It’s hard to be Egyptian: water turning to blood, frogs, lice, wild animals, diseased livestock, boils, hailstorms, locusts, darkness, death of firstborn, and now Pope Francis.
Seriously, Francis notes the “incompatibility of violence and faith” and says: “Let us say once more a firm and clear ‘No!’ to every form of violence, vengeance and hatred carried out in the name of religion or in the name of God.”
This all sounds good, but this is the man who said that “authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence.”
It is clear that he has not revised that catastrophically counterfactual view, for instead of moving from his statement about rejecting violence in the name of religion to call upon Al-Azhar to reform the teachings of Islam that call for violence against unbelievers, Francis went on to an appeal for arms control and an oblique denunciation of Donald Trump and European leaders who want to stem the Muslim migrant onslaught: “Francis called for an end to the ‘proliferation of arms’ and lambasted ‘demagogic forms of populism.” On guns he said: “If they are produced and sold, sooner or later they will be used. Only by bringing into the light of day the murky maneuverings that feed the cancer of war can its real causes be prevented. National leaders, institutions and the media are obliged to undertake this urgent and grave task.” As if taking away weapons would end the jihad, which is what someone who believes that the Qur’an is opposed to any form of violence would think.
In greeting Al-Azhar’s sinister Ahmed al-Tayeb, Francis was once again photographed grinning happily while Tayeb stares back coldly. Every photo of them captures the same expressions, and they are a parable for the “interfaith dialogue” scam and for the Western leaders’ attitude as compared with that of the leaders of Muslim countries: the naive and ignorant Westerner reaching out in unfeigned friendship, happy to prove himself “tolerant” and not “Islamophobic,” while his Muslim counterpart, far more aware of what is going on, reacts coolly, and does not reveal what he is thinking.
But those who are aware of the contempt for Christians that is in the Qur’an and Sunnah, and the nature and magnitude of the global jihad, will have a pretty good idea of what is going through al-Tayeb’s mind.
“Leave them; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14)
“Pope Francis in Egypt: ‘No to every form of violence,'” by Sarah Sirgany and Joe Sterling, CNN, April 28, 2017:
Cairo (CNN)Pope Francis, speaking at the heart of Sunni Islam scholarship, stressed the importance of unity between Muslims and Christians to shape world peace and emphasized the “incompatibility of violence and faith.”
“Let us say once more a firm and clear ‘No!’ to every form of violence, vengeance and hatred carried out in the name of religion or in the name of God,” the Pope said in Italian in a speech at a peace conference at Al-Azhar University, the premier seat of high learning among Sunni Muslims.
The Pope arrived in Egypt on Friday, kicking off a two-day trip designed to forge Muslim-Christian brotherhood and show solidarity with the country’s persecuted Coptic Christian minority.
Francis met with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb and became the first pontiff to visit the institution since Pope John Paul II in 2000.
The Pope and the Grand Imam spoke at the closing of the International Conference for Peace, organized by Al-Azhar. When he greeted the Grand Imam, the Pope called him “my brother.” The men sat side by side at the conference….
Francis opened his speech with “As-Salaam Alaikum,” the traditional Muslim greeting in Arabic that means “Peace be upon you,” after the imam’s address.”In order to prevent conflicts and build peace, it is essential that we spare no effort in eliminating situations of poverty and exploitation where extremism more easily takes root, and in blocking the flow of money and weapons destined to those who provoke violence,” he said.
Francis called for an end to the “proliferation of arms” and lambasted “demagogic forms of populism.”
“If they are produced and sold, sooner or later they will be used,” he said. “Only by bringing into the light of day the murky maneuverings that feed the cancer of war can its real causes be prevented. National leaders, institutions and the media are obliged to undertake this urgent and grave task.”…
The Pope, again speaking in Italian, focused on Egypt’s role in fighting terrorism in the region, evoking incidents from its biblical and modern history. He ceremonially greeted all Egyptian people, including minority Christians — Coptic Orthodox, Greek Byzantines, Armenian Orthodox, Protestants and Catholics.”Your presence in this, your country, is not new or accidental, but ancient and an inseparable part of the history of Egypt,” he said. “You are an integral part of this country, and over the course of the centuries you have developed a sort of unique rapport, a particular symbiosis, which can serve as an example to other nations.”
Francis highlighted the sacrifice of members of the army and the police, the forced exodus of Christians from Sinai and the latest church bombings. He also stressed respect for human rights and religious freedoms….
Pope Tawadros II, head of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, then greeted Francis at St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo’s Abbassiya district, state TV said. They walked together in procession and took part in ecumenical prayers at the adjacent church of St. Peter, the site of a deadly blast in December that left at least 23 people dead….
Thomaspj Poovathinkal SSP says
ONE WHO does not HELP himself CANNOT be expected to be HELPED by OTHERS, whether Governments, friends or anybody else. In the same way ONE WHO does not PROTECT HIMSELF cannot be expected to be helped by OTHERS.
WHY NOT people PROTECT THEMSELVES, first of all? Are GOVERNMENTS trustworthy? or POLICE or ARMY?
SELF PROTECTION, SELF DEFENSE first of all. AND THEN ONE MUST HAVE A REASON TO DIE FOR. Others’ HELP or PROTECTION may be or may not be there.
Thomaspj Poovathinkal SSP says
DURING THE LAST WYD (WORLD YOUTH DAY) IN POLAND IN 2016, THE DEPUTY P.M. OF POLAND, IT IS WHO SAID OF POPE FRANCIS, “HIS DUTY IS TO SAVE SOULS AND MY DUTY IS TO SEE TO YOUR SECURITY.” POPE FRANCIS’S WORDS AND EFFORTS ARE AIMED AT THAT. AND WHO ARE WE TO BLAME HIM?
Thomaspj Poovathinkal SSP says
IF anybody EXPECTS Pope Francis to PLAY an army captain,HE is very much mistaken. The Church in our times is too much ADVANCED in HUMAN WISDOM to do that. Besides, the Church has also learned from the PAST. So NO going to the past to learn from it to do the same thing in our present TIMES. IN THE PAST, the Popes may have DIRECTED NATIONS and ARMIES, but no more it is going to happen in the same way.
Thomaspj Poovathinkal SSP says
The Thoughts and goals of BOTH these leaders do not MATCH. LOOK at their BODY LANGUAGE. INSTEAD of wasting WORDS and ENERGY in such kind of exercises, Pope Francis could DECLARE to his followers and to his Church, that we are NOT an EVANGELIZED PEOPLE and that we are like THOSE in Luke 7, 29 – 30 i.e. THE PHARISEES AND THE EXPERTS :
“All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.”
This CAN CAUSE US TO rethink AND change OUR DIRECTION TOWARDS REPENTANCE TO ENTER THE KINGDOM UNLIKE THE PHARISEES AND THEIR FRIENDS.
Thomaspj Poovathinkal SSP says
TWO CLEVER MEN trying to conquer each other?
Thomaspj Poovathinkal SSP says
Christianisation is ONE THING – just get hold of the HEAD MAN of the tribe and make him happy with all kinds of foods, drinks and other materials and conveniences and all the tribe come into the net or throw holy water or food or what not and some people come into the net – it is called Missionary ACTIVITY but EVANGELISATION is another thing. It is DONE BY the TRUE APOSTLES of The Lord. Here we get MARTYRS in PLENTY for into the HEARTS of such people THE WORD of GOD has found it’s way through the preachings of People annointed by the HOLY SPIRIT. SIGNS of the KINGDOM appear in PLENTY among such people .And these People will not FALL AWAY when the circumstances change or persecution arise.
Thomaspj Poovathinkal SSP says
“In greeting Al-Azhar’s sinister Ahmed al-Tayeb, Francis was once again photographed grinning happily while Tayeb stares back coldly.”
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS when CLEVER MEN meet together unlike MEN COMMISSIONED by Jesus The Lord.
David Conell says
If the readers can, let’s focus on the Pope’s exhortation itself because it goes right to the heart of the matter which is the Islamic doctrine on the nature of God. For the Islamic understanding is in error because it is contrary to the correct nature of God and thus contrary to human nature. The Islamic god is a god of violence and Islam therefore compels violence. This was the message of Pope Benedict delivered not in Cairo, but Regensberg in 2006. So consider Benedict’s message delivered.
denis says
In what Utopian world is this pope living. Muslims preach and teach that this pope is a person of the book, a non-believer, a kafir. To Muslims he is an enemy to be killed because he could never be converted to Islam. This pope is actually kissing the asses of this Islamic religion of hatred and despair. It is a religion that is not compatible with modern society. It is a religion of violence. The only way Islam can gain a respectable place in a modern society is by reforming itself from within and by preaching the Christian way and that is “To love our fellow man,”
This pope is an idiot.
Thomas Poovathinkal says
SINCE false Apostles INSTITUTIONALIZED the Church of The Lord, This Pope too is continuing in the same line. He is taking care of The Institution of the Church and the members of the institution in a reasonable way. IF he were to ACT in line with Peter in the ACTS OF THE APOSTLES, it would be different and he would CONTINUE to FOLLOW, OBEY Jesus The Lord and his Holy Spirit. And the main and the most important OCCUPATION of his would have been THE PROCLAMATION OF TH GOD’S WORD.
Thomaspj Poovathinkal SSP says
Vatican City, Jul 23, 2017 / 05:07 am (CNA/EWTN News).- On Sunday POPE FRANCIS SAID, good and evil are often entwined, and that as sinners, we can’t label any one group or institution as bad, since we all face temptation and have the ability to choose which path to follow.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/pope-the-choice-between-good-evil-is-one-we-all-have-to-make-78564/?utm_source=CNA&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_newsletter
Thomaspj Poovathinkal SSP says
“In greeting Al-Azhar’s sinister Ahmed al-Tayeb, Francis was once again photographed grinning happily while Tayeb stares back coldly”
ARE WE ALL TRUTH SEEKERS like India’s Swami VIVEKANANDA? He at the end (UNLIKE the MAHATMA who said, “I LIKE CHRIST but NOT Christians.”) of his search ended up SAYING, “If we want SALVATION keep close to CHRIST.”, “HE is higher than ANY OTHER GOD you can ever IMAGINE.”, “IF you don’t believe he is GOD. then DON’T BELIEVE HIM.” etc, etc.
Please Refer : COMPLETE WORKS, Volume No. 8,page No. 190-191, “INCARNATION or AVATARA?” Mayavati Memorial Edition, Champavat, HIMALATAS, year 2002
* PEOPLE enslaved by ORGANIZED RELIGIONS are NOT NECESSARILY DESTINED to enjoy ETERNAL HAPPINESS unlike THE TRUTH SEEKERS.