In reality, Islam is unique among world religions in having a developed doctrine, theology and legal system mandating warfare against unbelievers. Unless and until that is confronted, Muslims will continue to commit acts of violence against non-Muslims, including Christians. The Pope is betraying the Christians of the Middle East and the world, and all the victims of jihad violence, by repeating palpable falsehoods about the motivating ideology of attacks upon them, instead of confronting that ideology and calling upon Muslims to renounce and reform Islam’s doctrines of violence. Pope Francis is not only disastrously wrongheaded about an obvious fact that is reinforced by every day’s headlines, but he is also deceiving and misleading his people about a matter of utmost importance, and keeping them ignorant and complacent about a growing and advancing threat.
Has anyone thanked Pope Francis for his defense of Christianity? Has he offered any? Is Ahmed al-Tayeb really the kind of person from whom Pope Francis wants to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant”?
“Leave them; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14)
“Vatican, al-Azhar focus on papal trip speeches in latest meeting,” by Elise Harris, Catholic News Agency, July 7, 2017 (thanks to Peter):
ROME – In the wake of Pope Francis’s whirlwind visit to Egypt, the Vatican and the prestigious Muslim al-Azhar University have held another meeting, focusing on the landmark speeches given during the pope’s visit.
The meeting, which took place July 3 at the apostolic nunciature in Egypt, was arranged by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the al-Azhar Center for Dialogue (CAD).
It fell two months after Pope Francis’s April 28-29 visit to Cairo, the result of a recent thawing in relations between the Vatican and the university, which had been strained since 2011.
According to a July 4 Vatican communique, the meeting focused primarily on the speeches of both Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Ahmed Muhammad al-Tayyib, during the pope’s visit.
Specifically, “the joint commitment to continue shared reflections, aimed at promoting a fruitful and effective interreligious dialogue was expressed, focusing in particular on the promotion of peace and the building of a more just world.”
Hailed as one of the most important speeches he’s given so far in his time as Bishop of Rome, the pope’s opening address to the International Conference on Peace, his first speech of the trip, issued harsh condemnation of religiously-motivated violence and a strong call for its rejection in the global sphere.
In the April 28 address, Francis said that “peace alone is holy and no act of violence can be perpetrated in the name of God, for it would profane his Name.
“Together, in the land where heaven and earth meet, this land of covenants between peoples and believers, 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,” he said.
Going on, the pope said we have “an obligation to denounce violations of human dignity and human rights, to expose attempts to justify every form of hatred in the name of religion, and to condemn these attempts as idolatrous caricatures of God.”
Violence and faith, belief and hatred, are incompatible, he said, and asked participants to join him in this affirmation: “together let us declare the sacredness of every human life against every form of violence, whether physical, social, educational or psychological,” he said, as the auditorium erupted in thunderous applause.
Likewise, al-Tayyib, who in his role as Grand Imam of al-Azhar is widely considered to be the highest authority in the 1.5-billion strong Sunni Muslim world, said in his speech that humanity ought to “stress the value of peace, justice, equality and human rights regardless of religion, color, race, or language.
“We need to liberate the image of religions from false concepts, misunderstandings, malpractices, and false religiosity attached to them. These evils bestir conflicts, spread hate, and instigate violence,” he said, adding that “we should not hold religion accountable for the crimes of any small group of followers.”
He thanked the pope for his “defense of Islam against the accusation of violence and terrorism,” and voiced his commitment to working together to establish peaceful coexistence and strengthen dialogue….
Ron du Bois says
Respect for every world religion is admirable with the exception of a religious ideology that advocates intolerance…
Savvy Kafir says
Respect should be earned — not just handed out freely to world religions, just because they have lots of devout followers.
Islam is the worst-case example; but the world is full of crazy religions.
Andy says
What does the pope think of this?
Veteran Blinded By Omar Khadr Says Trudeau Guilty Of Treason
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcUnRpBwZ6E
Andy says
http://dailycaller.com/2017/07/09/veteran-blinded-by-omar-khadr-says-trudeau-guilty-of-treason/
gravenimage says
Thanks for the link, Andy.
Andy says
My pleasure gravenimage,
We Patriots have to keep each other informed.
gravenimage says
🙂
Dave says
I wonder how the apostle Peter would reply to Pope Francis’ actions?
seasideroses says
Dave–the apostlePeter would have p-ointed his finger at him and said “this man is an imposter, a fraud, and he has nothing to do with me or Jesus Christ or God.
Jack Holan says
Pope Francis is one of the good Ole’ Boys now but I must ask him Why haven’t they invited him to Mecca to to Grand Mosque and jointly pray with the Grand Mufti for Peace and understanding ? Why aren’t they Pope Francis reciprocating your good will and never will? Your predecessor knew only too well from history. Do you have him drugged or gagged somewhere? He was a Man of Principle You’re a fool being used as a tool and perhaps the last Pope.
Barry says
Grimly, You’re spot on, Jack.
mortimer says
Jack had a good question: RECIPROCATION OF GOODWILL FROM ISLAM? Actually, no.
Does Pope Francis know this doctrine of Islam? Al Walaa wal Baraa? is an Arabic term in Islam, meaning “loyalty and disavowal”. It signifies loving and hating for the sake of Allah. [1] Al-wala’ wa-l-bara’ is referred to as holding fast to all that is pleasing to Allah, and withdrawing from and opposing all that is displeasing to Allah; namely the Kafirs (non-muslims) who are to be hated, for the sake of Allah. This is for their calling towards something other than submission to Allah, whether on purpose or by nature of disbelief. Muslims cannot befriend or love disbelievers. Hating for the sake of Allah signifies showing anger towards those who oppose Allah, His Messenger, His deen, and the believers. It is to struggle and fight against them in order to uphold and spread the way of Allah and His Messenger.
Does Pope Francis oppose Islam? If he doesn’t, he is no longer a Christian.
Tony Perring says
Doubt he ever was! Not many Catholics understand redemption as they are not taught the New Testament properly and fully. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the light, no man comes to the father except by me”. Muhammad and Islam are the false Antichristic religion predicted. How do I say this? I was brought up Roman Catholic and didnt find the Christian truth till I was in my twenties.
wm1 says
So glad you found the THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE (who is Christ).
This Pope, clearly, has not found Him and, therefore, is ill-equipped to defend Him…leading millions astray.
Glad, apparently, Robert Spencer has found Him as well.
Pray for him daily as his ministry serves humanity in uniquely profound ways which only a precious few can do.
Andy says
The hypocrite pope:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5xxQA7Umcw
roger woodhouse says
Its just do much easier to be ‘nice’than to be ‘confrontational ‘or to place any obligation to address the obvious flaws in Islam.Just another example of cowardice in the face of the enemy.
ruth says
The POPE, or PAPA, is betraying – has been betraying his post and spiritual role towards the entire world, Christians and non-Christians as well… Being the high religious authority that he is, standing up to Islam’s beligerant stance and conquest-based ideology, he’s shown how small, petty and close to zero his judgmental skills are, shamefully for him and for whoever voted him to be at the top of the Christian world of good faith and benevolence.
Blindness is all good when you’re to pay the price for your own blindness, but when you’re misleading, whether voluntarily or non-voluntary an entire world including your own culture, this is grave, this is serious, this is outrageous and this shows how frail western democracies all are…
Not one of our contemporary state leaders, except for the USA’s, Israel’s and India’s (judging upon his recent speech given in Israel upon his historical visit there) is taking terrorism seriously enough to tackle in an attempt to put an end to it.
Each and every one of those sissy and probably cowardly Euroarabia’s (Ex Europe)’s leaders are embracing their muslims as if they were the “blessing in disguise”, understanding or not understanding thay they’ve opened their gates to millions if not billions of Trojan Horses, intent on destroying, subjugating the West and forcing us, Westerners, to submit to their deranged, monstrous Allah and his no less perverse ”prophet”…
The Pope is not only showing his enormous weakness, moral, religious, human etc, he’s mainly jeopardizing an entire culture of Judeo-Christian and Buddhist/Hindu and other cultures that are put daily under the threat and terror of muslims wherever they are.
If he’s leading a new paradigm of thinking, well, this is a most poor, unintelligent, and totally deficient one. The world would have been much better off withOUT an impotent infentile as he is…. boooooooooo
pandainc says
“disastrously wrongheaded …??” The understatement of the day. Another poster said he was evil, I’m not so sure about that, but if you look at the history of the papacy, the cardinals have picked some Doosies over the years and this one is a FLAMING IDIOT.
blitz2b says
Francis’ predecessor had the guts to speak the truth about Islam while we see nothing but kowtowing to the pagan god Allah by this vicar of Christ’s own Church.
Will Francis go down in history as one of the worst Popes who actually facilitated the take over of Europe by the hordes of Islam?
PATRICIA FRANCES KOENIG says
Francis’ election was NOT valid due to canvassing for votes by the St. Gallen Group, aka Team Bergoglio. That makes Francis one of 30-40 anti-popes in our Catholic history. And he is the False Prophet of Revelation. Watch for Francis to change the Mass…so that it is invalidated. Then true Masses will need to go “underground,” in people’s homes. Francis is not even Catholic.
Jacqueleen says
Francis is not the last pope. Benedict XVI is. Francis is the False Prophet. His actions speak louder than his words. Muslims will deceive with a straight face to achieve their objective. Francis is a gullible fool working to condition the world to a one world religion.. ISOLATION IS WHAT THE MUSLIMS MUST GET.There is no such thing as a peaceful Muslim. The Radicals are openly aggressive and violent (a distraction from the DAWA of the moderates) and the so-called moderates are silently aggressive multiplying and infiltrating all facets of society to take the country over once in the majority without firing a shot….Sharia is not what we are accustomed to and unless we convert to Islam, we will be beheaded….Time to act is now. All Muslims must be evicted to the Middle East, Saudi Arabia for financing them and Yemen for training them….Let them live in tents and caves where the uncivilized belong. Isolation is the only way to keep the world safe from their aggression. Islam is not a religion because Allah is Satan and not God…God is not violent and would never insist on conversion…Our God honors our “Free Will!” Islam is a demonic, political cult….and should be banned in a civilized nation.
Trudeau must be on the take…by the NWO rich thugs….God is watching and He is still in control….the thugs will get their turn.
Notmoron says
I know a lot Latin Americans Christians, this pope is not a Christian. He is a leftard first
Mak says
I’m not a Christian so this is an outside view: but why do I not ever hear about this pope dealing with the persecution of Christians. There are Christians persecuted in the Middle East. The Copts, the Iraqi Christians, etc.
There are poor and suffering all over this world. I do think I remember Jesus championing them. Instead he worries about a hate group having hurt feelings over being called what they are? Can someone please send the pope a copy of the New Testament. I think he may have lost his. Or never cracked the binder.
Sheesh.
Frank Anderson says
Mak, “persecuted” is entirely too mild. Were multiple millions of Jews, Russians and others merely persecuted by the Nazis? Christians are being enslaved, raped, tortured, beaten, exiled, murdered in tens, hundreds and thousands by Muslims performing exactly the teachings of 1400 years, and the infallible Pope approves. Where Islam has openly defined itself as espousing murder, slavery, abuse and death, has Catholic Christianity through this Pope defined itself as a religion of suicide? What a reversal from over a thousand years of Catholic teaching?
Mak says
Yes, persecuted is too weak. Of course it is not surprising that the only religion Hitler admired was Islam. Both responsible for the deaths of millions of Jews.
What are the common people to do when “leaders” do things like this pope or our insane politicians who would utter “islam is a religion of peace” in their dying breaths after a jihad attack?
People like this pope need to either learn how to interpret facts objectively or be replaced.
mortimer says
Agree with Frank. It is actual genocide. Jihad is genocidal in nature. Sharia law is genocidal in nature.
gravenimage says
Yes, Mak, Frank and Mortimer–this is a full genocide against Christians in the Muslim Middle East.
Jacqueleen says
We, Catholics wonder the same thing….Francis never speaks out in defense of the many persecuted Christians all over the world not only in the Middle East. He is blind and unaffected by the pain and suffering of Brothers and Sisters in Christ. That is one of the reasons why we no longer listen to what he has to say…He has demoted or removed many of the absolute accredited clergy and replaced them with like minded Cardinals….Francis must have taken lessons from Obama or they have the same mentor…which is more like it. Obama since he is no longer president is showing by his actions(rubbing elbows with the wealthy on vacation) just how much re-distribution of wealth means to him…JUST GIVE HIM MORE….which has nothing to do with the poor. Come, Lord Jesus, come.
Andy says
Check this out everyone:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFZC_XnoXK4
somehistory says
I agree. but would change one word. Faith and “religion inc.” There is a difference between a *religion* and a faith.
IQ al Rassooli says
Quran Against the Christians
According to the Hadiths, the Christian ruler of Abyssinia protected the followers of Muhammad who escaped alleged persecution at the hands of the pagan Arabs.
Also according to the Hadiths, Muhammad met with the priest Bahira who allegedly recognized him as a prophet.
Furthermore Muhamnmad was married to his first and wealthy wife Khadijah who had a very Christian background.
Why then does Muhammad’s Quran attack Christianity and the Christians?
Answer:
Muhammad’s knowledge and understanding of Christianity was even more abysmal than that of his understanding of the Hebrew Bible, as I shall reveal forthwith.
Muhammad in his Quran made it clear to his followers that he was the awaited for Messiah of the Jews and Christians.
Al Saff 61:6 “And Jesus, the son of [Miriam], said: ‘Children of Israel, I am the Messenger of Allah (sent) to you, confirming that (which was revealed) before me in the Torah, and giving Glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad (the Praised One)’ But when he came to them with Clear Signs, they said, ‘this is sorcery!'”
*** Not a single follower of Muhammad, past, present or in the future can point out such a prediction in the New Testament without PERVERTING, CONTORTING & TWISTING, LANGUAGE, RELIGION, REALITY and FACTS ***
Al Baqara 2:116 “They say: ‘Allah hath begotten a son: glory be to Him.’ Nay, to Him belongs all that is in heavens and on earth: All are subservient and obedient to Him.”
Muhammad’s attacks on the Christians centered exclusively on the fact that Christians believe in the Trinity and that Jesus is the son of God. This, according to Muhammad’s Monotheism is SHIRK, meaning associating other gods with God rendering such believers KUFFAR subject to Conversion to Muhammadan Islam OR to death and destruction.
No matter how sweet Muhammadan scholars try to sugarcoat these diametrically opposite beliefs, the bottom line is that Christianity is as far as Muslims are concerned is synonymous with Paganism.
Al Imran 3:56 “As for those disbelieving infidels [Jews, Christians & pagans], I will punish them with a terrible agony in this world and the next. They have no one to help or save them.”
61 “If anyone disputes with you about Jesus being divine, flee them and pray that Allah will curse them.”
69 “It is the wish of the followers of the People of the Book [Jews & Christians] to lead you astray. But they make none to go astray except themselves, but they perceive not. …
*** Since the People of the Book already had the original and uncorrupted revelations, Muhammad’s Plagiarised, Plundered, Pirated and /or Perverted version of their scriptures was and still is no match to theirs.
That is why Muhammad’s Quran rants incessantly about their disbelief. of course they were and still are in disbelief about the mendacity, perversity and unholiness of Muhammad’s Quran ***
Al Imran 3:118 “O you who believe! Take not into your intimacy those outside your religion [pagans, Jews, and Christians]. They will not fail to corrupt you. They only desire your ruin. Rank hatred has already appeared from their mouths. What their hearts conceal is far worse. …
*** This verse is one among hundreds that DISCRIMINATE, INCITE HATRED and VILLIFY all humans who do not believe as the Muhammadans do, in ‘Allah and in Muhammad as his messenger’ ***
Al Nisaa 4:157 “‘We killed the Messiah, Jesus,’ but they killed him not, nor crucified him. It appeared so to them (as the resemblance of Jesus was put over another man and they killed that man). Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself. Those who differ with this version are full of doubts. They have no knowledge and follow nothing but conjecture. For surely they killed him not.”
*** With this single verse, the Quran Obliterates the whole of the Christian religion, because if Jesus did not DIE on the Cross, then there would have been NO Resurrection from the DEAD.
Without death & resurrection, Jesus could not have been the Messiah, the Redeemer of humanity, and hence there can be no Christianity***
Al Maida 5:17 “In blasphemy [kafara] indeed are those that say that Allah is Christ the son of Mary. Say: “Who then hath the least power against Allah if His Will were to destroy Christ the son of Mary his mother and all everyone that is on the earth….
18 “The Jews and the Christians say: ‘We are sons of Allah, and his beloved.’ Say: ‘Why then does He punish you for your sins? Nay, you are but men. He forgives whom He wishes and punishes whom He pleases.'”
*** Muhammad’s understanding of the words of the Bible – as repeatedly shown in his Quran – was utterly abysmal to say the least.
When the Bible mentions sonship, it is never meant as a biological one but only that god
– not Allah – is the father of all of His creation ***
Al Maida 5: 51 “O ye who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust”
The readers should not require many more such vile verses to be convinced of the Quran’s racism, hatemongering and discriminatory attributes.
Incessantly throughout its verses and chapters as in this verse alone, there are several extremely important mistakes rendering its alleged origin as divine, null & void.
It is thus, in summation, IMPOSSIBLE that the angel Gabriel who had, 610 years earlier predicted the birth of Jesus as the Redeemer of humanity, could have ‘revealed’ to Muhammad such Lies, Errors, Inconsistencies and Mendacities.
All these ABNORMALITIES are easily explained when and if the readers come to the only possible conclusion:
That no god called Allah or angel Gabriel ever revealed anything to Muhammad because every single letter, word, verse and chapter in the Quran are the product of Muhammad’s imagination; the secretions of his warped mind but very cleverly projected into the unsuspecting mouths of Allah and Gabriel to give them the aura of sanctity and divinity.
My question to Pope Francis (and every fair minded and logical person) is: How is it possible that you claim to have read the Quran and MISSED all the above (and more)?
Where in Muhammad’s Quran can anyone find a single operative verse showing ANY compassion and mercy towards Kuffar/ Infidels/ non Muslims?
Finally how is it conceivable that you Pope Francis declare that Allah is the SAME as the God of the Bible when in fact this is impossible by just listening to the enclosed video?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J-tLLrbkSo
IQ al Rassooli
Kafir & Proud!
A says
Regarding your comment on 3:118
Aren’t you enticing hatred?
Regarding your comment on 4:157
Okay so God is born, needs to eat, bleeds, and is killed by other humans….. And you believe that?
Forget about pointing fingers, look at yourself first.
gravenimage says
How is IQ al Rassooli “enticing” hatred by merely pointing out Muslim violence?
mortimer says
Agree with IQ. It is clear that Pope Francis does not understand Islamic doctrines which actually call for hate crimes against Christians when they ordinarily practice their faith. Sharia law NORMALIZE persecution of Christians. Obviously, Pope Francis is clueless about Islamic laws, Islamic practices of persecution and the 1400 year history of savage persecution of Christians. He chooses not to inform himself when the information of the above is plentifully abundant on the internet.
POPE FRANCIS IS CULPABLY NEGLIGENT WITH RESPECT TO LEARNING ABOUT ISLAMIC TEACHINGS and HISTORY OF ISLAMIC PERSECUTIONS OF CHRISTIANS and the PRESENT-DAY PERSECUTIONS.
Les says
With due respect and in reading the quotes of the Pope nowhere did I read he supports Islam. He condemned violence in the name of God and religion which is a condemnation of Islam which does precisely this. I agree that the Pope is a leftist socialist and tows the liberal insanity of play nice with evil and hope it goes away. Vatican II which emphasized evangelization through dialogue is the primary motivation of the Pope and the Church. Vatican II so far has been a failure
Kepha says
With you, IQ. However, Muhammad reminds me of a lot of cultured American “freethinkers” I’ve met, who have a few bits and pieces of biblical knowledge and utterly garble them. However, we live in an age of abysmal ignorance when it comes to the BIble. This is perhaps the only reason why the masses see Christianity and Islam as somehow “kindred” religions.
As for this Pope, he more and more strikes me as a Leftist first and a Christian somewhere waaaaaay down the line.
As for the Al-Azhar guy, where has he been when the Jihadis have been calling for slaughter, and getting many to act on those calls?
clap says
That picture at the top of the page. I can easily imagine the imam holding a knife in the hand that he has on the pope’s back.
If someone were to photoshop a knife into the imam’s hand, I would probably think it was real.
And if someone does photoshop a knife in there, switch the pope’s hat with a dunce cap while your at it.
gravenimage says
Thanks for helping us snow the filthy Infidels, foolish dhimmi!
Jaladhi says
This Pope is a joke – impeach him or the Catholics are on the way to conversion to Islam led by this Pope!1
Kepha says
Something tells me that while there may be a lot of Catholics who would followed Georgie Frank the Dhimmi and then go beyond into Islam, it is my prayer that this Pope’s bowing to Islam will force a re-appropriation of the Gospel–the Good News of Jesus’ righteousness, full humanity and full divinity, atoning death on the cross, and victorious resurrection on the third day (NOT a vapid and fatuous moralism)–across the entire Christian world.
Many of us have long recognized that even the best Popes, Patriarchs, Councils, and whatnot can and do err; and that we need the Gospel’s criticism to draw us back to God.
Buford says
This Pope is a pawn for Muslims & is Pure Evil he needs to be removed before he destroys the Catholic Church
Flavius Claudius Iulianus says
When I first heard it I thought it was just a conspiracy theory but now, more and more I am believing that Benedict was deposed and Francis was installed by Obama et al.
mohamonator says
No doubt, the mufti was thinking during the grip and grin, “We’ll bag you crusaders in two more generations.”
HugoHackenbush says
This guy (Frank) is the “Defender Of The Faith”??!! Where is the modern day equivalent of an Urban II or a Julius II when you need him. Oh, and “tear down those walls” around Vatican City Frank. They are, after all, xenophobic and Islamophobic.
somehistory says
Even the vilest of criminals has a *right* to a lawyer. In the U.S., that *right* begins at the very early stage of the criminal being accused, when he is arrested, put in a line-up, questioned by LE, and continues into the courtroom.
Even when all of the evidence…both eye witness and circumstantial…points the finger at his guilt.
So, the moslum creep is thanking the pope for being his defense…even in the face of all of the evidence…eye witness and circumstantial.
If the nations had a trial for islum, we could expect the pope to take the stand in its defense.
The True God is ruling in His Court of Divine Justice. He is aware of the pope speaking in defense of islum and the crimes of moslums. He is fully aware that all the pope and the moslum creep are saying are monumental lies. And Justice will be served.
Terry says
Some–personally, i would rather see justice served NOW, when I ( and the people at JW, and other non Muslims, who have the ability to think) ARE ALIVE.
RATHER, THAN AT SOME DISTANT TIME IN THE FUTURE- AFTER THOUSANDS IF NOT MILLIONS MORE, ARE KILLED BY MUSLIMS.
Because scum like pope Francis, Obama, Merkel, etc are too Politically Correct and don’t want to be labeled ( although they are labeled- as idiots and/or-co-conspirators) in the ongoing genocide of Jews and Christians.
somehistory says
Terry,
I too would like it right now. I would have liked it years ago. But I’m not the One deciding when is the Right time, the Best time, for complete and Final Justice to be served.
I’m more than willing to wait for God to take care of it in His Way and at His Time. I cannot change it. I cannot make anyone other than myself do anything.
Therefore, I wait and pray that it is God’s Time to act, SOON.
Kepha says
I’m with Somehistory on this one.
The Messiah Jesus holds all authority in heaven and on earth, and is breaking nations with his rod of iron. Sometimes I wonder whether the current furor islamicus isn’t a divine judgment on an apostate West, just as the Assyrian of old was God’s rod of anger against an apostate Israel (Isaiah 10). But we see crisis (a fancy Greek word for “judgement”) in the Islamic world and elsewhere as well–especially since, in recent years, Muslim responsiveness to the biblical Gospel has caught missions agencies everywhere shocked and surprised, all while being humbled and grateful for the cracks that are now appearing in the hard ground that is Islam.
somehistory says
Thank you, Kepha.
The Bible tells us that God disciplines those whom He loves.
Discipline contains not only punishment for wrong, but much more teaching. Just as a human father teaches, disciplines, his children.
Thanks for the lesson on the origin and meaning of ‘crisis.”
mortimer says
Pope Francis is not a scholar of the hadiths, Koran or Sira or the Sira or Sharia law or the schools of Islamic jurisprudence, and yet, preposterously, FRANCIS PROMOTES HIMSELF as a SPONTANEOUS, UNREAD, UNSTUDIED expert of Islam. Should Frank reak and STUDY something before sounding off asout how much they’re sinking into.
mortimer says
Correction; Shouldn’t Frank read and STUDY something before sounding off about it?
(more coffee)
HugoHackenbush says
Frank is a Jesuit. Now, if he had had an AUGUSTINIAN education he might have developed the capacity to learn on his own by going to the source materials (ALL of which can be ordered on Amazon). I wonder if Amazon delivers by drone to Vatican city.
Steve Klein says
I mean no offense or disrespect to Mr. Spencer. This pope is not the only modern pope who Jesus would not have called a ‘good and faithful servant’. The World War II pope (the pope who reigned during the Holocaust), likewise failed to sufficiently warn the faithful about and (even at the pain of death) fight a totalitarian, supremacist, murderous ideology that enslaved and murdered millions.
gravenimage says
Steve, that Pope saved thousands of Jews.
The idea that defending the horrors of Islam is the same is *quite* questionable.
Steve Klein says
“You shall make no covenant with them or with their gods.” (Exodus 23:32)
‘The meeting, which took place July 3 at the apostolic nunciature in Egypt, was arranged by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the al-Azhar Center for Dialogue (CAD)…..Specifically, “the joint commitment to continue shared reflections, aimed at promoting a fruitful and effective interreligious dialogue was expressed, focusing in particular on the promotion of peace and the building of a more just world.”
‘On July 20, 1933, the year Adolf Hitler took power, Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli and German diplomat Franz Von Papen signed a concordat that granted freedom of practice to the Roman Catholic Church. In return, the Church agreed to separate religion from politics. This diminished the influence of the Catholic Center Party and the Catholic Labor unions. The concordat was generally viewed as a diplomatic victory for Hitler. Neither Pope Pius XI nor Hitler attended the meeting; both had already approved of the concordat. The pope ratified the agreement two months later on Sept. 10. The Concordat of 1933 specified the church’s rights in the Third Reich’.
Frank Anderson says
GI, always with greatest respect, please read Hitler’s Pope. My uncle taught me at great length, “There are at least 3 sides to every story: Yours, Mine and Right.” This book, written by a former priest given unprecedented access to archives, started with the intention of exonerating Pius XII and wound up less than favorable. It is a little long but well worth the time. You may think further of your evaluation. In the present Francis’ words and actions are quite sufficient to tell anyone capable of thinking that he views Christians as unworthy of protection by him or anyone under his authority. His embrace and surrender to Islam is obvious. I am honored and blessed to have many Catholic friends, who have helped me in times of distress. I hate to see them subject to this leadership.
Wellington says
Frank Anderson: Cornwell’s “Hitler’s Pope” has been widely debunked since it was first published in 1999. Even Cornwell has had to retract some of his statements he made. The cover itself of the book is deceptive, showing the then Cardinal Pacelli, diplomatic nuncio to Germnay (He spoke fluent German), being flanked by German soldiers. The intention of the cover was to convey something sinister, which it unfortunately achieved.
Moreover, it was Pacelli who was the principal author of Mit Brennender Sorge, the 1937 papal encyclical put forth by Pope Pius XI and read from every Catholic pulpit in Germany on the same Sunday. It was a denunciation of Nazism and infuriated Hitler. Hitler was also infuriated by actions taken by Pacelli once he was Pope, for instance his Christmas Message of 1942 which was a very thinly veiled attack on the Nazi regime. Working behind the scenes, Pope Pius XII saved more Jews than any person in history, Jewish or non-Jewish. When he died in 1958 he was lauded by the worldwide Jewish community (e.g., Golda Meir, then Foreign Minster in the Israeli cabinet, gave him a moving eulogy at the UN). What turned things around and besmirched this very good man was Hochhuth’s, The Deputy (1963), which began the myth, bought into by many, including Cornwell, that Pius was somehow secretly in league with, or sympathetic to, Nazism. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I have addressed this issue at JW several times and, quite frankly, I am getting very tired of the lies about Pius being put forth again and again. Fortunately, the revisionism of the revisionism about Pius began shortly after Cornwell’s deceitful work and, to some extent, Pius, who saved about 800,000 Jews (and many non-Jews as well), has regained his original and deserved reputation, but still the lies about Pius continue and that’s a damn shame. BTW, as many know here at JW, I am not religious in the least but the truth is the the truth and this is why I have defended Pius many times, for instance here.
Frank Anderson says
Wellington, somewhere between saint and devil, there is the truth. I can’t help remembering the Roman Catholic participation in aiding war criminals escape after the War. Like many subjects the truth will be known only when we face God.
But we do know the truth now about a Pope who abandons Christians and embraces Muslims.
Wellington says
Thanks for your reply, Frank. May I suggest your Googling, “Pope Pius XII saved thousands of Jews” and see what comes up. As for certain war criminals that were aided after WWII, yes, there were some Catholic clergy (not many) who did this but I know of no evidence that Pius was involved here. I will close here by saying we are in complete agreement about the present Pope who is worse than bad; he is appalling. Take care.
Frank Anderson says
I do not seek disagreement with you, Agreement is always pleasant. I cannot vouch for anything that happened before during or after WWII because I was not there. I have been studying WWII intensely since the early 1960’s, when I was in a military high school, thinking with some reason, that there is much to learn. I have read dozens of books, and am reading Rise and Fall now for the 4th time.
Let’s face the truth that records, archives and accounts can be doctored to suit those who control them. There is no record to be doctored now with the current Pope who seems determined to sell out to the Muslims. Opinions and conclusions of reasonable people can differ about something they depend on others to record. Seeing for ourselves, as we do now, is entirely different, and certainly more important to what is going on, and what needs to be done now to prevent collapse of free society. Whatever happened before, in and after WWII, things do not look good now. How can we help? I am sure both of us are concerned with that far more important question. Peace be with you.
Wellington says
Peace be with you too, Frank. Peace, of course, accompanied by liberty, which is the only kind of “real peace” that is worth anything.
As for what we can do, engage in untiring ways in conveying to others how inimical Islam is to the best which the West has established, over not only centuries but millennia. Write your Congressman, your Senators, the President, editors of newspapers, talk to friends and relatives (even at the expense of losing them), et al. A la the Great Man, Winston Churchill, never, never, never give up.
Frank Anderson says
Well, I do and I certainly agree.
Malcolm (South Afric) says
@ Wellington and Frank Anderson
As a Catholic this is not a debate that I wish to enter, however the manner which you both conduct yourselves, needs to be commended.
This is an article that was interesting, not that I agree with it, in its entirety.
https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2017/05/03/why-pope-francis-approach-islam-breaks-mold-benedict-and-previous-popes
My position has always been this,with islam or any issue:
“Not to oppose error is to approve it; and not to defend truth is to suppress it; and indeed to neglect to confound evil men, when we can do it, is no less a sin than to encourage them.”
~Pope St. Felix III
Frank Anderson says
An absolutely grand and honorable quote. Please allow me to share another that I find worthy: “Wisdom is its own authority; it does not depend on source or location, wisdom speaks for itself. Wisdom is all around us in the Bible and elsewhere. Wherever wisdom is in the hands of humans it is also subject to error or deception to some extent. Therefore ASK ALL questions repeatedly because the truth has nothing to fear. Each time the truth will come out clearer, stronger and brighter.” Your quote is some of the soundest wisdom I have seen. Thank you.
gravenimage says
Agreed, Wellington.
gravenimage says
Steve and Frank, “Hitler’s Pope” is anti-Catholic propaganda. One may argue whether the Pope should have been more open in his condemnation of Fascism, but there is no doubt how many Jews he saved–victims whom he probably would not have been able to help if he had been more overt.
But Pope Francis is not doing anything similar in helping the persecuted Christians trapped in Dar-al-Islam.
Eur says
The sheep telling the wolf “you are good boy”….. how will the story end?
Mark Swan says
Forces of secularism are contending against voices of traditional religion, as Europe’s economic and political stability are challenged by increasing numbers of Muslim immigrants. What does the threat of Islam portend for Europe’s future?
Will Islam transform Europe? In the last two decades, Europe has gone through far-reaching changes, with the formation of the 27-nation European Union and the institution of a common currency, the euro. But the European Union is now in danger of fragmenting, and the future of its once-powerful currency has been questioned.
A number of EU nations’ economies have been strained by runaway deficit spending. They have needed the other EU nations, chiefly Germany, to bail them out. But Germany has agreed to help only if a stronger central European government can have power over the fiscal purse strings of the profligate countries. The Germans do not want the fruits of their hard-earned productivity spent to support the fiscal excesses of other EU nations.
As a result, the EU continues to be divided along cultural, economic and nationalistic lines, causing great stresses within this remarkable community of nations. Europe is at a crossroads.
Forming the European Union was a long and arduous task, and Europeans accepted great changes in order to come together as the EU. But achieving their common destiny will require much more. What will it take to bring these quarreling nations together as a powerful federal union?
Against this backdrop, Europe is experiencing an unprecedented demographic change. Long a bastion of professed Christianity, the continent is becoming the home of increasing numbers of Muslim immigrants, who have fled the nations of their birth.
Today’s European culture did not appear out of thin air. A nation’s culture comes largely from its history. The nations of Europe share a foundation dating back to the 4th century ad, when the emperor Constantine “Christianized” the Roman Empire. Since then, many European states have held Roman Catholicism as the state religion, though church-state relations have often been complex and contentious.
It would be difficult to overstate the influence of the Roman Catholic Church on European history. Pope John Paul II, who regarded the Roman Catholic Church as the glue that binds all of the diverse cultures of Europe together, proclaimed: “The history of the formation of the European Nations keeps abreast with their evangelization. Consequently, despite the spiritual crises that have marked the life of the Continent in our day, its identity would be incomprehensible without Christianity… Only a Europe that does not eliminate but rediscovers its Christian roots, will be able to take up the challenges of the third millennium: peace, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, the safeguarding of creation. All believers in Christ of the European West and East are required to make their own contribution through open and sincere ecumenical cooperation” (Regina Caeli, May 2, 2004).
Pope Benedict XVI has magnified his predecessor’s theme, asserting that the very idea of Europe would not exist in history or now except for professing Christianity. Before Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elevated to the papacy, he wrote, “Europe is not a continent that can be comprehended neatly in geographical terms; rather, it is a cultural and historical concept.” (Europe Today and Tomorrow, p. 11). Benedict sees the roots of the idea of Europe as going back to the establishment of the Holy Roman Empire under Charlemagne in the 8th century ad. Charlemagne is often called “The Father of Europe.”
Interestingly, Cardinal Ratzinger writing about the Europe of the Middle Ages, he noted: “The conceptual continuity …was assured by a theological interpretation of history: in connection with the Book of Daniel, the Roman Empire—renewed and transformed by the Christian faith—was considered to be the final and permanent kingdom in the history of the world in general, and therefore the association of peoples and states that was taking shape was defined as the permanent Sacrum Imperium Romanum [Holy Roman Empire]”.
“We can consider the rise of the Carolingian [Charlemagne’s] Empire, on the one hand [the western half], and the continuation of the Roman empire in Byzantium and its mission to the Slavic people, on the other [the eastern half], as the true and proper birth of the continent of Europe…”.
In his analysis, the two halves of the empire constitute the foundation of the geographic idea of Europe.
Furthermore: “The two halves of the old Europe, before the modern era, had known essentially only one opponent that it had to confront in a life-or-death battle, namely, the Islamic world” (ibid., p. 22). Resisting Islamic conquest contributed significantly to the common identity of Europe, because it helped Europeans to think that “the continent of Europe” had a common fate in opposing the Caliphate that for more than a thousand years sought conquest in Europe.
Benedict also reminds us that this Roman Catholic monasticism, “had remained the essential guarantor not only of cultural continuity, but above all of fundamental religious and moral values, of man’s awareness of his ultimate destiny; and as a force prior to and superior to political authority, it became the source of the rebirths that were necessary again and again”.
The EU is officially a secular state. But, in a new environment where more and more Europeans seek to practice their Muslim faith, can all be accommodated in a secular framework? Or will accommodating Islam undermine centuries of European values?
The tension between secular and religious impulses in Europe seems intractable. What can unite these two adversarial views? Can the EU ever be truly unified politically and economically with a central federal government? Before full unity can come, two barriers must be broken down.
The first issue is economic control. Until recently, EU nations have enjoyed fiscal autonomy within the EU framework. Individual nations’ governments decided how they would tax their people and how they would spend the revenue. Because of the common currency, lenders assumed that there was an implicit EU guarantee of the sovereign debt of the various EU nations. As a result, economically weak nations such as Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain (collectively called the “PIIGS” nations) provided more generous social services and pension benefits than they could actually afford—which led to unsustainable deficits and debt levels.
The impending sovereign defaults threatened not only the viability of the euro, but of the EU as well, until Germany—”the strongman of Europe”—pushed through a plan to finance a bailout in exchange for greater German influence over EU fiscal policy. Henceforward, there will be much more central review and control of the various EU nations’ spending. The economic independence of the EU nations is being effectively broken down. Their common currency, the euro, is establishing a common economic fate for those within the Eurozone. But it took a major economic crisis to accomplish this. Further crises may accomplish much more.
The second issue is nationalism. If you live in Paris, France, do you think of yourself as a Frenchman or a European? Should residents of Milan consider themselves Italian first and European second? The vast majority of EU citizens still cling to national identity above their identity as Europeans. The EU is a fiscal and political entity, not a national identity. This is not a new phenomenon. Before the U.S. Civil War of 1861–65, for example, many citizens thought of themselves first as residents of their own state (e.g. “Virginians”), and only secondarily as “Americans.” It took a devastating war to convince millions of Americans that the individual states shared a common fate as one nation, and that their identity as Americans must come first.
What could overcome the nationalism and self-interest of the individual EU countries and unite them into a world-shaking powerhouse? What could spur the advocates of a “Christian Europe” to find common cause with the laicists who have sought a secular Europe? What can give the diverse peoples of the EU a sense that they share a common interest and a common fate?
For nearly 300 years, Europe has not faced the threat of Muslim invasion—a threat that was instrumental in the formation of a shared European identity throughout the Middle Ages. Now, however, there is again a perceived threat from Islam, as Muslim extremists call for “holy war” and restoration of the Caliphate. Pope Benedict, like many other European leaders, believes that Europe will not survive without a return to the continent’s cultural and religious roots. Is there any other threat, besides Islam, that can unite Europe’s secularists and religionists?
The history of Europe can help us understand current events. With a thousand years of invasions and occupations going back to the eighth century, Islam has a long history as a strategic threat to Europe. Unlike Americans, Europeans have suffered—on European soil—centuries of wars with Muslims. Europeans are slowly starting to realize that, given the history of jihad in Europe, a restored Islamic Caliphate in the Middle East would again pose a strategic threat to the continent.
Indeed, Islam is openly reminding Europeans of this threat.
Millions of Europeans are now fearful that Islam will transform their nations from within.
As we have seen, however, that Islam’s role can be to transform Europe from without—bringing it together.
Westman says
It seems doubtful that the conflicts with Islam will bring unity for an EU federalist government. There are elements such as different languages, the medium of both the cenceptualization and communication of thought, that cannot be bridged in one generation. Unlike the creation of the US, there are no immigrants arriving in the EU who are expected to learn the non-existent “primary language” of Europe. WWII, in which Europe experienced atrocities in the homelands, did little to unite Europe in anything other than NATO.
The EU is an Economic Union that is attempting, through usurp, to become a European government. For that reason, countries such as the UK, Hungary, Poland, etc are leading the slow stampede away from Brussel’s control.
These two issues, language and sovereignty, will stop the EU from becoming a new nation despite any level of conflict with Islam.
International business does not see the EU as any simpler for business transactions. Someone I know, who jets about the EU for large corporation, said the best European country for business is the Czech Republic…..
Mark Swan says
Westman, thank you for your reply, and the good points there.
I would like to broaden the scope some more here.
The transformation of Germany in the last 60 years is an amazing feat of going from rags to riches! In 1945, at the close of World War II, Germany was a heap of smoldering ruins, defeated and dependent upon foreign aid. However, the Germans became eager pupils of democracy and adamant pacifists. Due to wise planning, hard work and thrifty living, Germany has emerged from the ashes of defeat as the wealthiest nation with the strongest economy to become the dominant power in Europe.
Germany’s strong economy and high-value exports have given the Germans increasing economic clout in Europe—lending money to other European nations struggling with overwhelming debts. The European financial crisis was the trigger that pushed Germany to be more assertive and pursue a more significant role in Europe and on the world stage.
Although appearing reluctant to lead, Germany is being urged to take responsibility for the future of Europe—which is also a remarkable development. The European Union was designed to tie Germany into Europe to harness its aggressive tendencies and curb its desire to dominate. However, the EU is no longer a cage for Germany, but the avenue that has allowed Germany to emerge as the dominant player in the great game in Europe.
German loans prop up ailing European nations. German bureaucrats in Brussels outnumber those from France and Britain, and Germany largely determines EU policy. The EU is the new German Empire. The financial crisis and Germany’s reluctant response to bail out other European countries gave Germany the empire that it has long desired. As one can observe, Germany has achieved by diligence or by accident what it failed to achieve by force.
As Germany assumes more responsibility for Europe by providing funds to floundering neighbor economies, the Germans appear ready to be the educators for Europe—telling other European nations how to manage their budgets and run their countries . As German influence grows in Brussels, other nations in Europe recognize when Brussels seeks to exercise more power, it is actually Berlin that is calling the shots. Europe is witnessing a major power shift—from Brussels to Berlin and from France to Germany—which will have important consequences.
The European Union started as an attempt to draw the nations of Europe together as equals—to prevent future wars. However, the European financial crisis advanced and concealed Germany’s rise, and German dominance has created a hierarchy in Europe instead of equal participation. If a crisis develops over the euro or a potential fracture of the EU, European leaders could suspend agreed-upon rules and allow Germany to act on its own in an attempt to be the savior of Europe. Actions spurred by impending crises could have unintended consequences and result in the birth of a political monster.
German leaders are also attempting to point Germany in a new direction—away from its pacifist past—towards assuming responsibility for military operations on a broader scale. German leaders are now suggesting that since Germany took the lead in addressing the financial crisis, Germany should lead the way in military cooperation for the defense of Europe.
But what is the real significance of Germany’s rise to dominance? What does it mean for the future of Europe and the world?
Germany’s rise to power in Europe has been sobering to watch. Nobody intended this to happen… Germany’s rise… is not the consequence of a secret master plan… it was the involuntary and unplanned product of the financial crisis and its anticipation of disaster that catapulted Germany into its dominant position. Europe builders could use the fear of an impending crisis—collapse of the euro or breakup of the EU—to urge European nation states to surrender more sovereignty in a push for a political union and a federal Europe. Impending catastrophes throw up opportunities that can be seized by those with a strength. An imminent crisis in Europe could bring a extremely strong German leadership to full bloom.
It is hardly a coincidence that German Foreign Minister Guido Westerville has also formed a Berlin Group of about ten other nations to discuss the future of Europe (presseurope.eu, June 20, 2012). American professor Walter Russell Mead has urged Germany to lead a Holy Roman Empire in Europe rather than a Prussian conquest (thelocal.de, October 8, 2013). Perceptive observers recognize something significant is happening in Germany and Europe.
What this new union may look like will depend on many factors, but with a rejuvenated German leadership, it will be a formidable union for sure.
Watch Europe, especially Germany.
rubiconcrest says
Words, just words, we want actions and fewer self congratulatory meetings and statements.
davej says
Wishful thinking is no match for the reality nor is it any kind of defence against it.
Muslims love the Christian “turn the other cheek” approach – they get to smite them twice (before murdering them).
seasideroses says
since nobody so far has mentioned this, I take on the task to point out that pope francis is doing all this warm and fuzzy cozying up to the muslims cuz he is fulfilling his plan to merge all religions into one great big “church” at which he will be the head, wherein he will rule the world, along with the antichrist and the beast, etc–all of the evil world-government rulers.
therefore he must water down the catholic religion and blur the lines between “us and them”.
gravenimage says
There is not apt to be an Islamic pope.
seasideroses says
You are correct; there won’t be an islamic pope; however, what he is doing is making catholocism palatable to muslims, such that he will be able to sort of “merge” them together, along with all the other religions. Thus, the new world religion will not be characterized as islam, or christianaity, or buddism, etc, but rather, will be based on some zeitgeist of “spirituality”, comprising everyone’s agreement that religion is all about peace, love, good works, etc, rather than any specific doctrine.
gravenimage says
With all respect, I don’t believe that any amount of dhimmitude with make Christianity palatable for pious Muslims, nor will stop them from slaughtering Christians and other Infidels.
Terry says
I am sure that there will be people who disagree with this.
But, consider Francis, when he ran the Argentine church. He shipped pedophile priests around, to molest more children, rather than having them (either or both) thrown out of the priesthood and/or thrown in prison.
If he himself was (or is) a pedophile, i do not know. But, he allowed it in Argentine, under his watch.
Muslims worship a pedophile; and engage in pedophilia.
I see that as a common bond.
He understands them.
(Note, he was not the only leader of the RCC who did little about pedophile priests, BUT HE IS THE ONLY ONE ( THAT i AM AWARE OF) WHO BECAME POPE.
(I think that he once mentioned something like, ” I should, perhaps, have not sent them to where there are children”- although I could be mistaken.).
I am not catholic, but this man is an insult to all humanity-in my view.
Bharat Mehta says
Religion is trouble….any Religion…….Islam or Christianity….Buddh or Jain…or any religious idea are trouble, has no place in civilized world. If you understand properly, the meaning of Civilized world, which is made by scientist, where is religious world is made by ascetic…..hater of science.
Simply decide, how to make our civilized society free from religion
Mark Swan says
Why have nations of the West dominated the globe for the last five hundred years, when for centuries they lagged behind great civilizations in India, China and the Moslem world? Why were a few small countries on the western fringe of the great Eurasian continent able to spread their culture all around the world when other cultures did not? Why did a group of daring navigators from Western Europe—Columbus in 1492, Vasco de Gama in 1499, Ferdinand Magellan in the 1520s and others—launch the Age of Discovery with globe-girdling voyages in tiny ships, instead of men such as the great Chinese Admiral Zheng He, who sailed thousands of miles across the Indian Ocean in huge treasure ships nearly a century earlier?
Questions like these have puzzled scholars for centuries. However, the deliberate removal of courses in Western Civilization from schools and universities and a failure to discuss the role of religion or the Bible have obscured key elements in the remarkable rise of the West. As a result, many today are largely ignorant of one of the most dramatic turning points in the history of the world—a transformation of global proportions that has been termed by some as “the miracle of the West.”
What led to the rise of Western Civilization? How did it happen, and what does this pivotal event reveal in history?
Numerous scholars have proposed ideas to explain the remarkable rise of the West. In his book, Historians Debate the Rise of the West, Jonathan Daly chronicles many of their theories. For instance, some believe that geography and climate favored Europe. The acquisition and use of navigational instruments and advanced ship design, as well as the development of more powerful armaments made important contributions. Other scholars have pointed out that more efficient economic systems and methods of production and the growth of global trading networks aided the West. Others cited the respect for law and private property, the free exchange of ideas that fostered innovation, and competition that fed the growth in science, technology and capitalism.
In contrast to thinking in the East that glorified the past and sought to maintain the status quo and harmony in the present, the West focused on progress and by learning to harness the forces of nature for the betterment of mankind—and for profit (Louis Rougier, The Genius of the West, pp. 89–91).
Taken together, these and other factors operating in Europe, “transformed the balance of the world within an amazingly brief period of time… The magnitude of European cultural achievements in the sixteenth-seventeenth centuries…arouses a sense of wonder and amazement” (William H. McNeill, The Rise of the West: A History of the Human Community, pp. 574, 598). Yet, as historian Christopher Dawson has pointed out, “none of these causes seems adequate to explain the magnitude of the European achievement” (Religion and the Rise of Western Culture, p. 15).
Dawson also notes that the British historian Lord Acton once commented, “Religion is the key of history.” While modern secular scholars tend to dismiss the influence of religion in history, biblical principles did play a critical role in the rise of the West.
Max Weber, a prominent German sociologist, “emphasized a constellation of historical features he considered unique to Europe.” especially the “radical change in religious outlook—from Catholicism to Protestantism.” Such factors “brought the West to materialistic prominence in the modern world” (Historians Debate the Rise of the West, pp. 8–9).
The Protestant Reformation shows detail of massive change in Europe’s religious landscape, as well as the many doctrines, teachings, and practices that infected
European “Christianity.”
However, buried amid the distortions, remained some surviving biblical values and principles that did make a mark on European culture in a powerful way.
Jonathan Daly has noted that some scholars, such as Dr. David Landes, credit the presence of such biblical principles for instilling an appreciation of hard work, widespread literacy (for both men and women), thrift, diligence, and other ethics into European civilization.
Rodney Stark, a professor of sociology and comparative religion, writes that modern scholarship is “far too reluctant to acknowledge the positive effects” that such religious influence had on the culture of the West. He goes on to explain that science as we know it flourished in Europe instead of elsewhere “because Europeans believed in God as the Intelligent Designer of a rational universe” that operated on laws that could be discovered and put to practical use (How the West Won, pp. 5, 13, 315–317).
In contrast, in Islam, the universe did not operate on laws but according to the will of Allah—which was not conducive to the development of science—thus the innovations in the Islamic world were driven by Jews and other Christian sects.
While the Chinese developed printing, mechanical clocks and gunpowder, they never exploited the potential of these innovations because they threatened to disrupt the stability of their society. Islamic caliphs outlawed mechanical printing for religious reasons (ibid., pp. 12–13, 33–45).
Yet even these insights are not sufficient to explain the rise of the West.
Above all else, Europe’s rise to prominence was enabled by Christian Values.
It is not a coincidence that the rise of the West occurred just as Asian societies turned inward and “suddenly became immobile… [T]hey cut themselves off from a changing external world just when European expansion was beginning” (Geoffrey Barraclough, Turning Points in World History, p. 24). Once the West started to rise in the sixteenth century, “it seemed that nothing could hold it back” (Historians Debate the Rise of the West, p. 23). But why did one civilization rise and the others decline—almost at the same time?
These values did help us and we could be an example and a help to all the peoples of the world.
Though we cast aside many of those ways and concepts as the centuries passed, some of those ways, concepts and ideas survived to become a part of the foundation of Western civilization that has transformed the world over the last five hundred years. The dramatic rise of the West—one of the most important turning points in the history of the world—illustrates the effectiveness of those ways.
There are such “social values” today in Europe, America, and Australia only because during those thousand years the Christians of Europe possessed the warlike power to do what the Christians of Asia and Africa had failed to do – that is, to beat back the Moslem invader.
– Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt
26th President of the United States
gravenimage says
Good post, Mark.
Mark Swan says
Thank You gravenimage.
Steve Daly says
In Iran the Ayatollah Khamenei has called America the Great Satan. This is not a crass political statement but goes to the heart of Muslim doctrine: There is one God and that is Allah. The god to which Judeo/Christian religions pray is not Allah and therefore blasphemy. Logically since there is only one god, Allah, and the Quran speaks of no other gods but does speak of the Devil, then Judeo/Christians are worshiping Satan. Representative Keith Ellis takes his oath of office on the Quran. CIA Director Brennan took his oath of office on a copy of the Constitution. Neither was about to swear an oath on the Bible (the”Book” mentioned in the Quran). Why touch a Satanic document?
80% of Americans believe the Judeo/Christian God is the same as Allah. Muslims do not. We seek coexistence. Muslims are afraid to have any contact with us. Western civilization has a deep and lasting problem with Islam.
Guy Macher says
Pope Francisis a quisling. He is certainly in line with being remembered as one of the worst popes ever.
Dapto says
It’s obvious that POPE pigface has reverted to Islam he’s just to scared to tell the devout because they will sell the silverware.
jewdog says
The West is being destroyed by the Nice Nazis. They are a band of idealistic storm troopers: Catholics, Jews and Protestants, who think that Judeo-Christian ethics means cultural surrender, and avoiding any potentially offensive references to unpleasant aspects of Islamic doctrine. They want to apply the Golden Rule ruthlessly, to make sure that we show unconditional love to every enemy, to all strangers, to all cultures, no matter how violent or intolerant. In Europe, anyone deemed insufficiently Nice can be prosecuted. There, the Nice Nazi ethic intersects with Sharia anti-blasphemy laws, helping to drag Europe back to fifteenth century Spain, or to present-day Saudi Arabia. We must fight the Nice Nazis and defeat them at all costs, because if we lose, life will not be so nice anymore.
Richard Paulsen says
Not easy to represent the Good.
Dapto says
If the Pope let in behind the Vatican walls 10,000 migrants then we would all know he really means the crap he spouts but we all know he doesnt and wouldnt.
Lydia says
This wolf cloaked in white is a deceiver of first rank.
Everything that is happening here is leading to the end of the world events.
“Unity” and “inclusion” and “peace” as well as “tolerance” and “brotherly love” and “human rights” are the buzzwords while they abandon all reason and righteousness of the one true God.
They cover the truth of the evil and terrorism of false religion with a fluffy blanket.
Those who uphold the ways of the God of the Bible and speak the truth will be labeled as
‘haters’ ‘extremists’ ‘bigots’ ‘racists’ and accused of ‘discrimination’ and ‘intolerance’ while they
persecute us for not joining hands with them in agreement.
The script is being laid by the day with these ‘speeches.’
All the stones are being laid, and the whole plot is revealed in the Bible so the joke is on them.
Yes indeed, they are the blind leading the blind.
( :
Andy says
border security isn’t about race: The progs always talk about NO BORDERS like the globalist pope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr1aG6NCooQ
Pong says
It is so shameful. We live in times when a traitor doesn’t even have to hide and can openly sell his people to the enemy. Throughout the history different christian denominations hated each other and didn’t care how many Christians are suffering, if they didn’t belong to a particular church, but now Vatican is doing it to the catholics, helping moslems to subdue catholics to the status of dimmitude. Moslems will keep catholic church, someone has to play the role of a kapo and the church is quite happy to provide the service. The church attendance will increase, as everybody will have to be registered with a denomination, as atheism will be illigal, as well as other religions, which are not of “people of the book”. Vatican will have little power when sharia becomes the law of the land, but will be able to address higher authority (sharia courts) to punish “out of line” catholics.
Please, stop calling the pope stupid, uneducated and so on. Catholic church (and some others) had to make the choice: secular government or islam. They chose islam and what we see is the policy, not stupidity.
tim gallagher says
As a Christian, brought up as a Catholic Christian, though someone who prefers the Anglican Church these days. also not a very good Christian in some ways, I can only say I am disgusted by this clown of a Pope, and certainly wouldn’t take any notice of anything the ignoramus says on the subject of Islam. Robert Spencer, very knowledgeable about islam, is my type of Christian to listen to about Islam. Also, everyone who contributes to Jihad Watch knows far more about the barbaric, violent nature of Islam than this ignorant Pope. And he doesn’t seem to give a damn about the Christians being slaughtered by Muslims throughout the Middle East. If we do face a judgement after death, which I mostly believe we do, this Pope is going to be in for a very harsh judgement from the Christian God he is supposed to represent. And there is surely no excuse for him to remain so ignorant about Islam. People in influential positions need to do some homework before they make pronouncements. The Muslim leaders, like this one he is embracing, must see him as an imbecilic pushover.
Mark Swan says
you are right, tim gallagher, to an aggressive dominating ideologue he will be seen as a pushover.
underbed cat says
This Pope….and I am not Catholic. seems to embrace the evil, at the very least his job of fleeing evil and not aiding it’s spread is completely lacking. As head of the Catholic church he dims the light, many who do not ignore evil have worked to get the message out, such as Sister Hatune…who has the heart and soul to express that anyone who says Islam is peaceful is lying as she and others minister to the victims. With his position he should be required to inquire about the doctrine and not allow the imams to practice their skill at deception, and allow it’s spread.
tgusa says
Perhaps they can work together and begin another inquisition against us unbelievers.
Bruce Scott says
There is a better than 50-50 chance that he is the endtime Anti-Christ.
Ron says
Doesn’t the clown know ANYTHING about Islam and the kuran? Doesn’t he understand that their “holy book” encourages them to lie and deeive in the furtherance of their barbaric code. Is he living on a cloud in a make believe world?
FYI says
francis is actually regarded as a false shepherd by many within the RCC because he constantly undermines Christianity and Catholics.His idiotic public statements are a constant source of amusement and offense:his belief that God and allah are the same is not just theologically false,it is a lie.As a Jesuit he knowns perfectly well that the allah of the koran(who rejects Jesus Christ and totally misunderstands the Trinity as being a 3-god polytheistic system rather than being 3 aspects of the ONE God)can never,ever be equated with the Christian(or even the Judeo-Christian)understanding of God.
Even the previous pope spoke the truth about islam.
And who was it that promoted the disgraced cardinal Pell to high office in the Vatican causing grave scandal to the faithful?
francis.
francis seems to get terribly excited every time he meets his “brother”,that creepy imam of the al-azhar.It’s the love that dares not speak it’s name isn’t it?The love francis has for islam.Francis would probably prefer to be an ayatollah because then he could issue fatwahs;Ayatollah Bergoglio.If you put francis in a room full of muslim clergymen he might be excited enough to(ahem) get a boner.He appears to be really turned-on by the cult of islam and the blind obedience of its followers.
Blind obedience of muslims:maybe that’s it.That’s what attracts an old fascist like the fraudulent frankie.You should read up on his history in Argentina involving priests who believed they were fingered by him for investigation by the Right Wing Juntas.
francis has not shown such fraternal love to the Coptic Christians or invited Syrian Christians to stay in the Vatican has he?
It’s only towards his beloved muslim friends.
francis is most certainly a false shepherd and a false prophet.
Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ and so too does Mr Bergoglio
Strong Aingel says
And spend in the Cause of Allah (i.e. Jihad of all kinds) and do not throw yourselves into destruction (by not spending your wealth in the Cause of Allah), and do good. Truly, Allah loves Al-Muhsinun (the good-doers).
(سورة البقرة, Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #195).
In other words Love is Jihad
CogitoErgoSum says
See 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Then see Quran 9:29:
Fight those who do not believe in Allah or in the Last Day and who do not consider unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have made unlawful and who do not adopt the religion of truth from those who were given the Scripture – [fight] until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled.
Love and jihad are very different concepts to me, Strong Angel. But I think Pope Francis might just agree with you instead of with me.
Frank Anderson says
Cogito, does that make love suicidal? My understanding is the primary statement of Exodus is that God does not want any of His children to be slaves. God treasures all of us who accept Him. God wants us to live in freedom and peace. Being a slave by surrender to abuse is not consistent with the liberty and its value shown by the removal from Egypt.
CogitoErgoSum says
No, Frank, I do not think love is suicidal. I think I have the right to protect my own life and the lives of my loved ones if someone attacks with the intent to kill. I may turn the other cheek if the first blow does not kill me but I will not submit to being beaten to a bloody pulp without trying to defend myself. To me suicide involves letting evil destroy me without putting up a fight. Now, Jesus does say that giving up one’s life so that others may live is the greatest love of all. But I call that sacrifice and something or someone else would be involved as the ultimate cause of death. As with the death of Jesus, homicide was still involved ….. or if you have ever seen the movie, “Marooned”, the one astronaut who died did so because of a lack of oxygen for the other two astronauts … not because the one who sacrificed himself wanted to commit suicide.
The point of my comment was to draw a distinction between love and jihad. The quote I gave from the Bible describes to me what love is. The quote I gave from the Quran describes to me what jihad is. Jihad is about fighting an enemy and pulverizing him until he submits fully to the point of either changing sides or paying a ransom for the ability to continue living …. though if be living a life of constant harassment and humiliation. Love is not about humiliation.
I was hoping people would be able to see the difference …. but sometimes I fail to express myself clearly (perhaps even now).
Frank Anderson says
Cogito, I suggest that self defense is more than a right: It is a duty. My life is merely given to me in trust by God. I have a duty to be a responsible steward of the property of God that has been put in my care. Just as I would have a duty to protect money that you give me to handle, invest and use according to your instructions, I believe that I have a similar duty to care for the life that is temporarily entrusted to me. We are given minds, education and experience. We are told very wisely to judge by the same standards that we are judged, not to totally “judge not”. Suicide is the ultimate abandoment of faith and hope in the power and mercy that our God promises, regardless of the form of the death. But gutless surrender to the death of all freedom and liberty in Islam is a form of suicide for infidels.
gravenimage says
Good posts, CogitoErgoSum.
Aussie Infidel says
The Grand Imam of al-Azhar said in his speech that humanity ought to “stress the value of peace, justice, equality and human rights regardless of religion, color, race, or language.”
So what is al-Tayyib going to do about it? Expurgate all those verses from the Quran which command violence against kafirs? Similarly, get rid of all the violent Hadiths in the Sunnah? Tear up the farcical Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam and adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – which they should have done 70 years ago? Throw the iniquitous Umdat al-Salik (Reliance of the Traveller), a Sunni manual of sacred Islamic (Sharia) law, in the rubbish bin where it belongs? Adopt a secular democratic system of governance for all Muslim majority countries? Allow freedom of speech and religion? Treat men and women equally wherever possible? Adopt the universal code of human conduct in the Golden Rule?
But if al-Tayyib did that, Islam would no longer be Islam. And furthermore, al-Tayyab would be declared an apostate and likely lose his head. So I guess it will be ‘business as usual’, with continued interfaith dialogue with dhimmi Christians and Jews; the same old lies and deceptions from taqiyya speaking Muslims; continuing hijra from Muslim immigrants and ‘refugees’ (all carefully vetted); continuing stealth jihad to infiltrate our governments and institutions; and a few violent jihadist attacks now and then by the militants to “strike fear into the hearts of the infidels.” But I’m sure al-Tayyab would try to convince us, those things have “nothing to do with Islam!”
The Pope would be a bloody fool if he believed anything al-Tayyab said. The Copts and other Christians in Egypt are being persecuted mercilessly, despite attempts by President el-Sisi to stop it. I’m an atheist, but I have some Egyptian Christian friends who fled the country because family members were murdered by Muslim jihadists.
The only good Muslim is an ex-Muslim!
Joshua says
This idiotic pope is like Stalin in WW2: Blind to the Nazis’ true intentions he let over 20 MILLION Russians get slaughtered. He’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing enabling this Death Cult and leading us all into HELL.
Frank Anderson says
Joshua, I think you are correct but miss the point that Stalin on his own murdered (purged is too timid) at least 30,000,000 people. He had death quotas that his area governors were required to kill or they would be killed. Hitler is famous only because Stalin is ignored. Both of them, along with Dear Leader Chairman Mao, should be taken for their ruthless violence and oppression. Hitler was a piker compared to Stalin and Mao.
Mark Swan says
Absolutely Frank Anderson, those “other two” are far to often forgotten, mass murderers.
patriotliz says
Fake dhimmi Pope will still be blabbering on about “interfaith” dialogue w/ Islam even after the Muslims sack the Vatican and turn St. Peter’s Cathedral into a Mosque….that’s assuming they didn’t chop off the Pope’s head. Stealth Jihad is the art of war using taqiyya to convince the ignorant “useful infidels” like the Pope to help grease the skids for the ultimate Islamic conquest—they disavow violence committed by Muslikms while still supporting it.
Let me know when some big wig in the Islamic world unequivocally condemns Islamic jihadist terrorists (those “small group of followers”–Soldiers of Allah) as blasphemers and apostates of Islam who have sinned against the basic doctrines of Islam.
demuslim says
Pope Francis has become proxy of Islam.
Terico says
The Pope’s April 28 address says it all. He knows what he is doing, even if most do not, or wish his approach would be different. Please let’s be respectful of the Holy Father, even if you are not Catholic, or do not support nor understand his approach on dealing with complex Islam.
John A. Marre says
The pope should know better. He cannot use the excuse of ignorance. He has access to far more information than you or I.
What he is doing is deliberately ignoring facts to get people to favor Islam. This alone renders him unfit to sit on the Chair of Peter.
Islam believes in, promotes and celebrates violence (rape, plundering, slavery, murder) as a means to expand throughout the world. As such, it is an invalid religion and deserves to be suppressed, rather than promoted.
This pope needs to resign.
Debbie Mattson says
This Roman Catholic is not fooled. Since he was elected Francis has sought the approval of man/the world over the approval of God. The is playing fast and loose with church doctrine and traditions. He is a Jesuit. They are the authors of liberation theology (marxist). In my opinion, he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The day I walk into church and see the koran in the pews, I’m GONE!
Frank Anderson says
Debbie, where would be good places for the grossly ignorant and uninformed to learn what evil is in the Koran?
Abbasid says
Ones enemy will always welcome support from his foe. The Muslims want the Pope dead, and Rome under Islamic occupation, why not welcome support from the Pope, They will get there faster.
ISIS Magazine name: Rumiyah means Rome.
Declaration of Muhammad himself:
He [Muhammad] answered: “The city of Hirqil [Emperor Heraclius, that is, Constantinople] will be conquered first” … Romiyya is the city called today Rome, the capital of Italy. The city of Hirquil was conquered by the young 23-year old Ottoman [sultan] Muhammad bin Morad, known in history as Mohammad the Conquerer, in 1453 [CE]. The other city, Romiyya, remains, and we hope and believe [that it too will be conquered]. This means that Islam will return to Europe as a conquerer and victor, after being expelled from its twice-once from the South, from Adalusia, and a second time from the East, when it knocked several times on the door of Athens.
Carolyne says
go ahead, Pope! Kiss him. You know you want to.
Mark Swan says
Yep, that photo is just begging for a caption, we could just imagine the words there—
‘You look marvelous, Oh stop, so do you, you bad boy‘.
Something along those lines, right.
gravenimage says
Grimly hilarious.
Donafugata says
” a developed doctrine, theology and legal system mandating warfare against unbelievers ”
The perfect description of islam.
As for Dope Francis, the sock-puppet was parachuted in after the real Pope Benedict was made an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Francis the talking mule ( and boy, he can’t keep his trap shut ) is an appeaser of the death cult, a communist and an enemy of Christians and Jews.
Ric says
Francis will not censure Islam; however, when it comes to the West, especially the USA under the leadership of Trump, Francis has no problem vilifying, demonizing the latter. His warm and fussy relationship with Islam is a significant sign of this pope’s gullibility, ignorance or sinister machination and wanton need for the destruction of Western Civilization. Francis is subversive, a pope whose political leaning is Marxist. His papacy may be the last nail in the Vatican’s coffin and no doubt that of Roman Catholicism.
Im4truth4all says
Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich: “I saw also the relationship between the two popes. . . I saw how baleful (harmful) would be the consequences of this false church. I saw it increase in size; heretics of every kind came into the city (of Rome). The local clergy grew lukewarm, and I saw a great darkness…”
Im4truth4all says
“Who is going to save our Church? Not our Bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops like bishops and your religious act like religious” – Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen
SAM says
I am not a Christian but I am more Christian than this fool called Pope.
This Pope has no clue about history between Christianity and Islam. What an idiot. How can this be?
John A. Marre says
The pope is looking very pleased with his new friend. Not at all the way he acted with Trump. This pope is just like Obama – he loves Islam and hates Christianity. As such, he is not fit to be pope, and needs to resign to make way for a real pope. (The first requirement is to be Catholic).
Valkyrie Ziege says
; Pædophies covering-up for each other.