Posted on 03/02/2006 9:07:37 AM PST by Esther Ruth
Last update - 18:08 02/03/2006
Catholics, Jews want to include Muslims in talks on Mohammad cartoon
By Reuters
VATICAN CITY - Roman Catholic and Jewish leaders on Thursday agreed that both religions should widen their two-way dialogue to involve Muslims in the wake of tensions over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad.
The formal recognition of the need to involve more Muslims in dialogue came in a statement signed by leading rabbis from Israel and Vatican officials at the end of a meeting in Rome.
In a clear reference to a wave of violence in the Muslim world over the publishing of the cartoons, the joint statement said any abuse of religious symbols "must be rejected and condemned" in order to advance humanity's common good.
"At the same time such abuses and the current tensions between civilisations demand of us to reach out beyond our own bilateral dialogue which has its unique compelling character," the statement said.
"Thus we believe that it is our duty to engage and involve the Muslim world and its leaders in respectful dialogue and cooperation," it said.
The signers included five senior members of the Vatican's Commission for Religious Relations with Jews and seven from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretzdaily.com ...
few excerpts....
They also appealed to world leaders "to appreciate the essential potential of the religious dimension to help resolve conflicts and strife and call on them to support inter-religious dialogue to this end."
***
Pope Benedict has condemned the cartoons, saying the world's religions and their symbols must be respected. But he also said violent protests against perceived offence were wrong.
***
Still, in a sign of his concern for dialogue with the Muslim world, the Pope last month appointed Archbishop Michael Fitzgerald, a leading expert on Islam, to be his new envoy to Egypt and to the 22-member Arab League.
Sure, just like they will respect Christians and Jews. /sarcasm
These animals are out to destroy us. There is no middle ground.
I agree--where are the Muslim run conversations that deal with Muslim respect of Christians (and Jews) within Muslim countries? They don't exist.
I am very open to being proved wrong, but my conviction is that that rules out the muslims.
Would the non-muslim participants need a hefty increase in their life insurance policies?
Well said!
It is all we need to know about TROP!
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.