Pope prays at Jordanian mosque

UPI ^ | May 9, 2009 | UPI

[americanophile]

AMMAN, Jordan, May 9 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI prayed Saturday at the King Hussein Mosque in the Jordanian capital Amman, Vatican officials said.

The trip to the mosque, the largest in Jordan, marked the second day of the pope's visit to the Middle East, the BBC reported.

Afterwards, Benedict addressed local Muslim leaders, observers said. Earlier in the day he visited Mount Nebo, which, according to the Bible, is where Moses saw the Promised Land before he died.

Vatican analysts said the pope is anxious to mend relations with Muslims and Jews on his eight-day sojourn to Israel and the West Bank, his first to the region as pontiff.

On Sunday, he is scheduled to celebrate an open-air mass at Wadi Kharrar on the east bank of the River Jordan -- the place where Christians believe Jesus was baptized. The next day, Benedict will go to Tel Aviv to begin four days in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, the BBC reported.

[americanophile]

Lady, I can't even follow your convoluted arguments, since you seem to be having an argument with a straw person about whether you can be a tourist, while the rest of us were discussing the symbolic appropriateness or inappropriateness of the head of the Catholic Church praying inside an Islamic house of worship.

[stfassisi]

I was watching the Pope's visit in the Holy Land and his speeches make me sick. He is being pulled right where JPII failed—into the hands of ecumenism, where all religions are simply a different modality of the same truth.

Wrong! He is being led by the Holy Spirit to show love to even those who would want to persecute him.

Pope Benedict XVI is being Christlike and not afraid.

[stripes1776]

Your question was answered.

Well, you could have answered the question by saying that the moon is made of green cheese. But neither answer addresses the question with sound reasoning. The next thing you will say it that St Peter didn't celebrate Christmas so we eliminating that holiday is justified.

There is a very long practice in the Catholic Church that popes do not go to synagogues, or mosques for that matter.

[kosta50]

Wrong! He is being led by the Holy Spirit...

Sorry. You have no proof of that. Pure speculation.

[Cronos]

You’re wrong. He’s not a Muslim, he’s a Christian, the head of most Christians, so his praying in a mosque, while not conforming to traditional Islamic methods, would no doubt have been seen as a recognition of Allah

Ok, as I said, I've lived in Muslim lands (Bahrain) and what I said is what they would think -- a visit by the Pope without him bowing down is NOT praying to A llah but rather a defiance of A llah and the radicals will condemn inviting the Pope to a mosque.

[Cronos]

Well, you could have answered the question by saying that the moon is made of green cheese

Let's review, your question was : “Since when do Popes go to mosques and synagogues?”

I pointed out that the 1st century Popes DID go to synagogues. Your question was answered.

If I answered that the moon is made of green cheese, I'd be following a standard anti-Catholic tactic of not answering a direct question and instead spouting some rot -- actually, if I was being truly one of the Reformed, etc etc, I would say that some quote taken randomly from some epistle would prove that the moon is made of green cheese like St. Pauls in the Vatican and that the Pope is a Venusian.

instead, I, like any Catholic, answered a direct question with a logical and factual answer.

[Ezekiel]

[americanophile]

I think you're being way too technical about prayer, and dismissive of the obvious symbolism. It isn't necessary for him to have prostrated himself. Indeed, in some Islamic prayers, such as the Dhuhr, standing is obligatory. In any event, the Pope in fact faced Mecca and assumed a similar posture to the imam, who was in fact praying to Allah.

[stfassisi]

Sorry. You have no proof of that. Pure speculation.

Dear Kosta,the pope speaks out of love humility and compassion.

Are you going to tell me that these are not from the Holy Spirit?

Quote from Pope Benedict XVI at Al Aqsa mosque...

"God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob hear the cry of the afflicted, the fearful, the bereft. Send your peace upon this Holy Land, upon the Middle East, upon the entire human family. Stir the hearts of all who call upon your name, to walk humbly in the path of justice and compassion"

[presidio9]

instead, I, like any Catholic, answered a direct question with a logical and factual answer.

This entire thread is making me suspect that it helds to be a little warped if your going to practice some protestant denominations.

[kosta50]

In any event, the Pope in fact faced Mecca and assumed a similar posture to the imam, who was in fact praying to Allah

Christians don't pray with heretics. And that includes Jews. They deny the divinity of Christ just as the Muslims, Arians, Jehovah's Witnesses, etc. do.

[kosta50]

Dear Kosta,the pope speaks out of love humility and compassion. Are you going to tell me that these are not from the Holy Spirit?

I think he is just trying to imitate Christ to a limited extent.

Quote from Pope Benedict XVI at Al Aqsa mosque...

What happened to the Triune Christian God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit? I noticed, the pope never crossed himself. Too offensive for the Muslims and Jews?

Ecumenism is poison. It's twin is relativism. If you start modifying your religion so as not to offend other religions it's not a good sign.

Christ did not come to bring peace but a sword with which to divide the sheep from the goats. He did not preach ecumenism. Early Christians did not pray in front of Caesar's statues; they chose death over appeasing their enemies.

Jews and Muslims deny the divinity of Christ. In doing so they are no different from other who do, the Arians, Modalists, Adoptionists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Unitarists, etc.

Christ never suggested we should pray with heretics. He forbade his disciples to preach to the Gentiles and even the Samartians who are schismatic Jews!

[presidio9]

There is a very long practice in the Catholic Church that popes do not go to synagogues, or mosques for that matter.

100% false. Please try again. Pope do not go unless INVITED, which would be more than a little bit rude. When they are invited, they absolutely DO go. JP2 hit a number of mosques and synagogues, including one here in NYC. Please try again.

[presidio9]

Christ never suggested we should pray with heretics. He forbade his disciples to preach to the Gentiles and even the Samartians who are schismatic Jews!

So, that begs the question: Were you born an Orthodox Jew? If not, how did you become a Christian?

[kosta50]

So, that begs the question: Were you born an Orthodox Jew? If not, how did you become a Christian?

As an afterthought of Paul and Barnabas.

[stfassisi]

“”I think he is just trying to imitate Christ to a limited extent. “”

You're being way too judgemental in my opinion .

Perhaps you should read the following article...

Orthodox and Catholics: Standing Together To Combat Relativism
http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=30770

[stripes1776]

100% false. Please try again. Pope do not go unless INVITED, which would be more than a little bit rude. When they are invited, they absolutely DO go. JP2 hit a number of mosques and synagogues, including one here in NYC. Please try again.

You prove my point for me. JP2 was the first pope to visit a synagogue in 1900 years. You are trying to make this sound like a pope visiting a synagogue is as common as breathing air. It is not a routine practice. And I think this has only happened four times--twice by JP2 and twice by BXVI. Four times in 1900 years, and all of those within the last few years. No there is a common historical trend in Catholic practice!.

[presidio9]

Please find me a list of invitations to synagogues and mosques that Popes have turned down. I’ll wait.

[stripes1776]

I’ll wait.

If only the modern Popes had your patience to wait.

[presidio9]

As an afterthought of Paul and Barnabas.

Si vos have quispiam loquor, narro is. In english please.