Posted on 07/26/2005 12:42:02 PM PDT by CHARLITE
Pope Benedict XVI yesterday refused to declare Islam "a religion of peace."
Asked by reporters whether Islam could be considered a religion of peace shortly before entering a meeting with priests and deacons of Valle d'Aosta in northwest Italy where he is spending a brief holiday, the pontiff refused to reply positively.
"I would not like to use big words to apply generic labels," he replied. "It certainly contains elements that can favor peace, it also has other elements: We must always seek the best elements."
The day before, he asked God to stop the terrorists.
"Even these days of serenity and repose have been disrupted by the tragic news of the execrable terrorist attacks which have brought death, destruction and suffering to various countries such as Egypt, Turkey, Iraq and Great Britain," he said. "As we entrust to divine goodness the dead and injured and their loved ones, victims of gestures that offend both God and man, we call on the Almighty to block the murderous hand of those who, driven by fanaticism and hatred, committed these acts, and we ask that He convert their hearts to thoughts of reconciliation and peace."
He asked Muslims to embrace peace.
"Renounce the way of violence which causes so much suffering to civilian populations, and instead to embrace the way of peace," he said in a statement issued through Vatican Cardinal Secretary of State Angelo Sodano, in response to terrorist attacks at the popular Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh in Egypt.
I'm liking this Pope!
Sounds like how Alan Greenspan would answer.
Meanwhile a member of the Israeli foreign ministry, asked for comment, could only silently wet himself in rage.
The "religion of peace" title was invented by the liberal American media, after 911.
Is there another source out there on this?
Yeah, I read the Israeli's were ticked that Benedict didn't include Israel in the list of terror-striken nations.
Its ALL Bush's fault......
Thought you'd appreciate this. By the way..I see one anti Catholic has been banished from FR.
Best regards
WARSAW44
I really like this Pope!
He didn't help it. I believe his statement not long after was "Islam means 'peace'".
While I like him, and like him better than his dad, GWB is still an equivocator alot of the time. He's no Reagan. Hell, Blair was more "offensive" after 9/11 than Bush!
Well, let's see. Falafel is pretty peaceful...I'd keep falafel. Camels? They don't look so bad, we can keep them. Hummm...any other parts of Islam worth keeping?
This Pope rocks. Now if only more than just a few Rabbis in the Conservative and Reform movement would take a harder line. Judeo-Christians unite!
There are the overtly violent elements of Islam and there are those that passively support them with their silence. There are no innocents here. The moslems are the decendents of Ismael who the Bible say: "he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's against him" (Genesis 6:12). Ask the Hindus that come into contact with the Moslems if this is not so. Ask the Christians in Sudan, Nigeria and other areas of Northern Africa if this is not so. Ask the Serbs, the Russians, the Dutch, the Brits, the people of New York, Arlington, VA and Pennsylvania if this is not so. Where does Islam come into contact with other religions or cultures where they live in peace.
I get very tired of politicians of every stripe, including the commander in chief, tell us that Islam is a religion of peace. It is not so! It is said that the vast majority of Moslems are peaceful and it is only a violent minority that causes the indiscriminate killing wherever they come into contact with others. The Nazi SS was only a small minority of the German people, but the German people did not rise up against their violent agenda. The reason: they supported the ends and tolerated the means. The Islamo-Facists have the same support by the so-called peaceful elements of the Islamic faith and it about time we dispel the notion that they are following a "Great Religion" that has been high-jacked by a minority.
There was a recent interview on a TV talk show of a Muslim professor teaching here in the USA and being paid by our hard earned American dollars to spread his cult. When told by the host that in a democracy such as he was employed by and enjoying, that all religons could be critisized--even Muslims, he went absolutely Hermanitile, Snake---and frothing at the mouth mad all in one stroke. Shouting that no, you can never question the word of the prophet or you will be killed. It got very quiet, he looked around sheepishly and disappeared off stage while they switched to a commercial. No more was said during the program about this ass.
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