OK, saudy, but do you believe the Pope’s attempt at uniting Christianity & Islam (and others) is a good thing? I am not speaking of “conversion to Christianity” here. I am speaking of the Pope showing “respect” for Islam & the Koran, and coexisting equally with Christianity & the Bible. Didn’t Christ warn against this?
sandy, re: “saudy” - no dis intended! I am sorry! Just a harmless typo!
I do. Traditional faiths share common interests. The Vatican and muslims have already been uniting to defeat world organizations' attempts to propagate abortion and contraception. It is also important to the Vatican that Muslim autocracies open up their countries to Christian worship, which is also being accomplished. Xenophobia and demonization aren't going to help achieve those goals.
I'm of the mind, that if the pope kissed the Koran,( and I am stunned that something I had always believed as fact is being called into question ), then instead of painting the pope as some kind of covert al-quaida operative or ecumenical wussie, we should instead understand what the Church teaches about Islam. What it doesn't do is hunt and peck for the most hostile and offensive passages. The catechism teaches that the Muslims " profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day." Perhaps that is the aspect that he was kissing.
But you are right to assume that the pope probably knew a lot about Islam. He probably did study it as a student, getting perhaps a thumbnail sketch in a comparative religion class. But as pope, he probably gained a much broader perspective. He certainly met a lot of Muslims, and traveled to Muslim countries, communicated with bishops and priests that lived in Muslim countries. His knowlege of Islam, his understanding of Islamic cultures, his familiarity with how Muslims actually practice their faith, I would venture to say, was far more extensive than mine, and maybe even yours. I think it is reasonable to defer to his judgement. I can understand the cause for scandal given the current political climate and a few cut and pasted passages, but I have never believed this incident was as shocking as some would like it to make it out to be. Those that do, generally hav some kind of agenda. What is yours?