Posted on 09/22/2006 5:30:17 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
THE contentious speech by Benedict XVI and the statement by Australia's George Pell signal a decisive change of attitude in the complex debate over the connection between Islam and violence. In his muscular statement this week, the Cardinal did more than defend the Pope. He did more than lament the Muslim violence directed against the Pope and the Catholic Church. The essence of Pell's statement was that such violence demonstrated one of the Pope's main fears: that for many Islamists there is a link between religion and violence. This is an inflammatory subject that many opinion makers want to keep off the agenda.
Pell charged Australia's Islamic leaders, mentioning by name Australia's mufti, Sheik Taj Din al-Hilali, and the federal Government's Muslim Community Reference Group chairman Ameer Ali, with refusing to address the issues and seeking instead to blame somebody else, in this case, the Pope.
Hilali, in effect, said the Pope was not a good Christian while Ali was contemptuous in likening Benedict to Urban II, who called the first crusade. These are moderate Muslim leaders.
"Friends of Islam in Australia have genuine questions which need to be addressed, not regularly avoided," Pell said. He was supported by Prime Minister John Howard, who expressed concerns about the global reaction in terms of "demonstrations and threats of violence".
The Pope and Pell articulate an emerging Catholic view about Islam. They believe the core issues are not being confronted: the link between Islam and the state and between Islam and violence. The test is whether Islam accepts religious tolerance and whether it rejects violence. They believe Islamic doctrine and practice in parts of the world today demands such a discussion.
(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.news.com.au ...
The entire world paid attention to the reaction to the Pope's words. Everyone knows he's a gentle, peace loving man and what he said was innocent. The reaction to his words were not.
It was a brilliant move by the pope. Showing the world how violently the muzlims around the entire world would react against words spoken 600 years ago. It was a powerful demonstration of their pernicious evil.
Not Lost in Translation
A Grand Mufti’s not-so-grand statements.
By Steven Stalinsky
“Don't be surprised if one day you hear the muezzin calling for praying and saying 'Allah Akbar' from the top of the White House. September 11 is Allah's work against oppressors," stated the mufti of Australia and New Zealand, Sheikh Taj Al-Din Hamed Abdallah Al-Hilali. The mufti, who had enjoyed a reputation for being a liberal, had been exposed when a series of his interviews and sermons over the past two years were translated from Arabic into English in a February report by MEMRI. His statements were supportive of jihad and martyrdom operations as well as terrorist organizations with which he met, such as Hezbollah. Al-Hilali also explained that the "Axis of Evil" really consists of President Bush, Australian Prime Minister John Howard, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/stalinsky200405040836.asp
The Australian Mufti Calls for Jihad; "Australia was Discovered by Afghan Muslims"
By MEMRI
MEMRI.org | February 18, 2004
The Mufti of Australia and New Zealand, Taj Al-Din Hamed Abdallah Al-Hilali, was born in Egypt's Suhag district in 1941. He graduated from Al-Azhar University and served as a preacher in Egypt, Libya, and Lebanon. In 1982 he came to Australia, and in 1988 he was appointed to his present position by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils. The following is a collection of speeches and writings by Mufti Al-Hilali: (1)
A Call for Jihad from Lebanon
In a February 13, 2004 sermon at the Al-Quds mosque while on a visit to Sidon, Lebanon, the Mufti of Australia and New Zealand, Taj Al-Din Al-Hilali, called for Jihad against Israel, and added: "The war waged by the U.S. and Israel against the Muslims is a cruel war aimed at annihilating the [Islamic] nation."
Sheikh Al-Hilali expressed amazement that various Arab countries and leaders had avoided hosting the upcoming Arab summit, and added: "In any event, we have become accustomed to the fact that these summits produce nothing, neither cockroach nor mouse.(2)
"We are in dire need of real men these days in light of the situation in Jerusalem and Palestine... Your leaders are looking for a venue and no one dares address an invitation for the leaders of this stricken nation ... because we lack strong leadership. In the past, in Arab and Islamic history, we were governed by real men, but nowadays we are governed by semi-men."(3)
Following a meeting with Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Sheikh Al-Hilali said: "I blessed Hizbullah for liberating the prisoners and the bones of the Shahids and I praised it and its sacrifice. Hizbullah has become a model for all the Mujahideen in the world... Most of the Australian people do not support the policy of the Australian government, which has placed Hizbullah on the terror list out of submission to the U.S., and the Australian prime minister will pay the price for this in the next elections...."(4)
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=12226
The Muslims Discovered Australia
Sheikh Al-Hilali also claims that Afghan Muslims preceded Captain Cook in his discovery of Australia:(11) "Australia is an old-new continent. The Europeans issued a false birth certificate for it when the British seafarer Captain James Cook reached it. However, Australia already had the most ancient race of men on the face of the earth - the Aborigine people... They continue to live their primitive lives to this very day.
"But when you become acquainted with their traditions among their tribes, you find that they have customs such as circumcision, marriage ceremonies, respect for tribal elders, and burial of the dead - all customs that show that they were connected to ancient Islamic culture before the Europeans set foot in Australia...
Like certain movie actor once said AD
You can't handle the Truth they can't handle the Truth TRUTH HURTS
If my religion supported murder, I suppose I wouldn't want people pointing that inconvienent truth out, either.
I'm really beginning to see that islam has mutated into a virulent strain that threatens entire species of humanity. Literaly, AQ Khan and the Islamic Bomb spelled the beginning of a horrible era to come.
From Malaysia to Morroco, they have made their intentions quite clear. They intend on conquering the world and bringing Muhammad to the masses. Letting this strain of millitant Islam persist is insane. Its like allowing an infection to reside in your body. If the civilized world doesen't stamp this out, it could cost the human species tremendously.
<< McGavin999
It was a brilliant move by the pope. Showing the world how violently the muzlims around the entire world would react against words spoken 600 years ago. It was a powerful demonstration of their pernicious evil. >>
Well said.
And as was his "apology" a powerful demonstration of his own intellect, courage and resolve.
Oh that any of the dangerously dullard members of our government and/or of its other remunerated pea-brains would have even an ounce of such competence and of such courage and of such resolve.
Muslim Advisory Group wants Hezbollah taken off terrorist list PRINT FRIENDLY EMAIL STORY
The World Today - Wednesday, 2 August , 2006 12:38:00
Reporter: Gillian Bradford
ELEANOR HALL: The head of the Federal Government's Muslim Advisory Group has accused the Government of following the United States and favouring Israel, in its handling of the Middle East crisis.
Dr Ameer Ali says he is about to write to the Prime Minister to ask him to take Hezbollah off a list of banned terrorist organisations.
Dr Ali says Hezbollah is a legitimate group involved in Lebanese politics and shouldn't be considered in the same league as al-Qaeda.
Dr Ali has been speaking in Canberra to Gillian Bradford
AMEER ALI: Hezbollah is not a terrorist organisation. It's not an organisation like al-Qaeda, which is built on creating wanton violence all over the world.
They are not doing that. It is a part of the Lebanese politics, it's part of south Lebanon, it's a creation of the 1980s massacre in Lebanon by the Israeli Army, and they are in the political game of Lebanon, and therefore they are not a terrorist group...
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2006/s1704179.htm
My estimation of Pell has gone right through the roof as a result of that statement.
It is a pathetic religion that relied on the sword for conversions 600 years ago and is the same today. That there has been no evolution to more learned, peaceful, enlightened, kind and compassionate attitudes is frightening and disgusting. Barbarian does not come close to describing the present day Islamofacist.
I really really think that's just the bottom line.
As Howard said, Australia's Muslim leaders have every right to criticise the Pope. But they should understand the questions he raises are legitimate and, in intellectual terms, deserve a serious reply, not just insults. p>
As we can plainly see, the West has no right to criticise Muslims. No sarcasm.
I'm convinced the only way to make muzlims peaceful is by convincing them to convert to Christianity - targeting them with Christ's gospel of love, forgiveness, faith and the power of the individual beholding God. Seems to me they are a group bent on despair and negativity, with moral guideposts that lead them to violence. They truly need salvation. Not sure how to do that, but they need some hope and faith that seems to be lacking in their region.
bump
I've been aware of Cardinal Pell's calibre for some time.
If ever there is to be an Australian Pope, it will be George.
I heard a local radio host announce the retailers' Christmas spending forecast was expected to total more money than has been spent on the WOT. His suggestion to President Bush was that we shower all those gifts on Iraq and see how that changed attitudes.
It was truly an awesome thought.
They're a lot like the democRATS in that respect.
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