Posted on 09/16/2006 9:58:20 PM PDT by TaxachusettsMan
CAIRO, Egypt — The head of Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Church on Saturday became the first top Christian leader to join the Muslim world in denouncing comments made by Pope Benedict XVI's about Islam and jihad, as religious and political leaders warned of impending sectarian violence despite the Vatican's insistence that the Roman Catholic leader's words were misinterpreted and he didn't intend to be offensive.
Coptic Pope Shenouda III said in published remarks that he didn't hear Benedict's exact words but that "any remarks which offend Islam and Muslims are against the teachings of Christ."
Christians, mostly Coptic, make up about 10 percent of Egypt's 73 million people and generally live in peace with the Muslim majority, but violence flares occasionally, particularly in small southern communities. Many Copts have complained of discrimination.
The Coptic church also has been at odds with the Roman Catholic church since as early as the 5th century over the rising influence of the Catholic papacy. The split was sealed in 1054 with an exchange of anathemas — essentially spiritual repudiations — between the Vatican and the patriarch of Constantinople, now Istanbul, Turkey, and still the spiritual center of Orthodoxy. The Coptic Pope Shenouda refused to meet with the late Pope John Paul II when he last visited Egypt.
"Christianity and Christ's teachings instruct us not to hurt others, either in their convictions or their ideas, or any of their symbols — religious symbols," Shenouda was quoted as saying in the pro-government Al-Ahram newspaper.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
You didn't even want to meet with Pope John Paul II, so why should we be surprised to see you reacting - WITHOUT HAVING HEARD/READ WHAT THE POPE HAD TO SAY - with a response that earns you a place on the stage with Hezbollah, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, the Grand Sheik of Al-Azhar Mosque, and an assortment of spiritual leaders who surely have more respect for you than we poor Roman Catholics.
From other Christian leaders, Orthodox and otherwise . . . listen . . . why, it's The Grand Silence!
Thanks, everyone!
he didn't even hear the remarks????
The Islamo-whackjobs didn't understand the words and this Patriarch didn't even read/hear them!
But hey! Don't let your lack of facts or knowledge get in the way of a good effigy-burning riot or a public condemnation of your brother in Christ.
People are so mean-spirited and xenophobic when they think of this part of the world as . . . well . . . "primitive".
I do believe Allah is 'another God'.
And what has the REV. Jackson said about it?
A thousand years of living under Muslim rule have made the pope of Alexandria a fearful person. He know what the Muslims are like.
The Coptic church is under perpetual persecution from Muslims. Thus any condemnation from church leaders should be considered as if it came from someone with a gun to their head, or more accurately , a knife to their throat.
***Congratulations, Pope Shenouda III ! ***
What can the world expect when you are a Dhemmi in your own country!
Well, somebody on another thread said that Shenouda wants to keep his 3 hots and a cot. Taking a look at the plump little guy, I'd say he's not suffering unduly, and the Coptic Church there is widely known to be nothing but an Egyptian government tool. Since the theoretically secular government has to make nice to the Islamic nutjobs, I guess he's just doing his duty to his employers.
He's in a very difficult position, so he's saying something soothing and meaningless. Why do people think that's so terrible?
Right. Because Christ never preached against anyone...it would have been wrong to hurt, say, moneychangers.
I question the wisdom (indeed, the sanity) of any man, regardless of his position in a church or his title, that doesn't realize that Jesus Christ Himself - as He is in Truth, the Son of God and crucified Savior of Mankind who rose from the dead - offends those guys.
To declare that Jesus is Christ (Messiah) is offensive to Muslims. This Coptic Pope is a coward, refusing to suffer for Christ.
Is this guy lost and not a follower of Yah'shua. Yah'shua is the the G-d of Abraham , Isaac and Israel. Allah is not the god of Abraham, Isaac and Israel ! Mohammed and his followers are followers of the Prince of the power of the Air. Wow!
b'shem Yah'shua
He could have said nothing at all. Plus he's a plump little dude who is obviously doing just fine on the handouts from his Muslim masters, so I guess he didn't want to upset the gravy train.
Sad!
Anyone who is looking for a friend of the Jews or of "Bible chr*stians" in the ancient churches is wasting his time. These churches--made up of the descendants of the very first non-Jewish chr*stian converts--hate Israel and chr*stian Zionism, which they constantly label a heresy. These people are not our friends and it is an act of stupidity to defend them.
BTW, the Non-Chalcaedonian churches (of which the Coptic Church is one) are the most ethnic, most liberal, and least theological of all communions however aesthetically beautiful their liturgies might be. And this is the same Coptic Pope who is participating in the new age "united religions initiative."
Jews and American-style "Bible chr*stians" have no friends but each other. Count on it.
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