Posted on 05/05/2006 8:35:26 AM PDT by Dark Skies
LONDON - Prince Charles on Thursday officially opened London's most unlikely new landmark - a large Bedouin tent that will be used to promote peace and reconciliation.
Created of out goat hair, the structure stands in the garden of the former St. Ethelburga's Church which was destroyed by an Irish Republican Army bomb in 1993.
The church reopened as a center for peace and reconcilication in 2002 and the tent - built in Saudi Arabia and designed to withstand London's regular rain showers - will be used for events promoting interfaith dialogue.
Addressing leaders from nine faiths, Charles on Thursday argued for greater understanding between the faiths.
"We are all trying to explain the nature of mystery and in a sense it is almost impossible to explain, he said.
"If only we could understand each other's groupings to understand the mystery, not try to overdo the way in which we decide that we know everything, we might perhaps reduce the level of conflict and violence and misunderstanding."
The opening received messages of support from international figures including the Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, former U.S. President Bill Clinton and rock star Bono.
Academic Keith Critchlow designed the tent according to the tenets of geometry, algebra and astrology rather than on traditional religious lines.
It is carpeted with rugs woven in conflict zones.
A tent was chosen because it is associated with the nomadic origins of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
St. Ethelburga's attracts up to 5,000 visitors a year from conflict areas as far apart as Northern Ireland and Tibet.
Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Zoroastrians, Sikhs and members of the Baha'i faith were represented at Thursday's ceremony.
In his message, Clinton praised the center.
"As the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 in my country and the devastating attack on the church at this site so painfully demonstrated, there are still those who place their difference above our common humanity, who prefer to demonise people who are unlike them rather than learn from one another," he said.
Do you think he's gone native, Harry?
Let's not give Bush any ideas!
His mother needs to slap the shiite outta him.
Does anybody trust this one enough to let him be king?
I can't say that hasn't occurred to me.
I'd gather his mother certainly doesn't, or she would have ceded the throne to him long ago.
They should exile him to Bermuda as they did with King Edward. What a loon!
When will Saudia Arabia allow a church to be built in Mecca?
what the guy standing behind prince charles is thinking.
"stupid dhimmi infidel! These idiots are making our conquest of europe soo easy."
Well, don't be too hard on the lad. The choice between "pagan follower of Islam" and "pagan follower of Episcopalianism" is a pretty tough one in reality. The former wants you to deny the Messiah, the latter wants you do deny the Messiah and everything else God said in the Bible.
Does anybody trust this one enough to let him be king?
***
No...which is why his mother is holding on to the throne.
I'm really praying the Queen outlives him.
Guilt trip?
And as King, wouldn't he also be Supreme Governor of the Church of England. How would that work, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith, a convert to islam?
A tent was chosen because it is associated with the nomadic origins of ... Islam.
Long live the queen!
..all this lunacy and bad teeth too....
In islam, the Messiah is the Mahdi. Jesus is just a prophet like any other.
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