Archbishop of Canterbury visits bombed synagogue in Istanbul

The Associated Press ^ | 11/20/203 | N/A

[a_Turk]

ISTANBUL - The archbishop of Canterbury on Tuesday visited a synagogue bombed in Istanbul last weekend, condemning the act as an attack on "every Muslim, Jew and Christian."

Rowan Williams, leader of the 77 million-member Anglican Communion, was in Istanbul for a visit with the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians.

"This is a heartbreaking sight," he said outside the Neve Shalom synagogue. "In a place where the relationship between Muslims, Jews and Christians is one of cooperation and goodwill, an attack on a synagogue is an attack on every Muslim, Jew and Christian."

Williams said brought with him a message from Britain's Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks to the Jewish community in Istanbul.

Some 300 people were injured and 23 killed in Saturday's nearly simultaneous suicide attacks on two synagogues, carried out by Turks with possible links to al-Qaida. The six Jews killed in the attack were buried Tuesday.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, a member of this predominantly Muslim country's Greek Orthodox minority and first among equals of Orthodox patriarchs, toured Neve Shalom on Monday and called the bombing "an attack against the peace and unity of Turkey."

Williams leaves Istanbul on Wednesday.

[a_Turk]

ping

[Shermy]

I read elsewhere he had recently met Mr. Short, the Brit commissioner.

[gg188]

Allow me to rephrase that correctly:

The archbishop of Canterbury on Tuesday visited a synagogue bombed in Istanbul last weekend, condemning the act as an attack on "every Muslim, Jew and Christian."

"...as an attach BY every Muslim ON every Jew and Christian."

[a_Turk]

Get lost with the narrow minded attitude.. Most of the killed and injured were Muslims, by far.

[Will_Zurmacht]

You are right. For every Insane Jihadi fool, there are tens of thousands of Muslims who go to work, play with their kids and go to bed. They would never dream of killing someone.

The bad thing is, I am pretty sure the events for the last couple of years have so colored impressions of middle eastern people in the west that we will live with this legacy for a generation.
I have found myself looking at arab looking students with suspicion.
Why is that?

I find myself wondering if this middle eastern kid is really here to study...
I would never have thought that before.

For a time I was interested in the middle east, took classes in college on the history of the region, read books, talked to international students about their homelands......and now I just turn the channel when I hear the announcer say "Today in the middle east..."

As if the headlines will ever change in my lifetime.

Still...people can only hope, and do what they can to stop the collapse into a new dark age.

There is a cancer growing in the middle east. It is spreading.
It has been too long ignored by the West, pampered or excused in the Mid-East. Now the cancer must be removed.
I hosestly believe we are witness to the opening shots of a global war. It'll probably be fought for the next decade or two...
That's probably harsh, but those are my honest thoughts.

[Will_Zurmacht]

Just an odd follow up to my own thoughts..

I went out to dinner last week with a professor and her husband. I set up their wireless network and I got a great dinner for it.

Our conversation turned to Iraq, terrorism, and the middle east.

They are both convinced that any efforts in the region were doomed to fail. They, both western, very educated, and very left wing, were certain that "middle eastern people simply can't deal with modernity"....and that's a quote.

I doubt they ever heard of Turkey, except when mentioning Armenians.

They were honestly of the opionion that 1/5 of the planet is incapable of self government and, their term,- "progressive" society.

And yet right wingers like me are called bigots..odd isn't it?

[ummark]

My condolences to the Turks,
These Kharijite Naziri seek to bring back what never really was by gross means, utterly convinced of the rightiousness of their cause. How much our own actions, as the West, has helped heap fuel on the fire of their fury remains a neccessary reflection for us. May we, aided by Muslims seeking a sane peace, find our path.

[tubavil]

"...condemning the act as an attack on "every Muslim, Jew and Christian."

NO YOU FREAK!!!! It's an attack against Jews.

When multiple satanic mosques simultaneously blow up THEN you can jack your jaw with inanities.

[ummark]

Moron

[stripes1776]

Rowan Williams, leader of the 77 million-member Anglican Communion, was in Istanbul for a visit with the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians.

Isn't Williams the idiot who said last month that we must understand that terrorists have a legitimate point to make? I think I read some thing on a thread here at FR about that. I will see if I can find it.

[Jumper]

I visited Canterbury on Saturday, just six days ago with my wife. Wonderful place a shrine to those who have fought to preserve the Crown! I would expect no less from this institution.

[stripes1776]

Rowan Williams, leader of the 77 million-member Anglican Communion, was in Istanbul for a visit with the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians.

Here is the link to the article in which Williams "urged Americans to recognize that terrorists can 'have serious moral goals.' "

Why is it that Anglican prelates have such a lack of moral clarity in their thinking?

[MarMema]

and called the bombing "an attack against the peace and unity of Turkey."

Somehow this seems to be lacking to me...

[katnip]

Here is the link to the article in which Williams "urged Americans to recognize that terrorists can 'have serious moral goals.' "

That rates up there with dopey Al Shartons "Todays terrorist is tomorrows friend".

[richtig_faust]

The Archbishop is probably over there looking for a boyfriend to shack up with for the night.