My latest in PJ Media:
On Sunday, Pope Francis broke his silence regarding the decision by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to convert Hagia Sophia, the foremost cathedral in the Christian world for nearly a thousand years, to a mosque. If you blinked, however, you might have missed it. “I think of Hagia Sophia,” the Pope said, “and I am very saddened.” It was quite clear why he didn’t choose to say more: virtually anything he added would have landed him in troubles that he doesn’t want to have.
As I stated to Church Militant, the Pope’s tardy statement, such as it is, manifests a studied ambiguity. What exactly is he saddened about? He doesn’t say. Is he saddened because what was the foremost church in the Christian world for nearly a millennium, and the center of Eastern Christianity, has been made a mosque?
Or is he saddened because this act harms the dialogue that he has so ardently pursued with the Islamic world — even at the price of silence over the Muslim persecution of Christians — and demonstrates that his dialogue partners are not remotely as interested in tolerance, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence as he likes to pretend that they are?
Has Pope Francis made this unclear statement because he doesn’t wish to say anything clearly in support of maintaining Hagia Sophia’s status as a museum, for fear of offending those Muslim dialogue partners?
He has certainly worked hard to avoid offending them, and they have let him know they’re grateful. In September 2017, Pope Francis met in the Vatican with Dr. Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, the secretary-general of the Muslim World League (MWL), a group that has been linked to the financing of jihad terror. During the meeting, al-Issa thanked the pope for his “fair positions” on what he called the “false claims that link extremism and violence to Islam.”
Ahmed al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Cairo’s al-Azhar, has also thanked the Pope, for his “defense of Islam against the accusation of violence and terrorism.” Al-Tayeb is Pope Francis’ favored dialogue partner, and the Pope has committed the Catholic Church to silence about Muslim persecution of Christians as the price for that dialogue.
There is much more. Read the rest here.
Keith O says
Maybe the “i made a mistake” warning light is starting to flicker in his feeble mind?
And like all authoritarian institutions, the pontiff won’t admit he made a mistake in his sucking up to Islam.
As well as the realization that he has been made a fool by Mudslime clerics.
mortimer says
This duped pope owes an apology to all the Christians who tried to warn him. THEY HAVE BEEN RIGHT ALL ALONG ABOUT ISLAM.
The pope is seen by Muslims as a namby-pamby, simpleminded fool. Jihadists see weakness as opportunity, not as decency or compassion.
Muslims ALREADY despise the dirty kufaar. Nothing will make Muslims like the kafirs.
mortimer says
SOME GOOD NEWS : EU HAS AGREED TO TARGET TURKISH ECONOMY WITH SANCTIONS IF HAGIA SOPHIA IS NOT RETURNED TO MUSEUM
https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/07/14/eu-to-implement-targeted-sanctions-against-turkey-in-august-if-hagia-sophia-is-not-reverted-to-a-museum/
mortimer says
Deputy Chaiman of AKP put on the hot seat by Al Jazeer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zypWc_Pdcxg
gravenimage says
Great news, Mortimer!
mortimer says
It will be better news, dear GI, if Erdogan awakens awareness in the West to the intolerance, sense of entitlement and predatory lust in the DNA of Islam.
I pray this will awaken the sleeping giant with Europe and other non-Muslim regions of the world.
Islam is 1) NOT a religion of peace 2) NOT a religion of tolerance and 3) NOT compatible with any other society.
Erdogan just proved those 3 points.
gravenimage says
Spot on, Mortimer. I hope so, as well.
mortimer says
Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia reconversion to a mosque causes ‘deep pain to the Russian people’ – Russian patriarch
Turks have upset many millions of Christians … they are destroying international relations to purchase re-election
THERE WILL BE RAMIFICATIONS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9ZAecdLJH4
gravenimage says
Putin seems to be pretty copacetic with his fellow dictator Erdogan, I’m afraid:
“Erdoğan provides assurance to Putin on preservation of Hagia Sophia – Orthodox Times”
https://ahvalnews.com/erdogan-putin/erdogan-provides-assurance-putin-preservation-hagia-sophia-orthodox-times
Robert Porter says
Mortimer, Pope Francis is everything you said and more. He is nothing more than a cowardly fool and ignoramus, a poor excuse for a Christian and Christian leader, but right now I see similar weak characteristics throughout the Christian church with pansy clergy. Weakness, as Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn pointed out in his brilliant 1978 Harvard Commencement Address, is now a Western speciality. Good golly, never be ‘angry’! Heaven forbid. After in Toronto a Muslim, Hussain Faisal, conducted jihad, shooting 15 and killing two girls, a Toronto Sun reporter visited the affected area and found that residents were “sad”. In a column he asked: ‘Where’s the anger?” God forbid! Anger is so politically incorrect and now so abnormal in Western society.
mortimer says
Mr.Porter, I wish that you were right that ‘Anger is so politically incorrect’. Have you missed what has happened since Donald Trump announced his candidacy? The Leftards have expressed continuous, vicious hatred of candidate, the president and all of his supporters. They have been in a constant homicidal rage.
But it isn’t ‘hate’ when the Leftards and Globalists do it!
I disagree: ‘Anger is so VERY politically CORRECT’ among Leftists.
A Leftist I knew a long time SCREAMED at me for twenty minutes about a conservative politician. I said, ‘You have a lot of hate for the man.’ He replied, eyes bulging, ‘THAT ISN’T HATE.’
He thought his hate was not ‘hate’.
Sean Dallaire says
The pope knows Christians are under attack worldwide, Canada took the cross out of the school, replaced it with prayer rooms for muslims. We are at war with Islam, whether people want to believe it or not. Our own government is helping them invade our country. Treason I dare say.
william carr says
Not getting ‘upset’ by the massacre of his followers in Africa though
curious george says
I don’t know what all the huffing and puffing is about?
Those who elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis) where well aware of his ideology. If they are so displeased with his actions now, then why is he still the Pope?
He could be disposed of as easily as Benedict XVI, yet he is not, why? Could it be that he is doing exactly what the power elite want him to do?
Pope Francis is not the problem, he is a symptom of the problem.
Vatican Council and Papal Statements on Islam
http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/ecumenical-and-interreligious/interreligious/islam/vatican-council-and-papal-statements-on-islam.cfm
Christianity is in serious decline; the future looks bleak. That light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train.
Batten down the hatches, the worst is yet to come.
FYI says
“I think of Hagia Sophia’ says francis.
I’m sure he’s bawling.. but it is a shame he doesn’t show the same emotion towards persecuted and massacred Christians.
Yes,he should think of the Hagia Sophia.More.Much More:what it means.
The Hagia Sophia is dedicated to the Divine Wisdom,the Logos,the 2nd Person of the Trinity who is Jesus Christ.The Judge.
The one who will be judging the souls of erdogan,francis ..the muslims.
Given the catastrophe that is francis with his introduction of various HERESIES into Catholicism,his SILENCE in the face of the persecution of Christians and massacres of innocent Catholics by members of the religion of ‘peace’ in places like Nigeria,his pro-Globalist agenda,his false equivalence between allah{who CURSES Christians for believing in Jesus Christ koran 9:30}and the Christian God,francis will require some sort of miracle to escape the Judgement of Jesus Christ {who is the Hagia Sophia:Logos}
Yes,francis should indeed think on the Hagia Sophia and ponder how he and his henchmen in Rome think they are going to get past Jesus Christ:they presume too much on God’s Mercy.
mortimer says
What would the LEADERS of Muslims say if Roman Catholics had taken over the KAABA and turned it into a CATHEDRAL?
Do you think they would simply say there were ‘sad’ ???
SAFI says
Well, judging by how they go berserk and murderous when someone merely draws an image of or “blasphemes” in any other way against their Prophet… I don’t think thry would take the desecration of any major holy site all that light, Mortimer…
mortimer says
Yes, SAFI, the Muslims know how they would react and they are testing to see how weak the West is. They think that the West will not defend its principles or religion when attacked. They think that Christians will not defend their faith … that they are weak. This is what Hitler did before going all out. When the West did not stop Hitler taking Austria and Czechoslovakia, he took Poland.
Erdogan will now try something more if there is no response. His followers will see him as a warrior chief. Erdogan must be punished pretty severely. They should find a way to make this very personal.
mortimer says
Poor, naïve Pope Francis, the first dhimmi pope, is ‘sad’. He thought negotiating with Muslims in good faith would impress them! It didn’t. They thought he was a pushover.
Whenever we don’t respond to Muslim aggression, they think Allah is telling them to take the next step.
A strong response to this breach of an international truce is required! Otherwise, Erdogan and his followers will think they can invade elsewhere. They think Allah is calling them to a new jihad! Allah Akbar.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis has been taken by a group that are EXPERT LIARS. We tried to warn the pope, but he slandered us and called us names! Only he understand Muslims … those scholarly Christians who studied the Koran, hadiths, Sira and Sharia law were all smugly SLANDERED by this Pollyanna-pope!
The Islamic takeover of Hagia Sophia is a rebuff to Pope Francis’ human fraternity pact with Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayyeb signed in February 2019.
The Abu Dhabi declaration calls for “the protection of places of worship — synagogues, churches and mosques” as “a duty guaranteed by religions, human values, laws and international agreements.”
The pope should have spoken out STRONGLY against the plan as soon as Erdogan mentioned it. He should have told all world leaders he was against it.
The Islamic takeover of Hagia Sophia is a rebuff to Pope Francis’ human fraternity pact with Grand Imam of al-Azhar Ahmed al-Tayyeb signed in February 2019.
The Abu Dhabi declaration calls for “the protection of places of worship — synagogues, churches and mosques” as “a duty guaranteed by religions, human values, laws and international agreements.”
The pope was DUPED … we told him so.
barbaracvm1 says
The Muslims are even now, stating how they are going to regain all the lands they previously controlled. From Turkey to Spain, they are planning to retake where they had conquered.
mortimer says
Supremacism is an ideology that cannot be satisfied by a mere piece of the pie.
gravenimage says
You are right, Barbara:
“Erdogan: ‘Resurrection of Hagia Sophia’ heralds ‘return of freedom to al-Aqsa,’ revival of Islam Uzbekistan to Spain”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2020/07/erdogan-resurrection-of-hagia-sophia-heralds-return-of-freedom-to-al-aqsa-revival-of-islam-uzbekistan-to-spain
Tony Naim says
Mortimer
I do agree with all what you say.
The Slap in the face did not only come to the Pope, but to President Trump as well, knowing that he recently announced a new policy to promote religious freedom around the globe.
Sadly, too, President Trump did not utter a word. Still I continue to support him.
I am sure Muslim leaders will listen to the president much more than they do to the Pope- who has no muscle to back up his plight.
mortimer says
I think Pres. Trump is mulling over what to say. He will say something, but Trump is not an Orthodox Christian.
I notice Vladimir Putin has not made a strong comment either, but a Russian SENATOR has denounced Turkey strongly.
If the deeply Orthodox Russians are cautious about condemning Turkey, they know something.
However, the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the upper house of the Russian parliament, KONSTANTIN KOSACHEV, has warned Turkey that it “will be seen as a violator of religious balance in the eyes of the whole world.”
“This will trigger an extremely negative response throughout the entire Christian world,” he warned.
Hagia Sophia is not a minor church of little or no significance. Hagia Sophia is the HEADQUARTERS of the Orthodox churches.
How would Muslim leaders react if Christians took over one of their key mosques … what if the Orthodox Church were to convert the MEDINA MOSQUE into a church?
The shoe-on-the-other-foot rule says, ‘HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND IF YOU WERE THE VICTIM?’
JMB says
The boot on the other foot rule would certainly apply, but in all of this there is another rule, I think it is an old proverb, it says; “thine enemy is my friend”. In other words whose side would Russia be on if this blatant show of power and general insult Christianity by Erdogan was to elevated to a conflict? As for Russia being deeply Orthodox, I believe this is true, but I also fear that the Russian Orthodox Church only answers to one person, namely Putin. The forces at play here are complex but the Pope should use his considerable authority to be a lot more than “saddened”
gravenimage says
Grimly, Putin regularly appeases Islam.
James Lincoln says
Saddened?
He should be angry!
All while members of his flock are either leaving him voluntarily, or being persecuted / killed in islamic countries.
Seth says
Only admirers clutching at his hand make him angry. Oh, he gets plenty angry over really important things like that.
mortimer says
Too true, Seth. Pope Francis only gets angry when people try to warn him about Islam.
FYI says
Many faithful Catholics of my acquaintance no longer feel they have a church to go to:ever since the catastrophe of Vatican 2,Catholicism has been going downhill.I believe Pope Paul VI knew about antiChrist forces operating in the RCC administration when he startled the world with his famous ‘the smoke of satan has entered the church’ statement.Now we are seeing the results.
francis is surely the WORST and most heretical pontiff in history.If he was the CEO of a business he would be sacked.But it is worse than mere incompetence on his part:it is a terrible betrayal of Catholics and Christians.
However, what is happening in Rome IS in line with Catholic prophecies{which in fact are based on the prophetic sources of the Gospel:they have to be}and there are a minority of faithful Cardinals and Remnant groups who keep the Catholic faith going.It is only the truly blind who refuse to see what is going on.
Most likely they are the ones with an almost idolatrous devotion to the cult of the holy father.
It is understandable that many people are fed up with the mainstream churches with their appaling cowardly church leaders{catholic and protestant} but they should go back to the original Gospel,rely on the Holy Spirit and follow Jesus instead of blind pontiffs and pastors leading folk astray[as Jesus warned about]
And above all… stay away from islam:That’s going the wrong way.
Daniel Triplett says
Francis needs consult from the spirit of Urban II to remind him of his duties and obligations and assist him with his strategic vision.
mortimer says
Pope Urban II understood that Islam was predatory. Pope Francis wants Islamic supremacists to sing kumbaya. They won’t because they curse Christians in their prayers 17 times a day.
gravenimage says
Pope Says He’s ‘Very Saddened’ Over Hagia Sophia – But Why?
…………..
Damn good question.
mortimer says
GI, I believe Frank is sad that he lost face. The ‘Islam-is-peace’ narrative has failed him big time.
Islam has shown its true face as the most intolerant religion ever. We told him so.
gravenimage says
You may be right, Mortimer. Maybe he hoped that sniveling dhimmitude and appeasement would win the day…
mortimer says
Frank is the Neville Chamberlain of popes.
mortimer says
This is a SAD day for all of us, and to none is it SADDER than to me. Everything that I have worked for, everything that I have hoped for, everything that I have believed in during my public life, has CRASHED INTO RUINS. There is only one thing left for me to do; that is, to devote what strength and powers I have to forwarding the victory of the cause for which we have to sacrifice so much… I trust I may live to see the day when Hitlerism has been destroyed and a liberated Europe has been re-established.
Neville Chamberlain
– Chamberlain’s entire belief system was RUINED because he misjudged Nazism.
gravenimage says
Good analysis, Mortimer.
Daniel Triplett says
Yes, excellent analysis Mortimer.
Appeasement of evil begets more evil.
Forgiving those who aren’t sorry has the same effect. The offenders mistake grace as validation — a confirmation their actions are righteous and just, so they continue to harm.
mortimer says
But unlike Neville Chamberlain (a fine, but naïve man), Pope Frank WILL NOT BOLDY DEDICATE HIMSELF to FIGHTING the EVIL that has previously appeased.
That is the saddest thing about Bergoglio. He only fights CONSERVATIVES in the West.
Bergoglio denies that Muslims are the GREATEST ‘CONSERVATIVES’ on the planet.
Almost every Muslim society is a fascist dictatorship.
gravenimage says
Mortimer, I mostly agree with you about Chamberlain–but he was willing to throw Czechoslovakia under the bus–and this was not naive, but deeply cynical.
Rufolino says
Francis’s first priority is “Don’t upset Islam !”
He had to say SOMETHING about Hagia Sofia.
But he couldn’t say “congratulations and well done !”
So he said as little as possible, as a sop to Christians.
He said he was “saddened”.
This isn’t Christianity, it’s “political christianity” and worthless.
The Pope’s fart would have have been more meaningful.
Wellington says
What worries me most where the Catholic Church is concerned are all the bishops and cardinals who have been appointed by Francis and who think like him. Deeply troubling, perhaps even to the extent that the Catholic Church will never recover from the disaster which has been the papacy under Francis.
gravenimage says
I hope not, Wellington–but you may be right.
Wellington says
There’s the additional problem, gravenimage, of many lay Catholics who think this Pope is great. I have spoken to a few such people. Just as left-thinking Jews abound, though it is against so many of their interests, so is it the case with many Catholics. I view the Catholic Church as of present in profound trouble.
gravenimage says
Sad but true. You find this willful ignorance almost everywhere.
James Lincoln says
Wellington,
I believe that you are correct.
As you well know, the Catholic hierarchy is a pyramid with the Pope at the top and the Laity at the bottom.
Individual Catholic dioceses are funded mostly by tithes. If this source of income is totally cut off by angry parishioners demanding change, could something happen to prevent this train wreck?
Wellington says
Perhaps, James, since money talks, even in ecclesiastical matters.
Daniel Triplett says
Yes, excellent point. Just as with any organization. Fools in charge surround themselves with like-minded fools, and before you know it the whole organization is full of fools. It takes generations to recover, if ever.
Wellington says
A sad but oft repeated reality, Daniel.
CogitoErgoSum says
He should resign.
Ole Iversen says
I an saddened the Pope has not proclaimed a new crusade to eradicate the heretics
andrew mckendrick says
Pope receives Ottoman slap from Erdogan.
Rufolino says
Yes Andrew, and it’s one huge affirmation of Islam’s coming triumph in the West.
Reminds one of Hitler’s bloodless victories before 1939.
When everyone wrung their hands and did nothing except mutter platitudes, like the Pope.
OLD GUY says
The Pope struggles with Islam and Muslim’s due to his socialist background, the Catholic leaders supported Castro’s revolution in Cuba and has done so in several other countries that moved towards socialism or Communism.
The Pope is trying to walk down the center line rather than stand for human freedom. Problem is if the islamics win the Catholic and all christian, jewish and other religions will suffer greatly.
DP111 says
A once Church has beeb converted to a mosque, but the Temple mount, once Jewish templ ecannot be cnverted back to a Jewish synagogue. Why ever not?
SAFI says
Because political correctness and sensitivity towards other cultures is an exclusively western/christian (and Jewish) condition. Other cultures, and especially Muslims do not share such sentiments themselves, but they sure know how to take advantage of the West’s altruism, wokeness, white guilt, etc for their own purposes… There’s also another factor at play… the pure fear that if you did such a thing the Muslims’ response would not look anything like what you see here from our Holy Father, Pope Francis “the Sad”…
gravenimage says
Because with Islam everything works one way…
SAFI says
Well the Pope might have felt sadness (at least that’s what he says) but look who was overjoyed to hear the news (the Iranians and the Pakis of course)
https://greekcitytimes.com/2020/07/14/iran-felt-joy-when-hagia-sophia-was-converted/
Agostino Armo Pellegrini says
“I think of Hagia Sophia,” the Pope said, “and I am very saddened.” It was quite clear why he didn’t choose to say more…
The pope doesn’t dare say more than he’s “saddened” about this, that would require a moral spine. The pope, however, has plenty of guts when it comes to shaming non-muslims with chiding remarks like,
“we cannot remain insensitive, our hearts deadened, before the misery of so many innocent people”
… unless of course the misery is due to the humanitarian crimes of islam, in which case he has nothing to say. And he does this despite the immense cost that we non-muslims pay to help these muslims–our kids mass raped, our welfare crushed, lands lost, our security and freedoms severely reduced… Still we haven’t given enough according to these leftist frauds like the pope, our arms can’t be spread far enough apart to welcome muslims. Shame shame shame on we uncaring xenophobic folks who dare gripe when muslims destroy our peace and culture for islam! But when it comes to criticizing muslims over a building the pope can’t even risk a few angry words in just condemnation. Yes, the Hagia Sophia is an important ancient relic from the past and it’s beautiful but it’s just a building, and the consequence of the pope criticizing muslims over it should come with minimal ramifications. Still he doesn’t have the moral fortitude, but when it comes to muslim migrants he doesn’t hesitate one bit to admonish us for not giving up everything for those who clearly intend to destroy us. He’s a hypocrite. He has spoken of the need to create a “just world” in which “fundamental rights and dignity are guaranteed to all.” But if that’s how he truly feels then why doesn’t he criticize the humanitarian crimes of islam? a religion with a 1400 history of terror and war for allah. How often does he speak of any of that? gays tossed from buildings or little girls mutilated for sexual reasons, to name just 2 of many islamic injustices muslims are importing. Practically never really, all we get is condemning reminders like this quote of his from Hebrews, “Do not neglect hospitality, for some unknowingly welcomed angels.” ha! angels! I assume he wasn’t referring to muslim criminals, rapists, and jihadists that are destroying our freedoms and culture for islam!
I don’t respect the pope, I think he’s a smiling, unwise fraud that lacks fairness and compassion for all people equally. He pretends to care about people in need, namely muslims from 3rd world nations, but then ignores the pain and suffering of his own flock who are getting murdered and terrorized by muslims. Stop indulging your own ego, dear pope, with an unjust shaming of others and your political bias that favors one group over another. And more importantly stop defending islam as a non-violent religion when there’s 1400 years of history that contradict you. Don’t be on the side of leftists, pope, be on the side of humanity. Care about all of us equally, and stop talking like a sleazy politician scratching for votes.
Marigold says
Pope Francis thinks all religions, including Islam are willed by God so he can’t be that saddened about the Hagia Sofia. What a pathetic response from the so called leader of the Christian world who should have been more specific about what supposedly saddens him.
I am saddened about having heretical prayers said once again in what was once the largest Church in Christendom for a thousand years and I refer to St Paul and what he said about false apostles ‘Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light”Cor 2 ch11 V14. He said that prophetically long BEFORE Mohammed claimed to have been visited by the angel Gabriel.
It would be better for it to have remained a Museum than turned back into a mosque
elena menakakis mamais says
Did we all know this fact!!
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is allegedly of Greek origin according to reports that surface from time to time. According to an earlier article on the sigmalive.com site, Turkish researchers have discovered that Erdogan has a Greek background, from the village of Potamia in Rizounda, Pontus on Turkey’s Black Sea coast.
He is a Greek-Turk – that should be enough in his soul to generate unity between both sides. And yet his actions not only dishonored his Greek heritage which he obviously wants to conceal but this will bring about destruction for Turkey as the prophesies of many Orthodox elders from Mount Athos. The stones of Agia Sophia are crying out, spilling not only blood but tears. No matter if it is converted into a mosque (and no disrespect intended here) the bones and skeleton of this Devine masterpiece will always be eastern orthodox Christian. We all know it. Thus in reality, Muslims are offering prayers in an Eastern Orthodox Church that has been redressed as a mosque. One can change their exterior appearance all they want but it is the inner core of one’s being or essence that will NEVER change. I love it!
And being of Greek descent – yes – it truly saddens me BUT I would like to think that our God – the God that the Jews, Muslims and us Christians believe in, that HE would rather we do things in peace.
And the POPE! That is another mess!
gravenimage says
Elena, most Turks are of Greek descent–but once they embraced Islam they turned their back on any Greek heritage.
Erdogan, whatever his background, is a dyed-in-the-wool Islamist.
Then, the idea that Muslims worship the same God as Jews and Christians is *very* questionable. “Allah” is a savage deity, which has almost nothing in common with the loving God of the Bible. There is *nothing* peaceful about the God of the Qur’an. Have you read this vicious book?