Friday, September 14, 2012 10:34 PM
Pope arrives in Lebanon with message of peace
By VICTOR L. SIMPSON | Associated Press – 12 hrs ago - 9-14-2012
“I have come to Lebanon as a pilgrim of peace,” the pope said upon his arrival in Beirut. “As a friend of God and as a friend of men.”
“He also praised the Arab Spring uprisings, which have ousted four long-time dictators.”
“It is the desire for more democracy, for more freedom, for more cooperation and for a renewed Arab identity,” the pope said.”
“”Looking at your county, I also come symbolically to all countries of the Middle East as a pilgrim of peace, as a friend of God and as a friend of all inhabitants of all the countries of the region, whatever their origins and beliefs,” he said.”
http://news.yahoo.com/pope-arrives-lebanon-message-peace-105452279.html
Pope visits Lebanon amid Syria war, Libya protest - Reuters 9-13-2012
“Even the militant Shi’ite movement Hezbollah has hung banners along the airport highway greeting Benedict with a picture of him and texts in Arabic and French saying: “Hezbollah welcomes the pope in the homeland of coexistence”.
Nearby, the movement - which Israel and the United States consider a terrorist group - put up Arabic-only banners for local consumption with a different message: “Welcome to you in the homeland of resistance.””
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/13/us-pope-lebanon-idUSBRE88C1JR20120913
Pope Benedict arrives in Lebanon at time of Christian-Muslim tension - By Babak Dehghanpisheh, Updated: Friday, September 14, 11:15 AM
“The pope’s visit, his **fourth** to the Middle East, comes as Christians in Syria, Egypt and Lebanon are expressing fears of a threat from conservative Muslims emboldened by the sweeping changes brought about by the Arab Spring. “
“It’s unlikely that the pope will address the rise of Islamists in the region directly in public comments, analysts say. Instead, he is expected to preach a message of unity between Christians and Muslims. “
Op-Ed: Expose: The Vatican - PLO Pact - Published: Thursday, February 09, 2012 11:08 AM
“Designs on Jerusalem are on the Vatican’s agenda, now that the city is in Jewish hands.”
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/11255#.T07m7XmV2So
HOLY SEE DELEGATION MEETS WITH THE PLO - Monday, January 30, 2012
” “Following the resumption of the bilateral negotiations between the Holy See and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), an official meeting took place at the headquarters of the Palestinian President in Ramallah on 28 January.”
http://visnews-en.blogspot.com/2012/01/holy-see-delegation-meets-with-plo.html
Bishop Cranmer: Let the Pope preside over Jerusalem
” Give the Pope Jerusalem, and he can govern it through a neutral administration, ensuring that both the Jews of Israel and the Muslims of Palestine obtain justice”.
“In April 2009, the Vatican signed the necessary agreement with the Arab League. On 12th of May 2009, the Pope walked on the Temple Mount together with the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem.”
http://ivarfjeld.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/bishop-cranmer-let-the-pope-preside-over-jerusalem/
Vatican and PLO Sign Pact Guaranteeing the Church’s Rights
By ALESSANDRA STANLEY - Published: February 16, 2000 <~~~~ (Note date)
“Seeking to secure the rights of the Roman Catholic Church in a future Palestinian state, the Vatican signed an agreement today with the Palestine Liberation Organization that would protect freedom of religion and the legal status of Christian churches.”
The Pope’s Visit to Jerusalem and the Vatican’s Hidden Agenda - May 2000 <~~~ (Note Date)
“Replacement Theology”
“The Roman Catholic Church believes Israel’s right to be the Kingdom of God ended forever with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Roman Legion in 70 CE. When the Roman Catholic Church grew to world prominence, it claimed to be the rightful heir of the Kingdom of God. Rome (the Vatican) became the “New Jerusalem.” The long centuries that followed of non-Jewish control of their land seemed to validate Papacy’s claim. Then the rebirth of Israel challenged Catholicism’s “Kingdom of God” theology. But the boast of Rome to be “the eternal city” was completely deflated when Jerusalem—”The Eternal”—became the capital of Israel in 1967. Why?”
“The Vatican’s claim to be the “New Jerusalem,” if true, would be the fulfillment of a Biblical type and many prophecies. (Biblical “types” are spoken of as “shadows” which continue until their reality occurs. For example, Israel was to celebrate the Passover annually with a slain lamb. The reality of that type was the coming of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, which fulfilled that type. The slaying of the Passover Lamb came to an end shortly after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Until this day a lamb is no longer killed and eaten during Passover) The Roman Catholic Church for centuries has claimed to be the fulfillment of the type of Jerusalem as the capital of the actual Kingdom of God. In type-and-shadow theology, if the type reappears, then the supposed reality is not valid. Thus, the re-emergence of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital destroys the Vatican’s claim to be the “New Jerusalem”—the capital of the actual Kingdom of God.”
“Why does the Vatican act like a world political power, exchanging ambassadors with other nations? No other Christian church claims this civil government status. The only excuse the Vatican has to act as a world power is the claim that it is both the spiritual and the temporal Kingdom of God on earth, the New Jerusalem “
http://christiantrumpetsounding.com/Vaticans%20Agenda/Popes%20visit%20to%20Jerus.htm
Pope makes peace appeal at open-air Mass in Beirut
By VICTOR L. SIMPSON | Associated Press – Sun, Sep 16, 2012
“I appeal to you all to be peacemakers,” Benedict said.
Benedict spoke from an altar built on land reclaimed with debris from Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war, pressing ahead with his call for peace and reconciliation between Christians and Muslims.
Benedict said that justice and peace are needed in building “a fraternal society, for building fellowship.”
Fadia Kiwan, a political science professor at Beirut’s St. Joseph University, said the pope’s visit is political and its message is that “the West does not want Christians to leave the Middle East.”
She added that the visit calls “for living together between Muslims and Christians.”
“This is a visit of political interest more than religious interest. It is political visit that should help in reducing tension between Christians and Muslims in general,” she said.
Patriarch Bechara al-Rai, head of the Maronite Catholic Church, told the pope shortly before the Mass began, “Your visit is a safety valve at a time when Christians feel the instability and are faithfully resisting to confirm they are deep-rooted in this land despite the major challenges.”
Nawaf al-Moussawi, a representative of the Shiite Islamist militant group Hezbollah who attended the mass, told Lebanon’s LBC TV: “Our message is that we want to work together for a Middle East and a region where religions and sects live on the basis of justice that leads to peace.
“What we complain about in the region today is that we are suffering from the injustice of *colonial* policies,” al-Moussawi added in an apparent reference to U.S. policies. “We only see its fleets.” Hezbollah is allied with Syria, which blames an alleged Western and Arab conspiracy for its woes.
http://news.yahoo.com/pope-makes-peace-appeal-open-air-mass-beirut-081130318.html?_esi=1
......and then on Monday “the (other) messenger of God” spoke:
Hezbollah leads massive anti-US protest in Lebanon
By ZEINA KARAM | Associated Press – 6 hrs ago
” Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, left, speaks to a crowd of tens of thousands of supporters, not shown, during a rally denouncing an anti-Islam film that has provoked a week of unrest in Muslim countries worldwide, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday Sept. 17, 2012. Nasrallah who does not usually appear in public for fear of assassination called for Monday’s protests in Beirut, saying the U.S. must be held accountable for the film because it was produced in America. Arabic reads, “the messenger of God.”” - (heading under picture)
“The appeal for sustained protests by Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah group, could stoke more fury over the video, “Innocence of Muslims.” Nasrallah has rarely been seen in public since his group battled Israel in a month-long war in 2006, fearing Israeli assassination. Since then, he has communicated with his followers and gives news conference mostly via satellite link.”
“He spoke for about 15 minutes before a rapturous crowd estimated by police at about 500,000, many with *headbands* of green and yellow — the colors of Hezbollah — and the words “at your service God’s prophet” written on them.”
“Nasrallah, who last appeared in public in December 2011 to mark the Shiite holy day of Ashoura, warned of serious repercussions if the U.S. does not ban the film and have it removed from the Internet.”
“”The world should know that our anger is not a passing thing. ... This is the start of a serious campaign that must continue all over the Muslim world in defense of the prophet of God,” he said to roars of support.”
“”As long as there’s blood in us, we will not remain silent over insults against our prophet,” Nasrallah said, calling for a series of demonstrations this week to denounce the video.”
http://news.yahoo.com/hezbollah-leads-massive-anti-us-protest-lebanon-201359057.html
Which is greater, the irony, or the sadness of it all?