"Interestingly enough, the Ecumenical Patriarchate is seen as a long-standing supporter of European Union entry for Turkey. "Our country is a bridge between the East and the West," stated the patriarch. "We do not think the European Union should be only a club limited to Christians." Whereas, before becoming pope, Benedict had made known his opposition to Turkey joining the EU."
In many ways, its the EP's only hope for survival in Constantinople, NYer.
I understand. And that is precisely my point! By lending his support to the Patriarch, their voices will resonate more loudly. JPII returned the relics of St. Gregory of Nazianzen, and St. John Chrysostom. What better gift can BXVI bring than his support for the Patriarch, even at the personal risk of his life.
I can see that as a bare necessity IF there was any hope things will change. But, I don't know how to put it to you, Kolo, there is no hope Constantinople will ever be non-Muslim. If anything, things will get worse. Islam is on the offensive, IMO. I believe Turkey's entry into the EU will open the flood gate for Muslim invasion of Europe for the second time.
Sometimes, Dhimifiacation was necessary to survive. In this particular case, it is a lost cause. The sooner this is understood the better. I think Christianity needs to draw a line in the sand, but Christian Europe has forgotten its Christian roots. It seems to me it is desperately trying to be "accepting" and "understanding" and "tolerant" and all-inclusive because that's what Washington has been drumming into their heads since 1945.
Besides, dhimification doesn't win anything; it's a reprieve, a minimum payment to stay alive short of converting to Islam. It was never a bargaining chip. It can keep status quo at best, and that is even doubtful.
I believe that all Muslims in this world will eventually show their true colors. They must, because otherwise they will be counted in the same group as Christians and Jews, trying to co-exist peacefully with them. That's a sin according to Islam. The wages for sin are death.
The only thing Muslims hate more than Christians and Jews are, IMO, Muslims who are not "hot" enough, but "lukewarm," and the apostates among them.
Turkey will install a Turk as the "Ecumenical Patriarch." He must be a citizen and cannot be naturalized. It's time to establish Ecumenical Throne in Moscow, the third Rome, where over 80% of world's Orthodox Christians belong. This is in keeping with the Fourth ecumenical Council's proclamation that honors and privileges are those of churches of imperial and state dignity.
It's time to establish Greek Patriarchy, with an eternal claim to Constantinople (as Serbia is about to enact a Constitution which eternally put claim on Kosovo) and its liberation from Islam.
I think Europe should be reversing the tide, but we have been building "islamiyas" in Bosnia and Kosovo, as we have created Afghanistan Taliban and provided, indirectly, fertile ground for al Qaeda with our myopic and naïve foreign policy of "playing the natives."
I am convincxned that if Christianity does not come together and kick Islam out of Europe, Europeans nations will have their own Bosnias and Kosovos in a relatively short time.
Let's not forget the way Islam treats Christianity (in S. Arabia, Afghanistan, Iran, etc. there are NO churches; pretty soon, the same will be true as other Muslim countries become Islamic).
Islam only pretends to be tolerant, IMO. The Kuran teaches no tolerance with infidels. In places where it doesn't have to be tolerant, it has shown no tolerance at all!