Article

2006-11-26 Europe

Turk Bestseller: "Who Will Kill the Pope in Istanbul?"

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Posted by Sneaze Shaiting3550 2006-11-26 00:00|| || Front Page|| [8 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Aren't the Turks having a lottery for this or something?

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2006-11-26 00:34|| 2006-11-26 00:34|| Front Page Top

#2
Some background:
http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/2006/08/just_fiction.html
Is it only a novel? I have to read some wishful thinking into Turk interest in this type of work. Maybe I will write a novel about some retired CIA agents - born again Christians - who build a time machine and go back to the time that Muhammad was claiming prophet status, and debunk his claims. I will call the book: "Muhammad Made It All Up." Could I interest a Turkish publisher?

Posted by Sneaze Shaiting3550 2006-11-26 04:39|| 2006-11-26 04:39|| Front Page Top

#3
Could I interest a Turkish publisher?
Careful, it might insult Turkishness. :-)

Posted by gorb 2006-11-26 04:44|| 2006-11-26 04:44|| Front Page Top

#4 Sneaze Shaiting3550 - your proposal is more likely to interest a Turkish assassin than a publisher.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2006-11-26 05:31|| 2006-11-26 05:31|| Front Page Top

#5 IF they do kill the Pope it's the beggining of the gears for the next all out World War. I don't think it will cause the boom to start it, but I think it will be the lighting of the fuse.

Posted by Charles 2006-11-26 06:34|| 2006-11-26 06:34|| Front Page Top

#6 Will all due respect, if Pope Benedict would pull his thumb out and call for a Crusade I will convert to Catholicism and take holy orders.

Posted by Excalibur 2006-11-26 09:11|| 2006-11-26 09:11|| Front Page Top

#7 Why go to a country full of hatred and frustration.Visit Christian countries only as you cant trust muslim countries!!!!!

Posted by Jererong Elmoger4617 2006-11-26 14:40|| 2006-11-26 14:40|| Front Page Top

#8 But there'd be no act in the Center Ring.

Posted by .com 2006-11-26 14:42|| 2006-11-26 14:42|| Front Page Top

#9 Why go to a country full of hatred and frustration.

Because that's where the sinners are.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2006-11-26 14:48|| 2006-11-26 14:48|| Front Page Top

#10 Count the conversions on one hand.

Posted by .com 2006-11-26 14:49|| 2006-11-26 14:49|| Front Page Top

#11 But it's really shiny.

Posted by .com 2006-11-26 14:50|| 2006-11-26 14:50|| Front Page Top

#12 It shows courage. Something to be applauded, not mocked.

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-11-26 15:41|| 2006-11-26 15:41|| Front Page Top

#13 Okay. Mock? And what will it accomplish? Let's be honest. He won't score any points with them because they don't share his / our reality. Period. Full stop. All that can happen is either nothing or something dumb, something for the ummah to get hinky about.

I'm glad he inspires you - honest. Doesn't do that for me.

Peace.

Posted by .com 2006-11-26 15:47|| 2006-11-26 15:47|| Front Page Top

#14 Think about it. What is the preeminent sacrifice in the Christian religion? If it takes the forfeiture of his life to awaken the West to the danger so long rationalized with the usual liberal-socialist hand wringing, why would the number one symbol of that religion not make a similar sacrifice?

Posted by Procopius2k 2006-11-26 19:37|| 2006-11-26 19:37|| Front Page Top

#15 I don't want him to die. I want them to die.

Posted by .com 2006-11-26 20:40|| 2006-11-26 20:40|| Front Page Top

#16 he's taking the risk and speaking the truth - that's courage. If he's a martyr, he's done the highest duty, and could mobilize nations.

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-11-26 21:30|| 2006-11-26 21:30|| Front Page Top

#17 Except that as soon as he's dead, those many who would prefer not to hear can begin forgetting the whole thing. He does more good by continuing to live and demonstrate courage by speaking aloud what those many would prefer to pretend isn't so.

Posted by trailing wife 2006-11-26 21:41|| 2006-11-26 21:41|| Front Page Top

#18 he's taking the risk and speaking the truth - that's courage. If he's a martyr, he's done the highest duty, and could mobilize nations.

I'm with Frank on this one and in a big way. I gave this exact issue some extensive thought last night. The risk Pope Benedict is taking has everything to do with the titanic gulf that separates Catholicism and Islam. As the Vicar of Christ, Benedict is not just obliged but beholden to emulating his Good Shepherd in every possible way.

At first blush, both Christianity and Islam would seem to share a common fixation upon martyrdom. In reality, there is a monstrous difference, in every sense of the terrible word. More often than not, Christian martyrs were sent to the stake only after, if not entirely because, they refused to renounce their belief in God. It was precisely this unwillingness to forsake their savior that brought down such wrath upon their heads.

Compare this to a so-called faith that permits its adherents to deny loyalty, feign conversion, simulate apostasy and commit a host of other cardinal sins against their own beliefs in the name of propagating said putative faith. What then is the significance of a Muslims destructive martyrdom when it all too often results in the slaughter of innocent life and the destruction of hard won property?

This is the yawning breach that divides Christianity from Islam. One refuses to disown its Supreme Being at any cost, even that of life itself. While another cheerfully dissimulates the most egregious of trespasses if that will permit even a slight advantage in besting those who would show great good humanity towards them.

.com, I am not familiar with your own religious training, but I have studied comparative religion and made a point of trying to comprehend the basis of this worlds numerous faiths. I think you may wish to reconsider your assessment of Benedicts supposed desire for any sort of shallow center ring entertainment. He in no way approaches this situation so lightly. His life is at stake, he knows it and carries forward with courage and fortitude that can only be termed as exemplary.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2006-11-26 23:06|| 2006-11-26 23:06|| Front Page Top

22:45 ErickWahne
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23:39 Swamp Blondie
23:29 Zenster
23:25 Glenmore
23:21 Anguper Hupomosing9418
23:06 Zenster
23:06 Anguper Hupomosing9418
22:59 Silentbrick
22:56 Anguper Hupomosing9418
22:52 Anguper Hupomosing9418
22:48 Anguper Hupomosing9418
22:45 ErickWahne
22:35 Chuck
22:26 Zenster
22:25 Hilaliburton Bondi Barbie Div.
22:09 Old Patriot
21:58 USN,Ret
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21:53 .com
21:52 USN,Ret
21:41 trailing wife
21:32 Frank G
21:30 Frank G