Pope Francis recently condemned antisemitism twice in the strongest possible terms. He did so first in departing from prepared remarks at one of his weekly Papal audiences in Rome. The Pope said:
“I would like to make a separate note. The Jewish people have suffered so much in history; they have been chased away, they too have been persecuted.
“In the last century we saw so many brutalities against the Jewish people, and we were all convinced that this was over. But today the habit of persecuting the Jews, brothers and sisters, is here reborn. This is neither human nor Christian.”
He continued: “The Jews are our brothers and should not be persecuted, understand?”
On a second occasion, Pope Francis said on November 13 that politicians who rage against homosexuals, gypsies and Jews remind him of Hitler.
“It is not coincidental that at times there is a resurgence of symbols typical of Nazism,” Francis said in an address to participants of an international conference on criminal law.
“And I must confess to you that when I hear a speech (by) someone responsible for order or for a government, I think of speeches by Hitler in 1934, 1936,” he said, departing from his prepared address.
“With the persecution of Jews, gypsies, and people with homosexual tendencies, today these actions are typical (and) represent ‘par excellence’ a culture of waste and hate. That is what was done in those days and today it is happening again.”
“During the 1933-45 Nazi regime in Germany, six million Jews were killed and homosexuals and gypsies were among those sent to extermination camps.
Pope Francis did not name any politicians or countries as the targets of his criticism.
In May, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah [a Muslim] extended a moratorium on the death penalty to incoming legislation prohibiting gay sex , seeking to temper a global backlash led by celebrities such as George Clooney and Elton John.
The United Nations had warned Brunei it would be violating human rights by implementing Islamic laws that would allow death by stoning for adultery and homosexuality.
In July, a European Union study said young Jewish Europeans experience more anti-Semitism than their parents, with a rise in abuse coming in emails, text messages and social media postings.
Pope Francis knows that antisemitism is on a steep increase in Europe, as reflected in the opinions of Jews themselves, 80% of whom believe, according to opinion polls, that Jew-hatred has suddenly increased on the Internet, while 70% of Jews in Europe believe antisemitism is on the rise in public as well. In a poll limited to the U.K., fully one-half of British Jews felt insecure enough to claim if Jeremy Corbyn was elected as Prime Minister on December 12, they would seriously consider leaving Great Britain. Now they need not be concerned about that, at least, for now.
But while the Pope’s outrage is welcome, he continues to avoid the elephant in the room, which is Muslim antisemitism. Is it because he truly remains blind to it or is it because he is afraid to name it, for fear of antagonizing the tens of millions of Muslims in Europe who are the main carriers of the current antisemitism? Islamic texts and teachings that inculcate hatred for Jews are not hard to locate. Consider this list of Qur’anic verses, compiled by Robert Spencer, that describes the Jews as malevolent in every respect, and inveterate in their hatred of Muslims and of Islam:
The Qur’an depicts the Jews as inveterately evil and bent on destroying the wellbeing of the Muslims. They are the strongest of all people in enmity toward the Muslims (5:82); as fabricating things and falsely ascribing them to Allah (2:79; 3:75, 3:181); claiming that Allah’s power is limited (5:64); loving to listen to lies (5:41); disobeying Allah and never observing his commands (5:13); disputing and quarreling (2:247); hiding the truth and misleading people (3:78); staging rebellion against the prophets and rejecting their guidance (2:55); being hypocritical (2:14, 2:44); giving preference to their own interests over the teachings of Muhammad (2:87); wishing evil for people and trying to mislead them (2:109); feeling pain when others are happy or fortunate (3:120); being arrogant about their being Allah’s beloved people (5:18); devouring people’s wealth by subterfuge (4:161); slandering the true religion and being cursed by Allah (4:46); killing the prophets (2:61); being merciless and heartless (2:74); never keeping their promises or fulfilling their words (2:100); being unrestrained in committing sins (5:79); being cowardly (59:13-14); being miserly (4:53); being transformed into apes and pigs for breaking the Sabbath (2:63-65; 5:59-60; 7:166); and more.
The Pope knows, too, that every one of the Jews killed in Europe in recent years has been murdered by Muslims. He could mention that “in France alone, we have seen a dozen Jews murdered: four Jews in a kosher supermarket, a rabbi murdered, along with three little children, two of them his, outside a Jewish school, a young Jewish man kidnapped, tortured for three weeks, then left to die, two elderly Jewish ladies, one of them a Holocaust survivor, murdered by young men, neighbors. We see, too, that Jews across Europe, in Paris and Marseille, in Brussels and Amsterdam and London and Malmo, and in many other places throughout the Continent, have been set upon in the streets and beaten, purely for being Jews. We know who is attacking them, and in some cases killing them. This phenomenon needs to be pondered.’” If he still can’t bring himself to mention Islam by name, others can do that for him.
When the Pope decried the increase in attacks on homosexuals as well, can he really be unaware that this increase primarily reflects the view in Islam of homosexuality and homosexuals, who are punished severely in many Muslim countries? Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by imprisonment in Kuwait, Egypt, Oman, and Syria; it is punishable by death in Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar. In Yemen and the Palestinian territories, the punishment can be either death or imprisonment, depending on the exact nature of the act committed.
The Pope said nothing about the hatred and punishment of homosexuals in Islamic lands. If by withholding comment he hopes to work “behind the scenes” to ameliorate the situation of homosexuals, that policy shows no signs of working. Only a firm denunciation of such views and practices is likely to have an effect. The last Muslim Arab states to formally give up slavery did so only after a highly public campaign was conducted in the West against the practice, while years of Western states trying “behind the scenes” to persuade them to end slavery had had no effect.
The Pope could, without naming particular countries, publicly deplore – perhaps at one of those international gatherings at the Vatican held to discuss morality, or at one of his weekly Papal audiences — “those countries that punish homosexuals, some quite severely, even by executing them, must themselves be denounced.” And he could also note that “I am also disturbed that many of the states where antisemitism appears most prevalent are also places where anti-homosexual laws are most severe.” He need not name-and-shame; his targets will have been clear.
He could also suggest that “we Catholics took a long time, but we finally came, as recognized in Vatican II, to fully appreciate our Jewish brothers, and to remove, as a consequence, disturbing parts of the liturgy. I allow myself to believe that other faiths, too, might find the need to confront their own legacy of antisemitism.” The hint will be there; it’s up to Muslims to take it. And a similar suggestion – to put aside homophobia, which is also encouraged in Europe by its burgeoning Muslim population – could be made by the Pope, again without specifying that Muslims are the main persecutors of homosexuals today, inflicting violence upon them and, in many of their own countries, imprisoning or executing them. He need only say something about how glad he is that adherents of “authentic Islam” — he has many times claimed to know what that “authentic” Islam must be – have nothing to do with the “antisemitism” of those who “only claim to be Muslims.”
Pope Francis could continue with what he has been content to do so far: that is, to denounce antisemitism and anti-homosexual attitudes, even as he still insists on defending to the hilt Islam and Muslims, the chief carriers today of both. The incoherence of this becomes ever more obvious to many of us; eventually, Pope Francis may feel the need to study Islam – a task he has been avoiding for fear of what he might find out – and then to usefully correct himself, by discussing the view of Jews and homosexuals in Islam with as much candor as he can muster. Let us hope that he may surprise us yet.
mortimer says
Meanwhile, Francis ignores the plight of Christians in Nigeria and the Middle East who face an ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing directed by Muslims. Assyrian Christians have been named ‘The Martyr Church’ due to their 1,400 years of persecution by Muslims.
From the Catholic World Report: Vatican City, Aug 6, 2019 / 08:40 am (CNA).- The Chaldean Catholic Church is a Church of martyrs, Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako of Babylon told Pope Francis this week.
“Our Chaldean church, since the early centuries, was a missionary church which announced the gospel reaching as far as China, and gave so many martyrs and continues to give today,” Sako wrote in an Aug. 4 letter to the pope.
“It has always been a church of martyrs throughout its history.”
“Our tormentors confiscated our present while seeking to wipe out our history and destroy our future,” the archbishop told ACN.
“This was an exceptional situation, but not an isolated one. It was part of the recurring cycle of violence in the Middle East over 1,400 years,” he said.
“With each successive cycle,” he added, “the number of Christians falls away, till today we are at the point of extinction.”
gravenimage says
Grimly true, Mortimer.
barbaracvm1 says
Just last week three Christian educators were murdered in Kenya. Pope has not condemned this.
gravenimage says
Terrible–I saw that awful story.
mortimer says
On one point, I agree with the pope: Persecuting Jews is ‘NOT CHRISTIAN’. However, persecuting Jews is VERY Islamic.
Maimonides, the great sage of Judaism said about the Islamic persecution of Jews in Spain:
“… God has cast us into the midst of this people, the nation of Ishmael [that is, Muslims], who PERSECUTED US SEVERELY, and who devise ways to HARM us and to DEBASE us…. No nation has ever done more harm to Israel. None has matched it in DEBASING and HUMILIATING us. None has been able to REDUCE us as they have…. We have borne their imposed degradation, their lies, their absurdities, which are BEYOND HUMAN POWER TO BEAR…. We have done as our sages of blessed memory have instructed us, bearing the lies and absurdities of Ishmael…. In spite of all this, we are not spared from the ferocity of their wickedness and their outbursts at any time. On the contrary, the more we suffer and choose to conciliate them, the more they choose to act belligerently toward us…”
Jack Holan says
This is not only a lesson for my People but for All People. As Non- believers whether We are People of the Book or not We will never satisfy the Muslim unless We willingly submit and Convert or are Killed. The third option (from the Talmud) if a Man comes to your House to kill you, Kill Him First.
gravenimage says
Grimly spot on, Jack.
FYI says
Isn’t this the same pope that told us that “authentic islam and a proper reading of the koran is opposed to every form of violence”?
Perhaps he missed the 164 Jihadist verses.
Given Mr Spencer’s compilation of antisemitic koranic verses isn’t it obvious that a “proper reading” of the koran reveals it to be the case that is violently anti Jewish?
And yet francis,with his ‘proper reading’ appears to have missed that.
{Imagine reading hitler’s mein kampf and insisting that a ‘proper reading’ of it shows it to be opposed to every form of antisemitism}
francis is right about the Jews but wrong on an awful lot of other things :his mistaken belief that allah{“The BEST of deceivers” k3:54},the Arab god of the muslims is the same as the Christian God is ludicrous when a “proper reading” of the koran reveals that..
allah denies the Crucifixion of Christ k4:157,dismisses the Trinity{and thus the Holy Spirit of God’s Wisdom} k4:171,gets the Theology of the Trinity laughably wrong k5:118 {Mary is NOT in the Trinity!} and CURSES Christians for believing in Jesus koran 9:30
A “proper reading” of the koran conducted by that great apologist for islam,imam Jorge Bergoglio{who as a jesuit would surely know the difference between the islamic arab god allah and the Judeo-Christian Biblical God}would have shown that.
Jews and Christians have a few things in common:for starters the 2 chief commandments of God,Love God{#1 Deut 6 v 4-9}Love others{#2 lev19:18}…{“The whole law of moses and the teachings of all the prophets depend on these two chief commandments” Matthew 22 v 40}….are the exact same.
The Exodus 20 laws and the importance of following them{They are not listed in allah’s koran:muslims would need to consult the Bible to find them..}are the same.
And THIS..
“Do for others what you want them to do for you.This is the MEANING of the Law of Moses and the teachings of all the prophets”
matthew7 v12
See if you can find the Golden Rule,Obedience to God’s Exodus 20 + 2 chief laws in islam….they are either missing or violated..
But don’t tell francis:he thinks allah is the same as the Biblical God.
James Lincoln says
Excellent post, FYI.
Terry Gain says
I respectfully disagree with Hugh Fitzgerald, whom I greatly respect. I don’t think the Pope should hint. I think he should apologize for his cowardice and resign. He is a disgrace.
FYI says
He might be too busy to resign..too busy undermining Catholicism,introducing errors[as a minority of faithful catholics well know},being friends with St Bono and the Soros cartel etc.
Oh,and excommunicating FAITHFUL Catholics this year{Scottish Hermits} for complaining about Mr Bergoglios’s heresies:anyone who does not tow the Emperor,sorry the “pope”‘s ,pro-islam,pro-globalism,pro-NWO agenda will be condemned by Rome.He has promoted his YES men to key positions in the Church.
{He was at the Cuban Circus in Rome recently:Rome does put on a good show for the Sheeple.Francis too:kissing babies,hugging nuns…No dancing Elephants thank goodness..but the Show must go on..}
Jack Holan says
One day a book will be written,”The Illegitimate Pope. How the retirement of Pope Benedict had been a Coup.
Islam_Is Islam says
Sooner rather than later, Jack. Everyone whether Catholic or not would do well to request an examination of the facts: what was announced by Pope Benedict on Feb 11, 2013 in light of Canon 332.2 in which munus not ministerium is the requisite for resigning the Papal Office in order that the act to be properly manifest such that there can be no question about it.
Luciano J. Ercolini says
Amen, brother!!! Not only is this pope a disaster for Catholicism…but also fro Western Civilization!!
CogitoErgoSum says
I disagree with the Pope on saying that Jews and Christians are brothers. My way of looking at those who are not Christian is to see them as my neighbors and I reserve the honor of brother and sister for those who have been re-born through baptism as my brothers and sisters in Christ. The directive to love my neighbor as myself would still apply but to think of non-Christians as my brothers and sisters is not exactly correct. I see Jews, Muslims or anyone else who is not a Christian in this manner – as a neighbor. Since the Pope is supposed to teach all men concerning Christ, he should make this kind of distinction clear when he speaks in order to extend an invitation to the Jews and Muslims to join us Christians in being one family whose members are more firmly bound together than by merely being neighbors. Christ is what the Pope should be preaching to all men – and not just to us Christians.
Kepha says
Agreed. Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man. I believe this very firmly. Yet you can’t escape his teaching to love one’s neighbor; and when asked “Who is my neighbor?” he replied with the parable of the Good Samaritan, a “them” rather than an “us” in the context in which he spoke.
Kepha says
Still, we are all brothers in Adam the First–although not necessarily in the Last Adam.
CogitoErgoSum says
I do agree that we are brothers and sisters as we are all the descendents of Adam and Eve. However, I believe that men have a dual nature of both body and spirit. See John 3:5-8:
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Herein lies also one of the few times I find agreement with Muhammad that all human beings are born a Muslim – that is, born a slave to Satan and dead to the Spirit of God. Through baptism, human beings cast off their chains and are reborn as the adopted children of God … no longer Muslims and no longer slaves to a taskmaster but children and heirs to the kingdom of a loving Father.
Kepha says
Alright. A good point about all person born slaves to Satan. Paul speaks in Colossians how the saved are tansferred from the Kingdom of Darkness to that of Christ.
gravenimage says
Whatever your views, Jews are not threatening Christians as Muslims are.
Personally, I think we should stand together against Jihad.
CogitoErgoSum says
Did I say we should not? I see the Jews as good neighbors … Muslims, not so much.
gravenimage says
Agreed, CogitoErgoSum,
Jaydam says
Totally Agree
FYI says
Absolutely.
Jews and Christians should stand together against jihad
Remember the koran CURSES Jews AND Christians,the “people of the book”{ koran 9:30}and says both Jews AND Christians are “the worst of created beings” [koran 98:6]
The “People of the Book” subscribe to the Bible:with its 2 chief commandments of LOVE,Exodus 20 laws,Golden Rule and the prophetic significance of Israel
The people of islam’s book ,the koran, follow a different god,al lah{“the BEST of deceivers” k3:54}the arab god,a god who does NOT subscribe to these things and who even has a Doctrine of Hate{al walaa wal baraa}
Michael Copeland says
There’s an Ellovan Elephant in the room,
But no-one’s allowed to say.
The most numerous name for newborns
Begins with an ‘M’ today.
don vito says
As Mr. Spenser has pointed out…the pope does not to be branded islamowhatever.. many times. To paraphrase.
gravenimage says
Just a small point, Don–this article was written by Hugh Fitzgerald.
gravenimage says
Pope Francis Continues to Avoid That Elephant in the Room
………………..
No sign he’s going to stop anytime soon…
Battle says
Moslem shoots sister in the back, to death in Africa.
Two Moslems slay father in church in northern France.
Moslem slays father back from Burkina Faso.
P. O'Brien says
Politicians rage against homosexuals and gypsies, Holy Father? Where? When? Nothing but a leftwing slogan from this guy.
Gordon Anderson says
The Pope’s partnership with Islamsists to form a one world religion and his marginalizing of Jesus and womwn is the insane result !
barbaracvm1 says
THE ANDALUSIAN MYTH by Dario Fernandesz-Morera explains how and why we have erroneous understanding of Islam.
He details how the Muslims conquered Spain and rest of the Mediterranean region.
He names those who deliberately misinterpret the Koran
stevephoenix72 says
If you really want to help Christians being persecuted in Syria and in the Middle East, in my opinion the best means to do so is via the Knights of Columbus charities, which have direct contacts for delivering the means to aid, house, and resettle the ignored and horrendously persecuted Christians.
gravenimage says
The Barnabas Fund is also good.