Pope tries to heal rift after controversy

[verte76]

I saw this on the Turkish Daily News site. I'm cutting and pasting the article because of registration requirements.


Pope tries to heal rift
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
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Inter-faith dialogue crucial to peace


CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy - AFP and Reuters


Pope Benedict XVI told Muslim envoys here on Monday that a dialogue between Christians and Muslims was "vital" to preserving peace and stability in a world threatened by religious tensions.

"I should like to reiterate all the esteem and the profound respect that I have for Muslim believers," the pontiff told the ambassadors and charge d'affaires from 22 Muslim countries that he had invited to his summer residence outside Rome.

The meeting was the latest step in an unprecedented diplomatic offensive by the Vatican aimed at mollifying Muslim anger over recent comments by the pope in which he quoted from a medieval text that criticized some teachings of the Prophet Mohammed as "evil and inhuman."

"I am profoundly convinced that in the current world situation it is imperative that Christians and Muslims engage with one another in order to address the numerous challenges that present themselves to humanity," the pope said.

"Christians and Muslims must learn to work together ... in order to guard against all forms of intolerance and to oppose all manifestations of violence," he added.

The meeting at Castel Gandolfo, which had been heavily promoted by the Vatican as a major step in reaffirming the pope's commitment to inter-religious harmony, lasted barely 30 minutes.

After his address, the pope shook hands and exchanged a few words with the assembled envoys, some of whom expressed satisfaction with the meeting.

"I think it is time to put what happened behind us and build bridges among all the civilizations," said Iraqi Ambassador Albert Yelda, who nevertheless defended the anger that had greeted the pope's comments earlier this month.

 

[AliEnvy]

I find it interesting that it took the Vatican 50 years to apologize for its silence on the Holocuast and the current Pope has spent the better part of a month in non-stop apology mode for (insensitive, badly-timed) remarks he probably still believes to be true.

Building bridges is a good thing

 

[verte76]

Yeah, it took us a long time to clean up the WWII fiasco. This was addressed at Vatican II, actually, I get so disgusted at right wing Catholics like Mel Gibson who blame all of the problems in the Catholic Church on Vatican II. Excuse me, the priest sex scandal was because of Vatican II?

 

[Nube Gris]

Pope Benedict XVI

 

[verte76]

Yeah, he's a bright guy, he just doesn't have Pope John Paul II's' charisma. So his job is a little harder.

 

[AEON]

Yeah, he's a bright guy, he just doesn't have Pope John Paul II's' charisma. So his job is a little harder.

I'll take brains and wisdom over charisma.

However, I think John Paul II had both That certainly helps in the day and age of Mass Media.

 

[Muggsy]

hmmm... i wish I would agree with you verte and nube gris...

 

[deep]

I find it interesting that it took the Vatican 50 years to apologize for its silence on the Holocuast and the current Pope has spent the better part of a month in non-stop apology mode for (insensitive, badly-timed) remarks he probably still believes to be true.

I don't know

could it be?

maybe ?

he was not quite ready for a JPII moment.

 

[Angela Harlem]

he gives me the dry heaves. and his predecessor, too.

 

[toscano]

he gives me the dry heaves. and his predecessor, too.

What about this guy ?

"Egyptian Cleric Safwat Higazi Explains His Fatwa Sanctioning the Killing of Israelis Visiting Egypt"

http://www.memritv.org/Transcript.asp?P1=1276


or this guy ?

In a parched clearing a few hundred yards on, more than 100 Taliban fighters ranging in age from teenagers to a grandfatherly 55-year-old have assembled to meet their provincial commander, Muhammad Sabir. An imposing man with a long, bushy beard, wearing a brown and green turban and a beige shawl over his shoulders, Sabir inspects his troops, all of them armed with AKs and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. He claims to have some 900 fighters, and says the military and psychological tide is turning in their favor. "One year ago we couldn't have had such a meeting at midnight," says Sabir, who is in his mid-40s and looks forward to living out his life as an anti-American jihadist. "Now we gather in broad daylight. The people know we are returning to power."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14975282/site/newsweek/site/newsweek/

 

[verte76]

I'll take brains and wisdom over charisma.

However, I think John Paul II had both That certainly helps in the day and age of Mass Media.

I agree, I really think John Paul had it all. He was a great pope, and he may be canonized some day.

 

[verte76]

It's unfortunate that the Taliban is picking up steam in Afghanistan, but Egypt is a moderate Muslim state that recognizes Israel and it will continue to do so.

 

[A_Wanderer]

Egypt is a dictatorship that only recognises Israel because of the billions of dollars in military aid that the USA gives it. The support for the Muslim Brotherhood does not seem to be insignificant.

 

[AliEnvy]

he was not quite ready for a JPII moment.

lmao indeed...the bullet-proof Popemobile isn't suicide bomber-proof.

 

[Angela Harlem]

What about this guy ?

"Egyptian Cleric Safwat Higazi Explains His Fatwa Sanctioning the Killing of Israelis Visiting Egypt"

http://www.memritv.org/Transcript.asp?P1=1276


or this guy ?

In a parched clearing a few hundred yards on, more than 100 Taliban fighters ranging in age from teenagers to a grandfatherly 55-year-old have assembled to meet their provincial commander, Muhammad Sabir. An imposing man with a long, bushy beard, wearing a brown and green turban and a beige shawl over his shoulders, Sabir inspects his troops, all of them armed with AKs and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. He claims to have some 900 fighters, and says the military and psychological tide is turning in their favor. "One year ago we couldn't have had such a meeting at midnight," says Sabir, who is in his mid-40s and looks forward to living out his life as an anti-American jihadist. "Now we gather in broad daylight. The people know we are returning to power."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14975282/site/newsweek/site/newsweek/

Yes, dearest toscano. I dislike those who are morally worse than the pope. Are you honestly asking this, or are you a bit of a 5-pack?

 

[Irvine511]

What about this guy ?

"Egyptian Cleric Safwat Higazi Explains His Fatwa Sanctioning the Killing of Israelis Visiting Egypt"

http://www.memritv.org/Transcript.asp?P1=1276


or this guy ?

In a parched clearing a few hundred yards on, more than 100 Taliban fighters ranging in age from teenagers to a grandfatherly 55-year-old have assembled to meet their provincial commander, Muhammad Sabir. An imposing man with a long, bushy beard, wearing a brown and green turban and a beige shawl over his shoulders, Sabir inspects his troops, all of them armed with AKs and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. He claims to have some 900 fighters, and says the military and psychological tide is turning in their favor. "One year ago we couldn't have had such a meeting at midnight," says Sabir, who is in his mid-40s and looks forward to living out his life as an anti-American jihadist. "Now we gather in broad daylight. The people know we are returning to power."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14975282/site/newsweek/site/newsweek/

and these people carry just how much international clout in comparison to The Pope?

though i bet they and the Pope have one thing in common: they don't like the gays.

but still -- continue to bait Islam!

 

[Angela Harlem]

I thought toscano pasted about them in a bid to highlight there are worse people out there to have a problem with - as if to invalidate any problem with the Catholic Church one might have.

Either way, this is ridiculous, isn't it. What is that they say about the best defence being offence or something?

 

[A_Wanderer]

and these people carry just how much international clout in comparison to The Pope?

though i bet they and the Pope have one thing in common: they don't like the gays.

but still -- continue to bait Islam!

Can't we go after both?

There is a good deal of hypocricy - and it is disgustingly plain where the religious are silent (do they go after clerical fascism killing off gays and non-Christian unbelievers - no). Itn terms of principled and consistent opposition there are those on the left who do so very well.

 

[Irvine511]

Can't we go after both?

There is a good deal of hypocricy - and it is disgustingly plain where the religious are silent (do they go after clerical fascism pushing on rights - no). Itn terms of principled and consistent opposition there are those on the left who do so very well.

of course, but the flaw in logic lies in the equating of these islamist idiots with one of the most important figures in the world.

 

[A_Wanderer]

There is no single institution governing the faith like there is in Catholicism, the comparison in that respect is unfair but in terms of what is preached and practiced they are representative of a few cases.

The magnitude of what they are stating is also clearly greater than the implied concept that Islam lacks reason in faith that the Pope was making.

 

[verte76]

The one constant in all of this is Islam. Then there's the pope. Then there's toscano. 'Nuff said.