Posted on 12/06/2014 6:04:01 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Picture the Pope praying in a mosque alongside top Muslim leaders. That’s what happened in Turkey last weekend.
Pope Francis was at the Blue Mosque in Instabul on Saturday as part of his three-day visit to the predominantly Muslim country. He also celebrated Mass at the Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in the city.
The visit to the mosque is significant as the Pope tries to promote peace and unity between Muslims and Christians. He’s the second Pope to worship at the Blue Mosque. The first was his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who was there in 2006 for a similar purpose.
The world has made remarkable progress in bringing Muslims and Christians together, partly through efforts by world leaders such as Pope Francis. However, there’s still a fence between Christians and Muslims today.
A lot of believers today minimise their contact and association with people of the other faith. This manifests in everyday life, like the Christian who immediately changes the channel when a Muslim preacher shows on the TV, or a Muslim who will not date a Christian. It’s like the world is still far away from the point where people can cross the fence freely without bias or condemnation.
So the Pope’s worship at the mosque is considered nice from a diplomatic perspective. But is this the cool, progressive thing for the rest of us ordinary Christians and Muslims to do? Is this the way to go? To what extent should we be willing to cross the fence and bond with people of the other faith?
Taofeek says, “I read about the Pope’s visit in the news. I think it’s timely because of all the terrorist stuff happening right now – the Isis, the Al Qaeda and all that. He’s trying to connect with the Muslim world. It’s a good one from that angle. But personally I think they shouldn’t have allowed a person who doesn’t believe in our faith to worship in the mosque. I think it’s not right. The Pope is not Muslim and obviously doesn’t believe in Islam. He shouldn’t be let to pray in the mosque with Muslims.”
The feeling is mutual.
Samuel says, “It’s nice to see the Pope take such a step for the sake of peace. But I personally don’t see myself worshipping in a mosque. It’s inappropriate. As Christians, we can make friends with the Muslims and work and play with them. But that’s probably the limit. Marrying a Muslim is unacceptable to me, for example, because we don’t share the same faith.”
There are some moderate Christians and Muslims who have liberal views though.
Maruf says, for instance, “I mix freely, and I don’t discriminate between Christians and Muslims. I have cousins who’re Christians and sometimes I attend a church event at their invitation. I also watch Pastor Sam Adeyemi and read Christian writers. My point is, I try to keep an open mind regarding these things.”
Amaka also says, “I think religious leaders contribute to this thing, because they’re the ones who make the fence bigger through their teaching. I’ve been in churches where the pastor said negative things about Islam just to make his own faith look good. I’ve also heard in my neighbourhood, where the Muslims have an outdoor lecture and the preacher calls out Christians inappropriately. These things simply pit both sides against each other and further polarise the world.”
So then, how is the Pope’s action particularly relevant to Nigeria?
Amaka says, “The Pope’s move is particularly relevant to our nation if you look at the ethnic and religious problems that’s going on. We need to show love to each other and interact more freely with each other, treating each other as one regardless of faith or ethnicity. We need to unite, so that way our nation can move forward.”
What? Is the Pope the anti-Christ described in the Bible?
No. Duh...No!
For this prayer, though, he may have wanted to send his stunt double.
With a Pope like that, who needs a pope?
To Catholics it is standard practice. To me it is sin.
Maybe to you. I really hate the anti- Catholic sentiment on this forum..
Agreed. But At least the Hindus dont teach and preach and go around. All the time killing Christians and other humans like the islamics do
I’m not a Roman Catholic but I was taught that you do not pray “to” Mary, but you ask her to pray for you as you would ask any close friend to pray for you. Who is more likely to have the ear of Jesus? You or His mother? So in other words if you ask Mary to intercede for you Jesus is more likely to look favorably on your request.
Praying to Mary — right or wrong - is nothing like praying to Allah. Mary never taught mass murder, torture lying attacking and subjugating. Allah does. And you see the results every day in the news. Allah — Satan.
By praying to our God in a mosque...could it be possible that he invited our God to be there?
Just a thought...it could happen. Let’s face it...God is all powerful.
that statement shows a limited understanding of Christianity, period.
No where in the Bible that I know of does it say anything about praying to anyone but Jesus Christ. The Catholics pray to Saints too. My Presbyterian religion doesn’t do that either.
Maybe he can ‘convert’ them.
Not being Catholic and therefore not thinking it it okay to pray to Mary is not really the same thing as anti-Catholic. If it is by your definition you’d better go hide in the closet because the whole world is gonna hurt your feelings.
Exactly. That’s all I’m saying. I am not out to hurt feelings. It can’t come as a surprise to Catholics that other people think that’s wrong. Not unless they’ve been living under a rock.
You are so right about that!
I was only in a mosque once in my life. I had to walk through it in order to visit the Grave of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (go figure!)
Anyway, the Jewish part of the building was fine, but there was a malevolent, evil, presence in the Mosque part of the building that was so pervasive and oppressive that I could not wait to get out of there. i also felt that “vibe” at a gate from Dachau that was on display at the Virginia war museum.
Not to get all spooky...but there are real evil entities out there.
Praise God that “Greater is he who is in me than he who is in the world.”
Interestingly, Jesus taught us to pray to the FATHER, and promised that HE would hear and answer our prayers Himself.
So how does someone come away with the thinking that Mary can get more out of God for us than we can ourselves when we have Jesus' own promise in His own words?
LOL!
As for the question, if it’s cool and progressive, could Pope Francis be far behind? He needs to get the praise of the press as the coolest and most progressive pope ever.
This is a blast from the past. It’s like being thrown into the hideous days right after Vatican II - except that Paul VI was just confused and weak and couldn’t stop the “progressives,” whom he had always thought were his friends, whereas this guy is on the side of the worst element of Vatican II.
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