Security will be tight around the Pope to protect him from those who are enraged that he would call for an end to religious violence. From Ynet News, with thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist:
Italian media reported that security around Pope Benedict XVI has been beefed up following the harsh responses to his remarks on Islam.[...]
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that the pope’s comments were "ugly" and said the pontiff should withdraw them.
"The Pope spoke like a politician rather than as a man of religion," Erdogan said.
“We cannot accept these statements. The Islamic world cannot accept them. I think these statements cannot be accepted by the Christian and Catholic world either."
Hizbullah and Lebanon's top Sunni Muslim religious authority denounced the pope’s remarks, with the militant Shiite Muslim group warning of a global religious schism.
Hizbullah called on the Vatican to review the pope's "declared attitude which can lead to world divisions and from which the enemies of humanity - the neo-conservatives led by (US President George W.) Bush and the neo-racists and Nazis, the Zionists who attack civilians and the land - can benefit.”
'We will blow up all of Gaza’s churches'
The spiritual leader of Lebanon's Sunnis, the Grand Mufti Sheik Mohammed Rashid Kabbani, said the pope's remarks emanated either from "Ignorance and lack of knowledge or were deliberately intended to distort Islam."
Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said “there should be no controversy; the pope has already explained his true intentions. The religious dialogue and the respect for every religion is a necessity, and religion doesn’t justify violence.
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said of Benedict XVI: He is a great pope, with great intelligence.
Right-wing politician Roberto Calderoli said “I ask myself some crazy member of the Left will come forth and demand the pope’s resignation. According to the crazy people, he has offended the Muslim world. The holy father’s message is that of peace and dialogue.”
Five churches throughout the West Bank were attacked by Palestinians wielding guns and firebombs.
Firebombings left black scorch marks on the walls and windows of Nablus' Anglican and Greek Orthodox churches. At least five firebombs hit the Anglican church and its door was later set ablaze. Smoke billowed from the church as firefighters put out the flames
In a phone call to The Associated Press, a group calling itself the "Lions of Monotheism" claimed responsibility for those attacks, saying they were carried out to protest the pope's remarks in a speech this week in Germany linking Islam and violence.
Later Saturday, four masked gunmen doused the main doors of Nablus' Roman and Greek Catholic churches with lighter fluid, then set them afire. They also opened fire on the buildings, striking both with bullets.
In Gaza City, militants opened fire from a car at a Greek Orthodox church, striking the facade. A policeman at the scene said he saw a Mitsubishi escape with armed men inside. Explosive devices were set off at the same Gaza church on Friday, causing minor damage.
On Friday night about 2,000 protesters gathered outside the Palestinian parliament building to express their anger at the pope's statement. "This is a new crusade against the Arab Islamic world. It comes in different forms, in cartoons or lectures ... They hate our religion," Ismail Radwan, a local Hamas official, told the rally.During one rally gunmen in Gaza city opened fire at the Greek Orthodox church; no injuries or damage were reported. An unknown organization named “The sword of Islam claimed responsibility for the incident.
“We want to make it clear that if the pope does not appear on TV and apologize for his comments, we will blow up all of Gaza’s churches,” the group said in a statement.
And that will show the world how peaceful Islam is.
Italian nun murdered in Mogadishu
Gunmen have shot dead an Italian nun in the Somali capital Mogadishu, witnesses and medical workers have said.
The attackers shot the nun three times in the back in a hospital in the south of the city, also killing her bodyguard before fleeing the scene.
The nun, who has not been named, is believed to be in her seventies.
Brave new world.
The Muslims are giving us maximum comic relief as they threaten violence and engage in violence because Il Papa quoted Emperor Paleologos who said Muhammad was violent and evil
Everyone at Jihadwatch is laughing at the irony. Il Papa has done the West a service by highlighting and exposing the insanity that calls itself Islam. Where you have Jihadist organizations such as the Taliban and Muslim brotherhood howling for apologies from the Holy Father. Pinch yourself people, this is not a dream, this is year 2006 and it's going to get a lot worse.
Even people with little regard for the Pope and the Catholic church are with the Pope here after they see the barbarous reaction of the so called ummah
He MUST NOT personaly APOLOGISE..........under any circumstances!
The attack on the Greek Orthodox church in Nablus is further proof that Dhimmitude is not the proper stance to take towards enraged Muslims. No other church has been as willing to join in condmenation of the Israelis; none other has as long a history of Dhimmitude; none other has as long a history of seeing its people brutalized by Muslim rule.
You just can't make this stuff up, and I just can't believe how many people still don't realize it.
Let's see:
1. Islam is a religion of peace.
2. “We want to make it clear that if the pope does not appear on TV and apologize for his comments, we will blow up all of Gaza’s churches,”
3. Many more statements like the above.
4. In Gaza City, militants opened fire from a car at a Greek Orthodox church, striking the facade.
5. Many more acts like the above.
Who is kidding who?
But nothing is more fitting than this:
In a phone call to The Associated Press, a group calling itself the "Lions of Monotheism" claimed responsibility for those attacks, saying they were carried out to protest the pope's remarks in a speech this week in Germany linking Islam and violence.
Almost makes you want to cry.
God Bless Pope B16 for his couragous stand against the violence and oppression of Islam. He is a true role modal.
Group threatens to kill all Christians in Iraq if Pope doesn't apologise personally to Mohammed within 3 days.
http://www.aina.org/news/20060916154058.htm
This is a retaliation looking for an excuse. Someone must have looked through the Pope's speeches with a microscope looking for a reason to start attacking Christians. We have to return the favour because they won't give up until they are victorious or all dead.
“We want to make it clear that if the pope does not appear on TV and apologize for his comments, we will blow up all of Gaza’s churches,”
This is why Israel must always have control of the Holy Land. What would become of the holy sites of the Christian religion in the hands of these thugs? How many Christian pilgrims would they shoot in the back? The Jews keep the doorawy to Jerusalem open.
The Greek Orthodox Church has a long history of disgraceful collaborationism. They have betrayed their congregations by collaborating with the Communist regimes in Eastern Europe. Now they're collaborating with the Muslim terrorists.
Someone is going to have to stand up on National/International television and point out that the reaction of the Islamic world in no way contradicts the passage the Pope quoted. And that the Islamic world had better damn well grow up and behave like the mature religion it should be by now and reform. Being a "religious movement" does not disqualify you from the consequences to your actions. Robert Spencers calm and intelligent message needs to be heard.
Either that or face throwing the world into a horrible religious war. One from which civilization will triumpth only with the destruction of hostile faiths and religious oppression.
May logic and reason dominate and mankind lay aside his destructive superstitous beliefs to step into the light of science where there is no jew, gentile, muslim, or infidel but all are simply human beings.
Get some spine already! Willya? These people look for any excuse to start killing infidels. One should not look for logic, sanity or dialogue, where they do not exist. Its time to accept what history is dumping on the west in the early part of the 21st century.
The only way to defeat them is to shoot them with bullets bathed in pigs' blood and bury them in the pigs entrails--ala General Pershing!
Question for Mr Ibrahim Hooper of CAIR:
Is this the type of islamophobic reaction you're worried about from Christians in the United States?
Why don't you start looking in the mirror pal.
Remember,the reason there is a bulletproof "Popemobile" is because a Muslim had shot Pope John Paul II.
If they can declare war, based on such a soft criticism of Islam, then war they will have.
Let them declare war... they will be defeated.
Let them declare war... we will win!
Islam is at war with mankind.
Mankind will defeat Islam.
God Bless the Pope!
On a local WABC radio talk show called Religion on the Line, the hosts, a priest and a rabbi had an interchange with a local Muslim community leader. In the course of the discussion, the Pakistani gentleman began a discussion of the historical context of Manuel's quote. At one point he started to refer to the event 50 years later when Constantinople fell. He began by saying something to the effect that "some time later the Muslims ..." and he paused for about five seconds at that point and came back with "took over Constantinople." So the Muslims don't invade other people's lands and attack, massacre, loot, rape and enslave infidels in the name of their religion. They simply, by magic as it were, "take over."
It was actually very kind of our Muslim brethren to confirm what Emperor Manuel said 600 plus years ago. It isn't every day that people go out of their way to make fools out of themselves in order to confirm something unfavorable that someone has said about them.
By the way, speaking of burning churches in Gaza, there were Jews living in the city of Gaza for centuries up to 1929, when they were seriously threatened by some of their peaceful Arab neighbors. The British administration in Israel at the time encouraged or acquiesced in the local Arabs' penchant for being militantly or over-enthusiastically peaceful.
Just now came across this article. Am feeling somewhat hopeful after reading it.
"The Pope Takes on the Prophet"
http://web.israelinsider.com/Views/9462.htm
These Muslims have been trying to convince the world how “peaceful” and tolerant they are, which history proves they are far from it.
Didn’t history record the Muslims intentions to take over the world by barbarous acts of murder and pillage?
Didn’t history record the Infidels and Christians awaken to that fact and drive them out?
Didn’t history record the Muslims still have their intentions of barbarous acts of murder and pillage to take over the world?
Is now the time for the world to learn from history and drive these murderous barbarians out of their countries again?
When someone quotes history to that fact results in Muslims declaring war, I think it’s past time.
History has got it right.
Robert Spencer has got it right. He quotes history and facts.
Posters on this site has got it right. Time to send them back where they came from one way or another!!
These threats against the Pope are most certainly going to draw the lions to the front of the flock. I think the Muslims need to be forewarned.
I am, for instance, a Roman Catholic.
And you thought I was an enemy of Islam before this...
It absolutely amazes me that Muslims think they have cornered the market on Righteous Anger. They obviously don't know much about Americans, Italians, Irish, Catholics or any mixture in-between.
You might just get the Crusade you've been asking for.
Allah is an impotent god. Cant do anything for himself. Needs to have mentally challanged jihadists do his dirty work for him. Everytime a church is attacked or a non-believer murdered, it is Allah doing it thru his murderous minnions. Allah the killer...Quran 8:12 'I shall terrorise the infidels'. Oh what a liar. Allah never terrorized anyone. He gets idiots to do it for him. Only the deranged would sign up to serve Allah. An idiot is one who's IQ is zero to 20...above that is the imbecile, IQ about 20/40...then there is the moron 40/70. Muslims never rise above moron. Most of the ummahs intellectual specific gravity falls between imbecile and moron, with frequent dips into imbecilia. Few Islamics are actually idiots...that usually requires hospitalization and potty training...believe it or not, most (but not all) muslims are potty trained by the age of ten. Most suicide bombers have IQ's right around 60/70. These submitters can learn to follow simple instructions and do simple tasks, like blowing themselves up in pizza parlors, burn churches or threaten the Pope, and they can do it without pooping their drawers. Allah loves a potty trained muslim. Just think what Islam would be like without potty training...
“We want to make it clear that if the pope does not appear on TV and apologize for his comments, we will blow up all of Gaza’s churches,” the group said in a statement.
+++++++++++++====
all brag, no action. just do it.
Re: "we will blow up all of Gaza’s churches,”
Islam's true violent colors shine brightly again.
Don't forget the fact that Christians have been dwindling in numbers throughout the Middle East for years because of Muslim intimidiation and aggression.
Don't forget the fact that 5 Christian churches have aleady been firbombed in Palestinian occupied areas because of violent reaction to the Pope's words that condemn violence done in the name of religion.
Don't forget that in many Muslim nations such as Saudi Arabia Christians can't even build a church or a school.
Don't forget the priest murdered in Turkey
http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,411043,00.html
Don't forget the nun who was recently murdered in Somalia.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/17/world/main2015687.shtml
Don't forget 9-11, 7-7, the Madrid train bombings, the Bali bombing of a night club, the Beslan terroist attack in a school, etc.
Don't forget that some Muslims now want to murder the Pope.
The time has come to rally around the Pope and criticize the violent actions that Muslims are doing to Christians.
If Muslims blow up churches because the Pope quoted a medieval text...
What should we do to Mosques when they shoot nuns in the back?
"What should we do to Mosques when they shoot nuns in the back?"
if all western people refused to hire muslims in their factories/offices/shops and we collectively avoid travelling in their countries and spend money on their goods, THAT would be enough of a reply. At ZERO cost. And nobody would tell us what we are violent.
I am starting to get scared that there is an active war against us and the majority of our citizens still don't want to do anything about it. If they actually kill the pope will we fight back. Will the citizens of catholic countries like France, Italy, Spain, southern germany go on a rampage and massacre the muslim parasites that live there. Maybe in Italy but I can't see the rest doing anything.
Hello, I am new here, I am muslim, but very worried about actions of some of my fellow muslims regarding slavery.
a friend sent me these pictures last week, does anyone know what is going on? he didn't want to tell me any more - he fears danger.
http://www.imgbox.co.uk/uploads/cf0a61c7f9.jpg
http://www.imgbox.co.uk/uploads/e66ed4bd16.jpg
Muhaajiroun wrote: "a friend sent me these pictures last week, does anyone know what is going on? he didn't want to tell me any more - he fears danger."
It appears to be slavery.
Looks like his slave master is a motorcycle mechanic and has bound that poor man in motorcycle chains.
Read about slavery in Islam here:
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_9_54/ai_85410331
To quote the WWII retort: "nuts"
No, let's not burn down a mosque for Jesus, but it would be well to shut down every Wahhabi mosque in the West - that is about 95% of them - are you listening Ibrahim ? Are you living well on your petro dollar salary ? Is the Wahington belt still kissing your butt ?
God bless this pope and guard him and protect him.
Islam.....A really peaceful religion. If this is their peace, I don't even want to imagine what they consider violent.
Demoralizing the enemy is the first step in winning the war, keep it up! If history can piss-em off, they got a lot of evil history we can use on them!
The Pope’s speech was about the primacy of reason in religion --- it did not condemn the Prophet of Islam, Mohammed.
You can read the whole of the Pope’s speech at the Vatican website:
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/september/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060912_university-regensburg_en.html
But, don’t worry about the safety of the Pope. He has great security – as good as the President’s. The Swiss Guard is not merely a ceremonial guard – they are a highly trained ‘Secret Service’ bodyguard for the Pope. After the May 13, 1981, assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II by Mohamed Ali Agra (yes, a Koranimal – who said he was commanded by Allah to kill the Pope), the Swiss Guard radically increased its training regime, got training from the US Secret Service, hardened all aspects of security for the Vatican and the Pope (the Popemobile is only one small example of all this).
The Islamo-fascists are not the whole of Islam. But, they are a substantial part of Islam. They believe that Allah commands them to wage Jihad (Holy War) upon all those who do not accept Islam. They believe they will go to Heaven if they follow this command. That they will go to Hell if they do not.
Imagine that God came to you in a mystical vision and commanded you to kill your neighbor --- and yourself too. That God told you that you would either go to Heaven (if you followed God’s command) or Hell (if you disobeyed God’s command). Do not think such a command could not come to you. Do not think such commands only come to Muslims from Allah – they come to Christians too.
Imagine that God personally came to you and commanded you to kill your own child. That God did not even tell why He wanted you to kill your child. Would you follow God’s command? Do not think that could not happen to you. It happened to Abraham when God commanded him to kill his adult son Isaac.
“And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.” Genesis 22:10.
Abraham was old and weak, Isaac was strong and young (in his twenties). Isaac could have easily overpowered his elderly father and saved his life. But, both of them submitted to God’s command – Isaac did not resist his father or his God, he was ready to die at his father’s hand because God commanded it. His father was ready to kill him for the same reason. We know that God was testing their faith and that He spared Abraham and Isaac from this terrible end at the last moment.
What we see here is that submission to God’s Will, to God’s commands, even unto the point of death, or worse yet unto the point of killing your own child, is part of our own religion. It is part of who we are. Part of who we are as Christians.
The word ‘Islam’ itself means submission.
This understanding of our submission and their submission is a signpost on the road to our understanding of the warfare that the world will have to endure for several decades.
We may try to ignore their warfare, but they will not ignore our refusal to war back upon them. They will bring war to us regardless of whether we sleep while they war upon us or whether we fight them back. We are in a war we did not ask for, did not declare, but that war will come to us. You do not get to choose who will make war upon you – that choice is entirely upon them. You only get to choose whether you decide you take their declaration of war seriously or not.
Nobody who was in the Twin Towers on 9/11 knew why they died. They were innocents.
This warfare will not end until we come to some understanding of Islam. We must also come to some understanding of our own beliefs.
We have been just as willing to die, and to kill, as they have been.
The Pope was suggesting that God does not like killing – or even violence – as a method of converting people to the one true God.
That question – can the ‘true faith’ be established by force (whether the true faith is Islam or something else), is the central and defining question of this century.
Millions will die upon that question in the coming decades (some gladly).
Make no mistake: millions will gladly die to ‘convert’ us to their true faith (that requires us all to submit to their false version of Islam – or die by their sword if we do not ‘accept’ their ‘invitation’ to convert to Islam).
This is not some thing we should fear. Everything will work out in the end.
I remember praying Novenas for the conversion of the Communists in Russia. There was no sword there.
I will pray for the conversion of the Islamofascists.
But, I will fight them down like rabid dogs if they attack us.
Reason is what the Pope was talking about - reason is just what we do not see from those who demand their 'religion' should rule over all.
The central question of this century is whether Reason will triumph faith. The secondary question is what place Faith will take behind Reason.
Very truly yours,
Jeffrey Zoeller (P46943)
Witzel & Zoeller Lawyers PC
321 Woodland Pass, Suite 300
East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 337-8324
jeffrey@zoeller.org
jeff@virtual-lawyer.net
I think this beefed-up security is an over-reaction. The Muslims would never dare attack someone as visible as the Pope. They would know how strongly we non-Muslims would react to such a violent provocative act. They would know that their propensity towards religiously-inspired violence would be unmasked before the world. They know that, in the face of such a brash act, we would not try to sweep the event under the rug, claiming "it was not terrorism-related" even before the investigation began and instead diagnosing "mental illness" in a "lone deranged individual" before even interviewing the culprit. No, the Muslims would never dare attack the Pope.
Oh, wait. They already did, in 1981.
Jeff said
The President's Secret Service agents would have had their hands full if the passengers on UA Flight 93 had not stopped the terrorists.
These jihadists should not be underestimated. Remember in 2004 in Chechnya, how they assasinated President Kadyrov by building explosives into a new stadium, so that months later they could set them off when the President was in the stadium?
Diabolical doesn't begin to cover it. I do worry about the safety of the Pope, and anyone else who dares to name the unnameable. But, some things are worth putting one's safety at risk.