless]

I get the feeling the Pope's diplomacy is shallow. Whether he really beliefs the garbage he's speaking, who know's? Just another publicity stunt in my eyes.

 

[.lava]

Yes, dear, let's talk about facts ...Thanks for your fair and dispassionate portrayal of the situation. I'm sure you've managed to teach us all an important lesson about Islam.

fact 1: my answer to Emiliano's question is my first reply.
fact 2: my later reponde is just 'another' example.
fact 3: there is no "situation".
fact 4: the reason why i think whatever i think about Pope IS;

Last night Vatican officials were scrambling to defend the comments, saying the Pope had never intended to offend Muslims.

During a speech, he quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor who said the prophet Mohammed had brought "things only evil and inhuman".
But Britain's Ramadhan Foundation, a youth organisation based in Rochdale, reacted angrily to the comments, comparing the Pope unfavourably to his predecessor John Paul II.

In a statement it said: "If the Pope wanted to attack Islam and Prophet Muhammad teachings he could have been brave enough to say it personally without quoting a 14th century Byzantine Christian emperor.
"The late Pope John Paul II spent over 25 years to build bridges and links with the Muslim community. He showed the world that its perception of Islam was false and that we are peace-loving people.

"The Ramadhan Foundation is disappointed that the current Pope has not followed the example of his predecessor; it is essential in today's world that we link together and encourage a wider understanding of our different faiths, celebrating our religious differences is essential in a ever expanding world."

Muhammad Umar, chairman of the foundation, said: "This attack on Islam and Prophet Muhammad by Pope Benedict is recognition that he has fallen into the trap of the bigots and racists when it comes to judging Islam on the actions of a small number of extreme elements."

The Pope's speech quoted from a book recounting a conversation between 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and an educated Persian 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 Mohammed 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'."

Pope never means to attack, Pope never means to disrespect. he is always misunderstood. he wants peace...oh wait a minute... maybe what he wants is a 'piece'...

.