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| Europe |
| Vatican to Muslims: practice what you preach |
| 2006-02-23 |
| Hattip Drudge. More trickle down from the "Cartoonifada." I hope the Catholics are proud of their Church's leadership on this issue. EFL After backing calls by Muslims for respect for their religion in the Mohammad cartoons row, the Vatican is now urging Islamic countries to reciprocate by showing more tolerance toward their Christian minorities. "If we tell our people they have no right to offend, we have to tell the others they have no right to destroy us," Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican's Secretary of State (prime minister), told journalists in Rome. "We must always stress our demand for reciprocity in political contacts with authorities in Islamic countries and, even more, in cultural contacts," Foreign Minister Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo told the daily Corriere della Sera. Reciprocity -- allowing Christian minorities the same rights as Muslims generally have in Western countries, such as building houses of worship or practicing religion freely -- is at the heart of Vatican diplomacy toward Muslim states. "Enough now with this turning the other cheek! It's our duty to protect ourselves," Monsignor Velasio De Paolis, secretary of the Vatican's supreme court, thundered in the daily La Stampa. Jesus told his followers to "turn the other cheek" when struck. "The West has had relations with the Arab countries for half a century, mostly for oil, and has not been able to get the slightest concession on human rights," he said. Bishop Rino Fisichella, head of one of the Roman universities that train young priests from around the world, told Corriere della Sera the Vatican should speak out more. "Let's drop this diplomatic silence," said the rector of the Pontifical Lateran University. "We should put pressure on international organizations to make the societies and states in majority Muslim countries face up to their esponsibilities." |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #16 One of my hopes and dreams as a Christian is a re-unification of the Church. By that I don't mean under the Pope in Rome or a Patriarch in Constaninople (sp) but a unity of purpose and ideals. I was raised Catholic and still have certain afinity for the creed and practices of the RC Church. At the same time time I am involved with a women who was raised Luthern. And to me donomination differences don't mean shit. And they don't to most priests/pastors I have met either. The world today is in a war for our spirits. On one side there is the faithful that practice moderation and fellowship, no matter there creed or religion. On the other are those whose single minded belief in one aspect of their faith allows them to condone acts beyond the pale. Just my 2 cents |
| Posted by: Cheaderhead 2006-02-23 23:34 |
| #15 Midway is dead on - the Radical Islamists/Extremists = Lefties > desperate for Ideo-Validity + Faith-led Modernity in all things. For Myself the Church is trying hard NOT to say ISLAM AS A FAITH WILL NOT BE SAVED MERELY BY ISLAM FORCING ITSELF ON THE WORLD AND TAKING OVER THE POSSESSIONS AND IDEAS, ETC. FROM THE INFIDELS. Islam must be saved from within, by and for Islam and Muslims, by "true believers" whom believe that God is for all, NOT the FEW vv waffling God-based Policrats, Governmentists, and Regulators, etc by and for the sake of same, THAT GOD MUST BE CONTROLLED!? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2006-02-23 23:01 |
| #14 Reciprocity -- allowing Christian minorities the same rights as Muslims generally have in Western countries, such as building houses of worship or practicing religion freely -- is at the heart of Vatican diplomacy toward Muslim states. Not doing very well, is it. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2006-02-23 21:38 |
| #13 Jesus gave counsel on what *I* should do when someone slaps *me* in the cheek. No counsel given when they slap someone else's cheek. Also, the advice is given to individuals. There is no guidance given in the New Testament to nations or governments. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2006-02-23 19:50 |
| #12 hokay - my R.C. "child of the 60's" ('59 actually) teachings sez you may get in one shot. But it will definitely come with a price, and I reserve the right to escalate :-) |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-02-23 19:41 |
| #11 No, it is another 'child of the 60's' misreading of the testament. In Christ's time you slapped a social inferior or slave with the back of your hand. If the person slapped turns the other cheek you would be forced to slap with the palm side, which means you are slaping an EQUAL. Not crawling under the table. |
| Posted by: Midway 2006-02-23 19:22 |
| #10 LOL - no muslim here - I wipe with both and wash after |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-02-23 19:19 |
| #9 "it also points out to us Catholics that there are limits to turning the other cheek." I don't believe there is anything in the Old Testament about turning the other cheek! All that twaddle is New Testament clap-trap intended to encourage a "kindler, gentler" Christianity. |
| Posted by: Vinkat Bala Subrumanian 2006-02-23 18:55 |
| #8 and the left side only Don't tell me you've got some sort of Muslim hang-up about this? |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-02-23 18:23 |
| #7 I meant I only do it once - and the left side only. I'm told my right side is my good side. Best eye on the scope as well... :-) |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-02-23 18:19 |
| #6 there are limits to turning the other cheek I know whacha mean, Frank. First you get slapped, then you get spanked and then you run out of cheeks to offer and things get real squirrelly. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-02-23 17:57 |
| #5 it also points out to us Catholics that there are limits to turning the other cheek. Some already knew that. Others, blissfully felt that appeasement/inaction/remaining quiet is taking the moral high ground. Those are the ones we need to wake the F*&k up. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-02-23 17:23 |
| #4 One more item on the tipping point scales. Bingo, tw! |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-02-23 17:10 |
| #3 I don't think it will make any difference on the Muslim side at this point, but that such things are actually being said, publicly, is important. One more item on the tipping point scales. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-02-23 17:07 |
| #2 How entertaining. Let's see if one of the world's most firmly established religions can lead by example and cause another, supposedly, established religion to make good on reciprocity. Part of me wants to scream, "FAT CHANCE!" But another little part of me is ever-so-slightly hopeful that the Vatican can pull another hat trick like they did in Poland. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-02-23 16:40 |
| #1 Is the shoe in mid air? |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet O' Doom 2006-02-23 16:04 |