(Spanish) Cathedral may see return of Muslims

The Guardian ^ | April 19, 2004 | Ben Sills

[NYer]

Cordoba Cathedral

After the conquest of Granada, King Charles V decided the construction of a Cathedral that would surpass the Mosque in height while respecting the latter.

[NYer]

MOSQUE OF CÓRDOBA

In 780 AD, begin the construction of the biggest mosque the world had ever known over the structure of what it was known as the visgothic church of Saint Vincent.

The 23,400 square meters that occupies the actual mosque with almost 500 columns and superimposed arches, they are the partial creation of Abderramán I, of Abderramán II, of Alhaken II and of Almanzor already by the year 987 AD. It is considered the epitome of the caifal art, and its fantastic forest of columns and arches in its interior is one of the most beautiful spaces ever constructed in a house of worship. The orientation of the Mihrab, curiously is not towards Meccah. In 1253, at the center of its complex, a Christian cathedral is built.

[Desdemona]

At the moment, I am thinking how proud I am of my CELTIC Spanish heritage.

[FormerLib]

Allowing Muslims to come into a Christian place of worship so they can proclaim "God has no son" would be giving official permission to desecrate the space.

I agree with the poster who suggested we wait until the first church becomes operational in Saudi Arabia before further consideration is given to this.

[Aquinasfan]

Muslims across Spain are lobbying the Roman Catholic church in the southern city of Córdoba to make a symbolic gesture of reconciliation between faiths by allowing them to pray in the city's cathedral.

And as a gesture of reconciliation, I suggest that the Mohammedans allow Christians to practice their religion freely in all formerly Christian lands conquered by Mohammedans, which would be the entire Mohammedan world.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Muslims across Spain are lobbying the Roman Catholic church in the southern city of Córdoba to make a symbolic gesture of reconciliation between faiths by allowing them to pray in the city's cathedral.

Why should this or any church perform a Muslim outreach "gesture of reconcilliation"? What do they need to reconcile? How about the Muslims reconcile with the West by slithering away? Talk about a lie from the mouth of the Serpent. Isn't there a little fairy tale about a kid being convinced by a serpent to "pet me"? Maybe someone can recall how the story goes. It doesn't end well, I know that much.

Córdoba's renaissance cathedral sits in the centre of an ancient mosque complex, and local Muslims want to be allowed to pray there again. They have appealed to the Vatican to intercede on their behalf.

Well well, then what's the problem with Jews praying on the Temple Mount?

[redgolum]

One often stated goal of the Islamic militants is the retaking of Spain. Cordova is viewed as a symbol of the pinnacle of Islamic civilization.

If they are allowed to pray in the Cathedral, it will soon be a mosque. The next tactic will be to claim to the EU or someone that the Christians should be banned from this "Holy Place of Islam" as they have never had a "true" claim to it. Look at the site of the Temple in Jerusalem.

If the Church in Spain is so idiotic as to let this happen (which I doubt by the way!) then there are fewer Christians in Spain than I thought!

BTW, if you think this is bad, what till someone begins to petition for Muslim prayers in the Vatican!

[Pyro7480]

Let's see if this happens. After the Tibetan Buddhist monks were invited to a cathedral recently, anything is possible.

[Thinkin' Gal]

As the capital of Moorish Spain, Córdoba became one of Islam's holiest places, and a centre of Islamic art and scholarship to rival Baghdad.

Once an Islamic holy place, always an Islamic holy place. I smell a "right of return" coming on.

And this reminds me... it seems like the news readers can't even mention a city in Iraq, without prefacing it with "the holy city of [insert name of city]". "Holy" must be an adjective meaning "overflowing with blood and death" in Arabic.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

In 780 AD, begin the construction of the biggest mosque the world had ever known over the structure of what it was known as the visgothic church of Saint Vincent.

So they leveled our Church to put in their Mosque, and now they claim we are the ones being prickly because we won't let them deny Crist in a restored formerly desecrated Christian Church? F*** 'em.

Where's Charles Martel and El Cid when you need them?

[Aquinasfan]

Where's Charles Martel and El Cid when you need them?

Long gone, I'm afraid.

A liberal colleague was celebrating Spain's imminent withdrawal from Iraq today. "That'll send a message to Bush!"

Usually I ignore the diatribes, but today I said, "That they couldn't wait to surrender?"

You can imagine the rest.

The surrender continues.

Remember the Sudetenland.

[Aquinasfan]

Once an Islamic holy place, always an Islamic holy place.

And once a Mohammedan land, always a Mohammedan land. So that gives them Europe all the way up to Vienna.

[Alouette]

Once Muslims pray in any place it becomes by definition a mosque and non-Muslims are no longer allowed to enter.

[Desdemona]

I have my doubts that it will happen, but Moorish Spain is really going to need to wake up and soon.

[B Knotts]

This is just sick.

Wake up, Spain!

[FormerLib]

And I'm sure you've noted the respect with which they've been treating the Orthodox Christian Churches in Kosovo.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Once Muslims pray in any place it becomes by definition a mosque and non-Muslims are no longer allowed to enter.

Muslims pray with Washington Monument in rear.

[Thinkin' Gal]

So they leveled our Church to put in their Mosque, and now they claim we are the ones being prickly because we won't let them deny Crist in a restored formerly desecrated Christian Church? F*** 'em.

Ibraham Hooper would say that you are not very Christian, tolerant, or loving.

[Campion]

I think this is a great idea! Muslims can pray in the cathedral in Cordoba as often as they like ... just as soon as Orthodox or Catholic Christians, or both, can celebrate the Divine Liturgy daily in Agia Sophia in Istanbul.

[Between the Lines]

When the Muslims allow Jews to pray at the Dome of the Rock which is built on the very foundation of the Second Temple, then and only then should these Muslims requests even be considered.