Posted on 03/31/2008 10:28:30 AM PDT by 2banana
Religion's evolution tests tolerance
Europe's largest mosque was built in Rome – right in the wheelhouse of Christendom.
If the Vatican looked askance at this religious arriviste three kilometres from St. Peter's Basilica, it made no comment.
That sumptuous mosque, opened in 1995, cost $50 million to build, a cost borne by 23 Muslim donor nations, though the bulk of funding – $35 million – was contributed by Saudi Arabia.
A country which, by the way, allows no Christian churches on its soil, even with an ever-expanding influx of Christian migrant workers from such places as the Philippines and Indonesia.
An estimated 800,000 Catholics work in Saudi Arabia now. Indeed, celebrating non-Muslim holidays in the cradle of Islam is forbidden, as are crosses and the wearing of a crucifix.
The Vatican quietly made it known, earlier this year, that high-level discussions were underway with Saudi officials – this after King Abdullah made a first ever visit to St. Peter's last November – aimed at some kind of reciprocal arrangement that might, once diplomatic relations are fully secured, allow for the construction of churches in the kingdom.
The mosque in Rome, which welcomes tourists, is a place of education as well as prayer. And there certainly needs to be a lot more education, on both sides, to combat ignorance and mutual distrust.
Rome has, in fact, three mosques and three Islamic prayer centres. A fourth mosque, in an ethnically mixed neighbourhood, was halted mid-construction last summer. There had been outrage from Roman Catholics because the structure was a conversion of a building situated right next door to a Catholic church.
Municipal officials insist that was not the reason for kyboshing the project; rather, the Muslim constituency that had commissioned the mosque had failed to secure proper building permits. Which, yes, sounds quite lame.
Relative to other European capitals such as Amsterdam, Rome doesn't have a huge Muslim population. But, given the Vatican's history and the Christian crusades that spilled so much Muslim blood, it behooves the papal state – and the secular city surrounding it – to be as tolerant of other faiths as possible.
In truth, the Vatican is intensely envious of Islam, not only as the world's most rapidly growing religion, but also for the ferocity of its adherents and the way in which faith invests every aspect of their daily life.
For most who bow at least symbolically to Rome, Catholicism is a cafeteria-tray buffet, pick what you like off the menu, ignore the rest, and pull out all the stops only at Christmas and Easter. And maybe on your death bed, for last rites, the absolution of all sins.
Pope Benedict XVI was severely criticized last week for the very public and perhaps gratuitously showy conversion of a Muslim man – a journalist outspoken in his criticism of "radical" Islam – in what has been described as a "triumphalist'' episode, pointlessly provocative.
But there was a point.
Catholicism is as evangelical – if not capital-E Evangelical – as any other religion. Baptizing a convert from Islam was a celebratory moment for the pontiff, and there haven't been many lately. By contrast, converting from Islam is an act of apostasy in some Muslim countries, subject to a death sentence.
A friend of mine in Afghanistan was jailed last year after revealing to friends that he was considering converting to Christianity. It took great effort by Western intermediaries to spring him and he has sought asylum in Germany.
The secular world, which the Vatican fears as much as its Islamic counterpart, has learned how easily provoked some Muslim societies can be. This is piety run amok, not faith.
All religions are opiates. You should at least get to pick your poison.
Rosie DiManno usually appears Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Heard last night, it is now the No.1 “religion” and I say that very loosly, in the world.
Hard to teach a religion based on hate and religious supremecy, but they are currently doing it.
Evolution of Religion? Show me any evidence that Islam has evolved past the 11th century.
Catholicism and Prostestant Christianity are segregated in that “news item”. All strains of Islam are grouped together. Even the radical extremist Islam that is practiced by terrorists who muslims say “aren’t really muslims”.
Starting to see yes, too late to have Catholic church make a stand and tell Saudi Arabia no churches in Saudi, no mosques, yes. Will they actual combat Islam on their own: No. As Peter foresaw 2,000 years ago, the end time would see a love of the great number (Catholics) of Christians cool off. Coincidentally, Peter also envisioned the anti-Christ religion of Islam and also saw that prists would be forbidden to marry and be told to eat certain foods on certain days (again Catholic church).
err...Yes, the 'Crusades' had its brutal moments (most sadly against the Jewish occupants of Jerusalem) - but Christendom sat on its hands for 300+ years as mohammedans swept across Christian Northern Africa, into Spain, and thru Palestine and the Middle East (remember Antioch, Syria - is where the name 'Christian' was first used). The mohammedans 'converted' via the sword, and ransom taxes -- but we're not to be concerned about the much Christian blood that was spilled at this time...
Its good that the Red sickle and Star Newspaper is at least 'urging' the Saudis to reciprocate and open up their countries to allow Christian worship -- but their revisionist interpretation of the Crusades (and their origin) wasn't germane to the article.
Perhaps a more relevant question would be, 'why are we allowing mosque plantings in the West?'
Why would a Christian 'worker' in their right mind go to Saudi Arabia. . .unless, of course, they are hoping that by being killed for their faith, they can be a witness to the Muslims.
No Saudi funded mosque should be permitted in the West until Saudi Arabia permits an equal number of churches, temples, etc. to be built with no discrimination under the law (no legal discrimination against the kufir, no prohibition on conversion away from Islam).
There cannot be a separation of church and state when a theocratic government is funding worldwide expansion of Islam.
If the Catholic Church wants more intensely loyal followers, Catholics need a more intensely loyal church.
be told to eat certain foods on certain days (again Catholic church).
huh?
Pope John Paul II asked the City of Rome to not approve the building plans for this mosque whose shadow falls on St Peter's. He also asked the muslim community not to build it there and he publicly stated his opposition to the project. Alot of good it did him. Europe is committing the slowest suicide in history.
The author sounds like a liberal idiot. This fool wouldn’t begin to have the freedom he has in the West under Islamic rule other nations.
Do you read the bible yourself, such as Peter 1 or 2 or only receive scripture from a Priest? Peter had a vision of a future church which documented and was so ironic. The church he was envisioning was his own! Catholics ate fish on Fridays and at one time it was a command. Catholic Priests forbidden to marry. Peter wrote all of this down and this vision amazed him. Remember Christ telling Peter He would build his church on the rock of Petra?
Agreed
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