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.

[mnehring]

...what's he doing saying any prayers in a Mosque?

Such as "God help these people change their ways"? Hard for any of us to judge if we don't know what he prayed. That is between him and God.

[americanophile]

...turns out he didn’t pray there. Just reflected.

[kosta50]

kosta, at times we may have expressed many disagreements on various topics, but on this issue we see eye to eye

:)

[kosta50]

Gentiles are Christians as an afterthought (cf Act 13:46); it was never the mission preached by Christ (Mat 28:19 is a latter-day addtion).

[kosta50]

If there is a human leading your Church, I'm wondering how often he does these sorts of things

Our Divine Liturgy goes back 1,700 years, from its inception.

[presidio9]

Gentiles are Christians as an afterthought (cf Act 13:46); it was never the mission preached by Christ (Mat 28:19 is a latter-day addtion).

What, exactly, is your point? And I mean EXACTLY.

[presidio9]

Our Divine Liturgy goes back 1,700 years, from its inception.

That response has no relevance to what I posted.

[kosta50]

The reply was aimed at your post #134. I may have pinged you on an adjacent post.

[stfassisi]

Didn't Jesus tell us to imitate him? I expect the pope, or any Christian, to do that for that reason alone.

Do you think you have been given authority to decide who imitates Christ properly?

Do you believe the Holy Spirit is leading you or do you think it is your own self interest that is leading you?

[kosta50]

Do you think you have been given authority to decide who imitates Christ properly?

Do you think you have been given authority to decide who is being guided by the Holy Spirit?

Do you believe the Holy Spirit is leading you or do you think it is your own self interest that is leading you?

To the extent I use Christ as the standard of excellence, otherwise it is my own interest.

[kosta50]

It has relevance regarding changing “traditions.”

[presidio9]

Are you having troubly with the meaning of the word EXACTLY?

Say what you want to say or stop wasting my time please.

[Cronos]

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.

The Islamic shahnamah involves prostrating. The man standing next to the Pope seems to be at the process of starting his prostration. First they touch their cheeks, then their chest, then their b***s while kneeling and then they prostrate, then they get up and start the whole thing over again. Go to a mosque and you'll see....

[americanophile]

...but he didn’t prostrate himself, and he was praying. I think the Imam might know better than even you?

[Cronos]

Nope, as per Islamic ritual, he was NOT.

[americanophile]

..better call the Mosque and let the imam know!

[americanophile]

"Standing in Prayer

Keeping the gaze fixed to the ground, men should place their right hand over the left one in the following manner: Grab the wrist of the left hand by forming a ring with the LITTLE FINGER (pinky) and the THUMB around it placing the palm of the right hand on top of the left hand and extending the 3 middle fingers over the left arms wrist."

http://path-to-peace.com/prayer_how.html

[kinsman redeemer]

I clipped the wrong italicized part of your message - I guess I was not careful.

Here is an article from Christianity Today that includes more of the story and in particular "the theories of a Jesuit theologian, Jacques Dupuis, whose work had disturbed the Vatican."

Thanks for your note to me.

[stfassisi]

First let me say I'm sorry for coming of harsh in any way in post #169.It's because I don't think your criticism of the Pope is well grounded,but you're entitled to your opinion

Do you think you have been given authority to decide who is being guided by the Holy Spirit?

Its not an authority,it's the belief that when I see people reaching out in love that I believe is the Holy Spirit is at work in human nature guiding them

I wish you peace

[kosta50]

First let me say: no hard feelings, sfa. I take your criticism as I would from a member of my own family, or a fellow Orthodox. I want you to know that I love this pope and have gerat deal of respect for him and what he is doing. I just happen to disagree that Christians have any business praying in mosques, synagogues or arian churches for that matter; iow, in any place where the divinity of Chirst is denied.

Its not an authority,it's the belief that when I see people reaching out in love that I believe is the Holy Spirit is at work in human nature guiding them

It's not in the acts, but in the furits that the Holy Spirit is discerned.