All that Pope Benedict did at Regenburg was quote the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologos, who said that Muhammad brought nothing new but what was evil and inhumane. In my new book The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS, you will encounter the tragic figure of Manuel II Paleologos, and see how terribly he suffered throughout his life at the hands of Islamic jihadis; his remarks don’t seem as egregious in their historical context as they do to modern-day self-righteous Leftists.
Anyway, Tauran is being celebrated upon his death as a hero, but he was actually a failure. How many Christians has the “dialogue” saved from Muslim persecution? How many churches has it saved from destruction? The answer to both questions is “None.” And why is it always the job of the non-Muslim side to heal wounds and mend fences, even as it is only the Muslim side that is committing violence in the name of its religion and in accord with its texts and teachings?
“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 Diplomat Who Helped Heal Wounds With Islam Dies,” Reuters, July 6, 2018:
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – French cardinal and former Vatican foreign minister Jean-Louis Tauran, who helped improve ties between the Roman Catholic Church and the Muslim world, has died aged 75, the Vatican said on Friday.
Tauran served as the Vatican’s foreign minister from 1991 to 2003 and in 2007 he was put in charge of the office that oversaw the Church’s relations with other faiths, including Islam….
Tauran was well respected in the Muslim world, having helped heal the wounds opened among [sic] by Pope Benedict’s notorious Regensburg speech in September 2006, which appeared to link Islam and violence.
Benedict quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor as saying Islam had only brought evil to the world and that it was spread by the sword, contrary to God’s nature….
balam says
Islam came with the SWORD through Mohammad ,spread and lived with the sword and it will end with the SWORD[ probably Nuclear one}!!!
Sons of Liberty says
Jesus also said in Chapter 15 vs 13 , ” that every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots ” and then Jesus goes into what Robert Spencer quoted in vs 14 . Islam was planted by a false prophet , Muhammad , who was the blind prophet leading the blind INTO the PIT ! It’s no coincidence that Jesus used the term PIT in this rebuke of the Pharisees and the coming Muhammad . Those who follow Muhammad are in the darkness and are not in the light of God’s Holy Word !
Karlee says
You can’t say that because many are here among us with a plan. A sword or a gun won’t solve it.
mortimer says
The problem hear is with CARDINALS, BISHOPS and the POPE HIMSELF who have NOT DONE THEIR HOMEWORK and have NOT studied the MEANING, MOTIVE and METHODS of JIHAD.
Jihad is the SYSTEMATIC DESTRUCTION OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH … you dhimmis!
Muslims deny to the faces of the Christian clergy that the main goal of Islam is to DESTROY Christianity through persecution, jizya and humiliation.
Sons of Liberty says
Exactly , mortimer ! The Cross of Christ is an OFFENCE to Muslims because they do not understand the LOVE of OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN ! Who else does the Cross of Christ OFFEND ? The father of lies .
Sons of Liberty says
An example of what mortimer is talking about is on Barnabas Aid where they report that Muslims are stealing the building supplies used to build Christian churches in Pakistan . They are also cutting off water supplies to the buildings . Just your every day persecution of Christians by the peaceful Muslims . This doesn’t include the violent acts against Christians.
Joe says
Are you sure that pope Francis doesn’t want to destroy the Church. St. Francis of Assisi prophesied that the last pope would be a destroyer. St. Malachi prophesied that the last pope was a scoundrel who was the worst of all popes. Our Lady of Fatima called him (the last pope) a fraud. There are many more similar prophecies.
If you don’t like prophecies, shouldn’t the pope maintain a semblance of respect for God’s law? Yet Francis commits mortal sins in a public fashion almost every day. He usually smiles when he does it. For example, his trademark move is to suggest Jesus wasn’t sure of what He meant. When asked about same sex acts, Francis responded with, “Who am I to judge”. Yet a bishop has a moral imperative to speak concisely about morals. The failure to do so in such an obvious way results in automatic excommunication. He knows that he is committing sin, and he is happy to do it.
If you don’t like sin as a matter of importance, then how about the encyclicals of pope Francis. For example, in “Laudato Si” the pope calls for regional dictators to offset “global warming”. This is not an exception. Every “solution” to everything is a proposal of calamity.
If you assume that pope Francis means well, you assume too much. Every indication is that he wants disaster and destruction.
gravenimage says
Joe, those prophecies are both well-known frauds.
sunshineinjuly says
The commie infiltration of the RC church began in the fifties, gaining strength in the sixties and seventies. All with the intent of destroying the Catholic church. Today’s pope aids and abets this destruction via the immigration of refugees most of which are moes intent on destroying Jews and Christians. For this the pope is reaping millions of OUR TAX dollars for bringing in refugees whose goal is to destroy the rest of us. Thus, the clever commies are using islam as the battering ram to destroy Christianity. Once they accomplish that, then they are on board with all the evil aspects..pedophilia, misogyny, honor killing, stoning of women, gang rapes and sex slavery….the common goals of commies and creep moes.
Carolyne says
A sword and a gun are the ONLY things which will solve it. Let those who will, pray. It won’t hurt, but it certainly will not help.
J D S says
We know that Islam will die a violent death in the end time when EVERY KNEE will bend in honor of Jesus the Christ…but it IS POSSIBLE that this death may come before the end time but if so, it WILL be when and if, the west comes to its senses and finally realises just what Islam is….Satan Driven!
tedh754 says
It opened wounds? Well, the truth hurts. Too many Muslims have no trouble opening throats.
christianblood says
(..Vatican Diplomat Who Helped Heal Wounds With Islam Dies..)
Rest in Purgatory!
Malcolm (South Afric) says
Pope Benedict,s Rensburg talk was an insightful penetration of the modern pathological desire of rejecting reason ( in other words: of that of accepting of relativism) not any reason will do but right reason. The Church and the West will take years in understanding that talk.
Clearly he was not only indicating the error of Islam but criticising the Western world acceptance, of error against truth.
mortimer says
Agree. Benedict was trying to be academically correct in his comments. Islam is certainly a religion of the sword and the Saudi flag has a sword on it. The Muslim Brotherhood uses two swords on their device. The Pallies use machine guns on their device.
Donovan Nuera says
Exactly!! When the King of Saudi Arabia visited Pope Benedict at the Vatican on a state visit , the Pope gave him a gift of a 16th Century framed engraving of the then-new St. Peter’s Basilica. The king gave his gift; a gold-plated sword.
Sorta telling!!!!
Muhammed Jacob says
THE 3 ABRAHAMIC CULTS OF DEATH — JUDAISM – CHRISTENDOM – ISLAM – HAVE DRENCHED THE EARTH WITH THE BLOOD OF THEIR VICTIMS!
BELIEVE IT OR NOT!
Failure to study the history of Judaism and Christendom, allows its people to have tunnel vision.
The monster has 3 heads and can only be destroyed by chopping off its 3 heads!
JawsV says
Nutcase Muslim. First, Islam’s not Abrahamic. Judaism and Christianity are the two Abrahamic religions. Second, only Islam has “drenched the earth,” so get off it you Mohammedan moron.
Islam is the Death Cult. So, chop off Islam’s head. Good Riddance to Islam! Islam’s the monster.
abad says
+1
Rufolino says
It is an absurd intellectual falsehood to state that Jesus founded ‘a death-cult’. What Jesus brought was a Kingdom of Love:
” I say into you, love your enemies ! “
mortimer says
Rufolino’s comment is literally correct: Jesus gave a ‘New Commandment’ … to love one another.
The church has been called the Community of the Resurrection… new life and new ability to love one another.
Islam hates its enemies and punishes them for disbelieving that a pedophile/pirate is a valid prophet.
Carolyne says
Perhaps “Love your enemies” sounds good, but I am not prepared to love those who wish to kill me. I refrain from actually saying what I think of those who “Love” Islam.
ben t says
AGREED!!
Sons of Liberty says
Muhammed Jacob , I suggest you read more of the New Testament and hear the words of Jesus ! The fact that the world refuses to hear the WORDS OF CHRIST is what has allowed the evil of the human heart to continue in the world to this day .
gravenimage says
More false moral equivalence from the increasingly appalling “Muhammed Jacob”.
mortimer says
Agree… false moral equivalence based on a poor intellectual understanding of doctrine, theology and history. Muhammed Jacob does not know that the so-called ‘Abrahamic faiths’ theory is actually DHIMMI THEOLOGY.
The so-called ‘Abrahamic faiths’ theory is QUACK THEOLOGY. Jehovah in the Bible is NOT Allah in the Koran. They are totally different.
Abraham in the Bible is totally different from Ibrahim in the Koran.
gravenimage says
Agreed, Mortimer.
Kasey says
Either way, it’s all a load of crap anyway.
Sons of Liberty says
Muhammed Jacob , I suggest you read more of the New Testament ,..and really hear what Jesus says to the people ! Jesus is the LIGHT of the World and the fact that most people in the world past and present refuse to hear his Commandments ( like loving your neighbor as yourself ) is why the evil of the human heart continues to this day .
FYI says
Benedict was correct about islam but he was a Failed Shepherd:he was quite wrong to abandon his post.
A pope is not supposed to abandon his flock!Perhaps he was under pressure to make way for the current heretical pontiff and friend pf islam:francis
Popes John Paul I and John Paul II were True shepherds.they remained faithful to their mission.
As for francis?He’s a False Shepherd.
so the recent history of the papacy..and if you are catholic,you surely know by now{ from prophecies of Fatima 1917}
True Shepherd … JP II
Failed Shepherd… Benedict XVI
False shepherd… francis
{To be announced…2 thessalonians 2}
keep a close eye on what happens in the Vatican….
Lydia Church says
2 Thess 2 = PF.
The only true Shepherd is Jesus.
Carolyne says
And why should anyone care about “What happens in the Vatican?” There’s no business like show business.
The European says
Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation from the papacy on February 11, 2013. On that day the Catholic Church celebrates the World Day of the Sick, but another thing happened on that day as well: The Pope conducted a ceremony known as the consistory for the canonization of the martyrs of Otranto ( 800 Catholics who died a martyr’s death at the end of the 15th century , because they had refused to convert to Islam) Reading a little bit between the lines, one can easily grasp what the Pope wanted to say: ” Today, we are remembering all the sick of this poor world, but our Church has become sick, too. Sick with people who have lost their way. Instead of preaching Christ, they cling to secular ideas like the “one-world ideology, globalism, New World Order, theology of liberation, cultural-marxist ideas and likewise. And they are betraying Christianity to the Islamic world by propagating false doctrines about Islam, by appeasing Islam, by pandering to it, by abandoning the Oriental Christians who suffer every day at the hands of their Muslim persecutors.. But I, by canonizing the martyrs of Otranto, will show you what our response to Islam must be: Giving testimony of Christ in words and deeds, we must never surrender to Islam, we must be faithful to Christ, to the Gospel and to the commandments of the true God. The martyrs of Otranto set an example, it’s up to us to follow in their footsteps. I can no longer lead you, I’ m sick and old, and the friends of Islam and the enemies of Christ within our Church are numerous and powerful, they have hijacked the Church, and they are everywhere; I cannot fight them anymore, but I want you to remember me as a Pope who has never been afraid of speaking the truth about Islam.”
Lydia Church says
***Scandals of history, secret plots, the vatican, conspiracy, intrigue, and Bible prophesy***
For those interested, there is usually good information also found on the blog ‘rather expose them,’ which posts things from JW all the time, and lighthouse trails research project has a lot of misc. info. also.
Well if you go to the LTRP website, then click on BLOG and under today is a list of news articles, mostly dealing with pope francis’ building of the one world religion. That abominable agenda marches on, as does the borderless agenda as we see all over the world now. The articles are worth the read. Then on REP, there are similar ones but if you go to the right at the index, look for a link titled ‘Chick Publications,’ (the popular Chick tracts source). If you click on Catholicism at the left, there are also some interesting historical articles that branch out from there. The Jesuit agenda is revealed (the current day ecumenical movement; winning them with honey rather than vinegar, etc.).
It also mentions the underground escape route the Vatican had for nazi war criminals from Europe (Germany, Italy, and others) to South America (I have heard mostly to Brazil and Argentina). Some of those very countries had a lot of persecution of its citizens as well some decades ago, I know of Argentina and Chile. Anyway… in doing some research five years ago I noticed that PF’s parents immigrated to Argentina from Italy. However, it was not after WWII, but during the 1920’s. But, that escape route already existed when it was needed in the 40’s. Anyway, it is an interesting coincidence to say the least. There are other items, such as the investigation for sex crimes, but I will leave that research to those inquiring minds so inclined to pursue it.
On another related note:
“Then after the sixty-two weeks, the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed.” Daniel 9; 26
This is talking about when Jerusalem was sacked by the Romans in 70AD. The ‘prince who is to come’ is of the same people (Romans/Italians). It is the Anti-C, who it goes on to explain will make a false covenant. We know that the abomination of desolation is yet future, even though there have been many forerunners. In Matthew 24, Jesus refers to it as yet future, and not only that, but lists a series of events that had to occur prior, so that it could not happen until after the Gospel has gone all around the world, and is future (but not much in the future). The Bible also refers to this as Daniel’s prophesy, and not another similar event, thus that one has not been fulfilled yet. 2 Thessalonians 2; 4 relates to this as well. Anyway, many falsely claim that Jesus was talking about that generation back then, and although often there are multiple similar events (sometimes called double prophesies), Jesus was clearly talking about THIS generation, when these things BEGIN to happen, which is the current time. It is yet future and will happen just as all the other prophesies are fulfilled, with none failing.
( :
Sons of Liberty says
Worth noting Lydia Church,…. because if Islam continues its spread around the world it will be like hell on Earth . Just look at Syria , Yemen , Libya …….
Richard says
I doubt the escape routes from the Vatican were for Nazi war criminals. It is a well-known fact that hundreds of Jews were hidden in the Vatican and thousands in monasteries and convents during the war. Many priests and nuns died in concentration camps. One priest actually took the place of a Jew condemned to death. Many Nazis escaped from Germany and the United States actually brought hundreds, if not thousands over here under various names. Our space program depended on them to a large extent. My father had a friend, Baron Von Vitzhume, who had a patch over one eye: “One of your boys put this out for me at Normandy. I killed him for you.” It was war and there was nothing dishonorable about that. When Japanese submarines were sighted off Los Angeles during the war, my Uncle Barton came over with his gun to shoot all the women. After the war, Admiral Yamamoto was tried, convicted and executed for crimes of which he was completely innocent.
The Jesuits have always been a problem. They began doing magnificent work converting pagans all over the world at the cost of many of their lives, but then the order became liberal.The best priest I ever knew was an old-time Jesuit, but earlier in their history the Jesuits were shut down by the Church. Now they are very liberal again,, but it should be noted that in the 50s it was Joe McCarthy’s visit to Wheeling Jesuit University where a Jesuit priest told him to make a speech about all the Communists in Hollywood and elsewhere. That began the anti-Communist movement. On the other hand, I know a deeply religious young man who entered Wheeling Jesuit University a few years ago, intending to be a priest. He graduated with a degree in theology, but had become an atheist!
gravenimage says
True, Richard. The idea that Catholicism enabled the Holocaust is ugly calumny.
Tom Jablonski says
The popular Chick Publications? Chick is about as Christian as the Muslims. Nothing but hateful lies from him.
gravenimage says
Vatican diplomat who “helped heal the wounds opened by Pope Benedict’s notorious Regensburg speech” dies
……………………
Ah, yes–the “wounds” caused by daring to tell the truth about the savagery of Islam. What insanity.
Richard says
Of course, gravenimage! God bless you! To tolerate evil is to be a part of it. You may recall the maxim: “Silence is consent.” People forget that Jesus said “I come not in peace, but with a sword.” He is referring to the Jews whom God sent through the camp and back who were to kill everyone they could reach with their swords after the worship of the golden calf. Then God told them they had consecrated their hands to the priesthood in the blood of their idol-worshipping kinfolk. The Lord does not put up with false religions or those who tolerate them. And there is no such thing as a small sin. God showed the glorious St. Catherine of Sienna a vision of a horrible stinking swamp filled with all sorts of loathsome monsters. When St. Catherine gasped: “Lord, what is that place?”. God replied: “That’s your soul.” As my beloved Gregory VII wrote to his priests after ascending to the Papacy: “Get rid of your women or you’re excommunicated. I don’t care if I’m the only priest left in the Church!” “One with God is always in the majority.”
gravenimage says
Richard–with all respect–Jesus was not talking about mass murdering Jews.
James Lincoln says
Pope Benedict’s speech at Regenburg was excellent – and spot on. The Catholic Church would be much better off if he were still the Pope.
Richard says
No kidding! You know, he refused to attend the first pan-religious conference. He was ordered to attend he second. There’s an old Gilbert and Sullivan ditty: “If Everybody’s Somebody, Nobody’s Anything!”
Rufolino says
Pope Francis would do much better to denounce the current SILENCE about the persecution and murder of his Christian flock all over the Islamic world.
Jean says
Watch this video of real refugees singing to Francis. He appears to be unable or unwilling to even look at them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d-Nc0N9jT8
They are Assyrian Christians who have found refuge in Georgia. Their monastery, led by father Seraphim who sings here, is now the only place in the world that holds services in Aramaic… the language of Jesus Christ, and of the Assyrian church, one of the oldest of Christian churches in the world.
Assyrian Christians are rapidly disappearing – IS’ genocide upon them continues.
Father Seraphim dedicates his singing to his people and his God.
‘All my singing is a prayer to God,’ he says. ‘It is how I pray. And our song is our weeping for our people’s suffering.’
You can hear their sorrow in their music. The plea for help is heart-rending. A stone would weep at the song of this little Assyrian girl, many of whose compatriots are now the sex slaves of IS.
As opposed to Francis whose eyes are downcast, father Serafim looks to the heavens. The contrast draws the attention. I do not see Francis as expressing piety, he looks sooner uncomfortable with the situation. As he has reason to be. He knows that he has let these people down.
I consider Benedict the real pope, still the pope of the Catholic Church.
ben t says
AGREED!!
gravenimage says
Yes–the persecution of Christians continues.
Kasey says
Islam has copied Christ when it has suited it; eg Matthew 10:34.
Do not think that I have come to bring peace on earth. I have not come to bring peace, but the sword.
STEVE says
Have not seen it written or verbalized anywhere but anyone with any sense can see that yes, islam is a sewer cult, not a religion and a figment of grandiose (today, a symptom of schizophrenia) of the pedophile mohammed. He simply looked at what Jesus has done in a loving and forgiving manner but mohammed said, “hey, my fellow arabs are uneducated simpletons who will follow me as others did Christ.” However mohammed said, “since I was not born divinely but of satan, I’ll use my leadership for evil, period. This started and was prophesied when Sara and Hagar had sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Ishmael was and is the living satan, in the form of a muslim. It had to happen, it’s going to happen and the antichrist will rise out of that sewer to finally bring the snakes under control. Once that happens, the Rapture is right around the corner.
gravenimage says
True, Jay Boo.
STEVE says
Have not seen it written or verbalized anywhere but anyone with any sense can see that yes, islam is a sewer cult, not a religion and a figment of grandiose (today, a symptom of schizophrenia) of the pedophile mohammed. He simply looked at what Jesus has done in a loving and forgiving manner but mohammed said, “hey, my fellow arabs are uneducated simpletons who will follow me as others did Christ.” However mohammed said, “since I was not born divinely but of satan, I’ll use my leadership for evil, period. This started and was prophesied when Sara and Hagar had sons, Isaac and Ishmael. Ishmael was and is the living satan, in the form of a muslim. It had to happen, it’s going to happen and the antichrist will rise out of that sewer to finally bring the snakes under control. Once that happens, the Rapture is right around the corner.
gravenimage says
No, Ishmael was not Muslim.
No Muzzies Here says
Pope Benedict read a quote. Obviously there were a lot of Vatican officials who were angry at Pope Benedict for that. It’s reasonable to assume that they are the ones responsible for forcing Pope Benedict to resign and for putting a Muslim-friendly Marxist on the throne of Peter.
George Williams says
Good riddence to this betrayor of Christianity and ambassador to the anti-Christ.
Elizabeth L says
I recall very well the resignation of Pope Benedict. In later years following his resignation, I learned – whether historically true or not – that Obama and George Soros had applied unprecedented pressure on the Vatican ( how?.) to persuade Pope Benedict to resign. Pope Francis, curiously, hews to a much more palatable political/religious mindset than that our former pope, of whom it can be said that he was a strong defender of truth, the faith, and Catholic dogma. It was not just the political world that turned Left under Obama, but the leadership of the Vatican as well. We are now paying the price. Christian citizens everywhere are confronting both soft and deadly assaults against their faith and their persons. Athieism is distinctly on the rise. Genocide and slaughter of Christians in the Middle East, Africa and even in the Philippines has continued unabated for many years. The REAL citizens of the religion of peace were, and are being slaughtered by the depraved brutes of the religion of war. Pope Benedict cited the history of the past with regard to the conduct of Mohammedans. History cannot be refuted. The West is now dealing with what these immigrants/refugees have in store for them. We see and read every day what the “ mentally disturbed” the “ misunderstood” and the raving mad want to replicate of their homeland culture. Death to all but their own kind. Politicians and the Vatican diplomat who persist ( and persisted) in characterizing this ideology as peaceful should have a special place in Hell reserved for them. Additionally, I would be comforted by the thought that the victims of all the horror that these Islamists have dished out, were waiting on the other side to smile when they were being hustled off to the punishment that they justly deserved.
Tom says
This is a lie! It was NOT published by the Vatican. The article did appear in the news, but it is by Reuters, and published by U.S. News and World Report.
Shame on the anti-Catholic Mr. Spenser for misleading his readers.
Robert Spencer says
Shame on you, Tom, for lying. The Reuters link is noted and provided in the post. I never made any claim that this was published by the Vatican. Why do you lie?
Berengaria says
Pope Benedict is the True Pope until his death. His Regensburg Speech was correct & all the Left-Wing Clerics in Rome are not qualified to rebut the TRUTH.
That is my opinion & I can imagine the Pressure, that was placed on Pope Benedict to retire from the Left Majority. Once Cardinal Burke was Ousted, the Traditional Church ceased to exist in Rome.
Thomaspj Poovathinkal says
TRUE Christians – those who belong to Jesus the Lord through his Holy Spirit – can NEVER even think of FIGHTING the MUSLIMS or for that matter HINDUS or any other group of Religious People even if they are violent or evil.
What the Lord asked us is : “Go into all the world and preach the gospel news to all creation…………..saved…..but whoever does NOT believe will be condemned. ….will drive out DEMONS…….speak in new tongues…….will pick up snakes…..will drink deadly poison…….it well not hurt them…will place the hands on the sick and the sick will get well.Mk. 16, 15-18
The Christian World as a who is lead by the spirit of CLEVERNESs and HIPOCRISY. So they are not able to proclaiming the word of God or perform wonders and miracles…..healings….
EXCEPTIONS are those in The Divine and The SEHION Retreat Centres. The Divine has BRANCHES in the US, UK , Germany, Australia, Many African countries….
UK branch : http://divineuk.org/
In these Centres you will find even in our own days, the true APOSTLES of Jesus the Lord working for his KINGDOM guided by the Holy Spirit.
UNCLE VLADDI says
Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Paleologos actually quite badly screwed the pooch all by himself, when he ordered the nascent Basarab Sultan assassinated. Having a Dracula in charge of the Turks as their Sultan would have doomed islam for all time, but the cowardly Paleologus wouldn’t take the chance, and so a golden opportunity to destroy islam from within was lost forever!