Posted on 06/01/2004 12:13:48 AM PDT by weegie
A Vatican-led conference on dialogue with Muslims ended in Qatar on Sunday after bickering over whether to allow Jews to participate in future meetings because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Emir had opened the seminar by telling senior Muslim and Christian religious leaders that Jews should also take part.
"Perhaps it would be worthwhile widening next year's seminar to an Islamic-Christian-Jewish dialogue," His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani said in a speech delivered on his behalf on Thursday.
"That is the way to build a decent human life where love, tolerance and equality prevail for the good of mankind."
But Arab clerics told a public forum late on Saturday, that Israel must end its occupation of Palestinian land first.
"Can there be a dialogue with Jews while they still occupy Palestinian land? Would that not consecrate the occupation?" asked Sheikh Abdel-Karim Al Kahlout, the Mufti of Gaza.
A Syrian representative of the Greek Orthodox Church agreed.
"We at the Patriarchy of Antioch reject the principle of dialogue with Jews before all the inhabitants of Palestine regain their rights," Bishop Basilious Nassour said.
Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, the head of Vatican's Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue, organising the meeting which is held in Qatar every year, said the decision would be in Qatar's hands.
Disgusting. Not surprising, just disgusting.
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Jews are just dying to go there.
"We at the Patriarchy of Antioch reject the principle of dialogue with Jews before all the inhabitants of Palestine regain their rights," Bishop Basilious Nassour said.
Guess the Bishop won't be inviting me over for lunch.
I'm unclear on two things here. First, what is the Vatican's position on allowing Jews into the conference? No quotes from them on the issue itself, only on who will ultimately decide it.
Second, how can this conf. be "Vatican-led" in any meaningful way, when this decision is ultimately up to Qatar?
The Emir had opened the seminar by telling senior Muslim and Christian religious leaders that Jews should also take part.
Ray of hope alert!
The suggestion to invite Jews was made by the Emir of Qatar, I'd presume he'd have no objection to their presence if the conference leaders, Christian and Mulsim, invite them.
It would certainly seem that was the purpose of his suggestion. But why then does the Vatican rep throw the issue back into his lap? Doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. The Vatican doesn't seem to be "leading" very much here.
The Greek-orthodox Church is a decaying twin of the Nazi party. It should be eradicated, its members thrown out of Israel (but not before being giving a sound whipping), and its "properties" in the Holy Land seized.
"Can there be a dialogue with Jews while they still occupy Palestinian land?"
Its not "Palestinian" Land. Its Israeli Land.
Once again, the Islamicists have revealed their REAL view of Israel. They want it gone.
And, once Israel is gone, there is the issue of Sicily, southern Italy, the Balkans, the Iberian Peninsula and southern France - all once part of the Islamic Empire. And while they are at it, also the rest of Europe and North America too.
Agence France Presse, Arab News
DOHA, 28 May 2004 A conference on Muslim-Christian Dialogue opened here yesterday with an official call to broaden the forum to include Judaism. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah ibn Khalifa Al-Thani set the stage for two days of inter-faith talks by drawing parallels between those who believe in the oneness of God. Perhaps it is wise to widen the dialogue to a Muslim-Christian-Jewish dialogue, next year, he told the gathering of some 200 delegates from around the world.
The Doha conference should exalt the sublime values of Islam and Christianity, the prime minister said. Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, archivist and librarian of the Catholic Church, picked up on the sound of warfare which is heard not far from us, in a reference to Iraq, but went on to lay out the essential closeness of children of the same God. Tauran, who was involved in the opening of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Qatar as Vatican secretary for relations with states, moved on to the importance of religious freedom and mutual respect in Muslim-Christian relations.
The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in Cairo, Sheikh Mohammad Sayed Tantawi, also spoke out about religious freedom, noting that no one should be forced into a particular faith.
Coercion and belief are two contradictory elements, he said.
Muslim cleric Sheikh Yussef Qaradawi, meanwhile, asked the gathering: Do all Christians recognize Islam as a divine religion?
He also reiterated his criticism of Frances decision to ban Muslim head scarves in public schools. We are for religious freedom but we strongly oppose banning the head scarf, said Qaradawi.
Among other prominent speakers and guests are Coptic Orthodox Patriarch Anba Pope Shenouda III and Archibishop Michael L. Fitzgerald, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
The conference has been organized by Qatars Gulf Studies Center and the Vaticans commission for Religious Relations with Muslims, part of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. The emir of Qatar has called for a permanent dialogue between the Islamic world and the West, particularly the United States.
"Jews must end their occupation of Palestinian land."
"Then Jews must end their occupation of other lands, like France. And Canada. And the USA."
"Jews, JUST DIE!"
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SHUT UP Vatican and Quatar
Vatican keep out
And Quatar hey if you want prove yourself to be forward looking country LET Jews in YOU ARE MORON Quatar
It would seem that some of tthe Eastern Churches suffer from a 1400 year old version of
"Stockholm Syndrome".
keep an eye on Qatar folks...things are changing quite fast there.
"We at the Patriarchy of Antioch reject the principle of dialogue with Jews before all the inhabitants of Palestine regain their rights," Bishop Basilious Nassour said.
If he said anything other than this, his life would get very...interesting, not to mention short.
Yes, it would be "Gone in 60 Seconds"!
They should invite Shimon Peres. He feels very comfortable sitting with people who enjoy killing jews. In fact, he usually comes away convinced that he was a very honored guest. I believe he's been to Qatar before, so he knows the way.
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