Posted on 01/02/2011 2:02:17 PM PST by marshmallow
Azhar, Coptic Church to try to resolve disputes
Egypt's top Muslim cleric on Sunday criticized Pope Benedict XVI's call for world leaders to defend Christians as interference in his country's affairs, the official MENA news agency reported.
The call, following a deadly church car-bombing in northern Egypt, was "unacceptable interference in Egypt's affairs," Ahmed al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the oldest Islamic seat of learning, told reporters.
"I disagree with the pope's view, and I ask why did the pope not call for the protection of Muslims when they were subjected to killings in Iraq?" he said at a news conference.
Benedict at a New Year's Mass at the Vatican appealed for the "concrete and constant engagement of leaders of nations" to protect Christians in the Middle East, in what he termed a "difficult mission."
In the wake of rising tension and "especially discrimination, abuse and religious intolerance which are today striking Christians in particular, I once again launch a pressing appeal not to give in to discouragement and resignation," he said.
Dozens of Christians gathered inside a cathedral compound on Sunday to demand the state and church do more to help them.
One protester, Nader Shenouda, said: "When there was a threat from al Qaeda a month or a month and a half ago, did the government have to wait till the disaster happens before they (the government) protect us?"
Their protest coincided with a meeting between Pope Shenouda III and Sheikh Tayeb, the head.
But several dozen Coptic protesters chanted at Tayeb: "We don't want you" and banged on his car as he left.
Tayeb, who renewed his condemnation of the New Year's Eve church bombing which cost 21 lives, said Azhar, the highest institute in Sunni Islam, would form a joint committee with the Coptic Church to...........
(Excerpt) Read more at voiceofthecopts.org ...
Ping!
Calling for end to oppression is interference. lol.
The muslim cleeric must be a moderate. He didn’t blow up the church himself, he just defends the people who did.
Someone needs to tell him it was Muslims killing Muslims..
This is just more evidence that Islam is satanic.
I appreciate Benedict’s willingness to speak out. Again, sometimes I think the guy is a Freeper.
The Copts aren’t muslims. They’re Christians. The Coptic Church was based on the teachings of St. Mark. (http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/thecopticchurch/index.html) But al-Tayeb is of course using a straw man argument, since the muslims in questions weren’t being murdered as a matter of religious persecution, and the Christians in Iraq are. No tenet in Christianity or Buddhism or other faiths prescribes the three choices given by islam: conversion, second class citizenship & jizya, or total war. Egypt’s top cleric is thusly not directly addressing the issue. He’s doing a, “But look what he’s doing” argument. Weasel.
Birds of a feather........
>This is just more evidence that Islam is satanic.<
.
I hope the new US Congress realizes it and takes notes.
Instead of criticizing the bombers in an unqualified fashion, he lashed out at a Christian. Typical.
Instead of criticizing the bombers in an unqualified fashion, he lashed out at a Christian. Typical.
Calling a Moslim a weasel is just wrong.
Weasels don’t deserve such a nasty, vile, unjustifiable comparison.
;-)
He did. Many, many times.
When I saw the headline at first I thought it was referring to Pope Shenouda as "Egypt's top cleric" since he is the head of the largest Christian church there and wondered what was going on. I heard him speak once, many years ago, in the US, and was favorably impressed--he seemed to be a very learned and serious man.
The pope is calling for the protection of Egyptians.
Muslims show that for them islam trumps nationality and family. The ignorant cleric doesn’t care that the pope is calling for the protection of his fellow countrymen. He just makes it about religion.
And meanwhile the cleric is doing nothing to stop it, ergo, he’s complicit.
Your words, not ours.
If we had said that, all heck would have broken loose.
You’re right, GladesGuru, my apologies to the weasels, I’ve been remiss. ;)
The Copts were Christian 1500 years before the Reformers removed themselves from Christianity. Did you not know this?
PUH-leeeeze.
I wonder what that Muslim's cleric's screen name is because I can't tell his comments from yours or the other anti-Catholics that insult the pope on a daily basis.
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