Posted on 06/11/2013 6:36:47 AM PDT by joygrace
(CNSNews.com) – Seven years after Sunni Islam’s foremost institution severed dialogue with the Vatican over remarks by Pope Benedict XVI, the Cairo-based Al-Azhar wants the new pontiff to open the door to resuming interfaith discourse by declaring Islam to be a peaceful religion.
The proposal that Pope Francis make such a public declaration prompted Coptic Christian advocates to suggest that Al-Azhar’s grand imam instead denounce Muslim violence against Copts in Egypt.
Established in the 10th century, Al-Azhar is regarded as the top seat of learning in Sunni Islam. The suggestion for a papal gesture came from grand imam Ahmed al-Tayyeb’s diplomatic envoy, Mahmoud Abdel Gawad.
“The problems that we had were not with the Vatican but with the former pope,” weekend Arab media reports quoted Gawad as telling the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.
“Francis is a new pope. We are expecting a step forward from him,” he said. “If in one of his addresses he were to declare that Islam is a peaceful religion, that Muslims are not looking for war or violence, that would be progress in itself.”
Gawad suggested further that should the pope visit Egypt he could also visit Al-Azhar. “At that point, relations and dialogue would be restored immediately.”
(Coptic Pope Tawadros II visited the Vatican in May and invited Pope Francis to visit Egypt; the Vatican said the invitation will be taken up although no dates have been announced.)
Reacting to the proposals by al-Tayyab’s envoy, Voice of the Copts president Ashraf Ramelah suggested the grand imam look closer to home.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
When will he speak directly to the Muslims? I know it won't make a difference to the Muslims but it may give comfort to the vulnerable Copts in Egypt and Christians in Syria. They need his prayers.
Of course! ANY religion is peaceful when you have to cajole, exclaim, coerce, extort, threaten, castigate, or bewitch another religious functionary to state such.
IIRC lying is a sin. So no, I don't think that's going to happen...
Islam is NOT a religion. It’s an oppressive ideology. Besides, the Pope doesn’t fib!!
Mohammed was a child rapist and murderer.
Therefore, Islam is a peaceful religion.
“Pope Urged to Declare Islam a Peaceful Religion”
Under threat of death, no doubt...
I respect this pope.
That’ll disappear if he describes Islam as anything other than the despicable religion it is.
Please, Brother Francis, we beg you:
Tell the muzzies to stick it where the sun don’t shine.
Pope Francis is a smart cookie. He’ll come up with an appropriate response. None of this “I have to suck up to the muzzies or they’ll kill all the remaining Christians under their rule” nonsense.
Do we need a declaration that Jainism is a peaceful religion? Judaism? Buddhism? Quaker/Amish/Mormonism? I can’t imagine why any peaceful religion would want such a declaration.
"We will declare Islam to be a peaceful religion just as soon as they can spend one year free of violence against other religions, declarations of supremacy over other political systems and shooting civil wars among their various factions.
Said designation will be renewed annually so long as said conditions are met."
I'm willing to bet that not more than 72 hours would pass before their would be bloody riots in the Muslim street in protest.
. . . which the Pope probably understands better than most of us and, thus, is unwilling to make such a declaration.
Islam is a peaceful religion. Just ask The `’Martyrs of Otranto”, 813 Italians who were slain in the southern Italian city in 1480 for defying demands by Turkish invaders to renounce Christianity (and become moslems).
And that is just ONE example of the peaceful religion of Islam.
Islamic “peace” is different than Christian “peace”
Islamic “peace” means universal submission to Islam. There are few restrictions on how this submission is accomplished.
Christian peace is an individual’s knowledge that God loves us so much that he sent Jesus to die for our sins.
I think the Pope is aware of this difference.
Contrary to the sentiments expressed on this thread so far, I can indeed confirm that Islam is, indeed a religion of peace, inasmuch as its followers seek peace.
Where, it must be said, “peace” means that condition when all infidels have finally been either killed or converted. They are indeed seeking to obtain that sort of peace.
Admittedly, the word doesn’t quite mean the same thing in standard American English, although they don’t exactly go out of their way to point out the difference. But, admissions can be found.
So do I. We need to pray for him. Remember Satan tempted Christ in the desert, at the beginning of his ministry.
Q: If you called a tail a leg, how many legs would a dog have?
A: Four — calling a tail a leg doesn’t make it one.
I think it’s quite a pieceful religion, wherever they go, they leave everything in pieces.
Islam is a pack of barbarians pretending to be pro-God.
Excelent points you both make. This “apples” and “oranges” distinction might be why so many non-muslims believe that Islam is peaceful.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.