The pope was making a theological point, that all human beings are sinful, and that this destruction is a manifestation of that sinfulness. But it is also noteworthy that he ascribed the destruction he saw to all of humanity, and decried nations that sell weapons, but never said a word about why the ruined buildings he saw were destroyed in the first place. The Islamic State destroyed mosques because the people who attended them did not accept their authority, and were thus apostates in rebellion against the caliphate. It destroyed churches because they were places of unbelief (see Qur’an 5:17, 9:30, etc.) and shirk, the association of partners with Allah in worship. But there was never any possibility that the pope might ask the assembled Muslim leaders to fight against jihad violence and teach their people to refrain from jihad violence. After all, the pope has committed himself and the Catholic Church to the proposition that Islam is peaceful and has nothing to do with terrorism, so as far as he was concerned, there was nothing for him to ask the Muslim leaders about. And that rendered the trip a useless and indeed counterproductive exercise.
“Pope Francis dismisses ‘heresy’ charges for his commitment to Christian-Muslim dialogue,” by Claire Giangravé, Religion News Service, March 8, 2021:
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Aboard the papal flight back from Iraq, the first papal trip since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Pope Francis addressed criticism of those who have accused him of being “one step away from heresy” in his commitment to promoting human fraternity among the world’s faiths.
“There are some critics who say the pope is not brave but reckless, that he’s taking steps against Catholic doctrine, that he’s one step from heresy,” the pope told journalists on Monday (March 8).
Francis said that his decision to speak with Muslim religious leaders and promote interreligious dialogue is “always made in prayer, in dialogue, asking for advice.” He said that his efforts to mend Christian-Muslim relations, far from being “capricious,” are in keeping with the doctrine laid out by the Second Vatican Council….
On Saturday (March 6), the pope met in Najaf, a holy city to Shia Muslims, with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s most prominent Shiite leader. The historic meeting, which lasted roughly 45 minutes, was the first official meeting between a pope and a prominent Shiite representative.
The pope described al-Sistani as “a humble man” who has “wisdom and prudence,” adding that “it was good for my soul to encounter him.” Francis said the meeting was “a duty in his pilgrimage of faith” to promote human fraternity among religions….
It was the tragic decimation of the Yazidi ethnic community by the Islamic State group following the 2014 occupation of Northern Iraq that inspired the pope to make the trip, he said. The book “The Last Girl” by Nobel Peace Prize-winner Nadia Murad, which described the suffering of the Yazidi people, “provided the background for the decision,” he said.
On Sunday (March 7), Francis viewed the ruins of mosques and churches in Mosul, the capital of the Islamic State during the occupation. He said he “had no words” after seeing the scale of destruction. “Human cruelty, our cruelty, is impossible to believe,” he added.
The pope also criticized those nations selling weapons, though he didn’t single out any particular country….
Among the topics addressed by the pope during the trip was the question of the suffering of immigrants, which has been a main focus of this pontificate. Francis met with the father of a 3-year-old boy who died attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea. The picture of Alan Kurdi’s body became a symbol of the plight of immigrants and refugees in Europe and beyond….
jca reid says
Like to see/hear this Pope ask the Muslims, “When are they going to repair the Churches, let alone the Mosques?” What an a**hole!
mortimer says
The destruction came out of the jihad doctrine.
Wellington says
Succinct and accurate, mortimer.
Will be lost on Francis, though, who is a shill for Mohammedanism. I think his indefensible foolishness is rooted in his being a Latin American leftist who neither appreciates Western Civilization’s greatness nor the greatness of America historically (I say “historically” because the very Leftist Democratic Party of the USA and its lackeys like the MSM and academia are presently in the process of destroying America) nor the efficacy, sanity and decency of capitalism when it is infused, as democracy must be as well, with an ethical dimension. All this and much more is lost on Francis who has done great harm—and even after his death his “legacy” will live on because of so many bishops and cardinals he has appointed who think like him. Francis has been a disaster to the Catholic Church, to Christianity at large and to Western Civilization. He has and will continue to do harm even after death. I have zero respect for the man. Indeed, contempt is what I have for him.
Sorry for not being succinct but I believe I was at least accurate.
James Lincoln says
100% accurate, Wellington.
gravenimage says
Spot on, Mortimer.
Barbc says
The Christians did not destroy their churches. They do not go into villages; murder the Christians, destroy their homes. But it is the Christians fault.
CogitoErgoSum says
Human cruelty is impossible. Oh, okay, but it IS possible to believe in God. Wait. What? I hear that this Pope has also said he thinks the world may be destroyed again by a great flood due to climate change. Didn’t God promise not to do that a second time in Genesis 9:11? This Pope is either ignorant of his own religion or has no faith at all.
CogitoErgoSum says
Human cruelty is impossible to believe, that is (according to the Pope).
James Lincoln says
CogitoErgoSum says,
“This Pope is either ignorant of his own religion or has no faith at all.”
I would say that it is both…
Brando says
There is more,in the KORAN it is written(in reference to the 10 year war between the Muslims of MEDINA and the PAGAN Meccans in Arabia):
CHAPTER 2:191
“And KILL them WHEREVER you find them,
and DRIVE THEM OUT from where they DROVE YOU OUT,
and PERSECUTION is WORSE than SLAUGHTER,
and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.”
In MAINSTREAM Islam,for 1,400 years,this is Also a Universal Command for a SIMILAR situation.
DRIVE THEM OUT OF ISRAEL
For erudite Muslims who know what is in the Koran,it is Allah’s order to RECONQUER Israel ( ultimately ),since it was once Muslim Territory, real Lasting Peace with Israel is Impossible.
ABOUT 50% OF EUROPE ONCE MUSLIM TERRITORY
So that part of Europe is also to be reconquered,it would be:
1.PORTUGAL and SPAIN
2.SICILY
3.What once was Part of the Ottoman Empire:33% of Europe
( Hungary,the Balkans,Greece,all of Cyprus,
Moldova,parts of Ukraine, Armenia,Georgia
Brando says
Muslims often use the Victim Card, and Leftists always say Western Civilization is the Worst Ever.
1.But the Redpill/Blackpill METHOD used to Learn How to Think
( which is that of COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS)
2.Show us it is False.
THE ASTONISHING CASE OF THE SPANISH EMPIRE
In 1812 the Classical Liberals of Spain got to power and proclaimed the CONSTITUTION OF CADIZ.
It lasted from 1812-1814 (they were overthrown in 1814) and
then AGAIN from 1820-1823
( till FRANCE sent 60,000 French soldiers into Spain to OVERTHROW the Liberal government there)
THE CONSTITUTION OF CADIZ
1.It is a COPY of the French Constitution of 1791 ( and also had its DECLARATION of RIGHTS of MAN, written by the Catholic MARQUIS of LAFAYETTE : Freedom of Speech, of Press, of Religion,etc)
2.Installed a CONSTITUTIONAL Monarchy.
3.Installed a DEMOCRACY.
4.Proclaimed that ALL, literally All, the different peoples of the Spanish Empire were now CITIZENS of the Empire, with the SAME RIGHTS.
In other words,ELIMINATION of laws of Racial and Religious Discrimination.
LAW TO CREATE A UNIVERSAL EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN THE EMPIRE
1.The Constitution of Cadiz also included a law to build schools all throughout the empire so all would be able to READ and WRITE.
2.Then the empire (NOT including Spain) :it was the Philippines,California, the US southwest,Mexico,
Central America,Cuba,Puerto Rico,Dominican Republic,
and 50% of South America,
had about 13-14 MILLION people ( of which 90% were ILLITERATE and ,and 90% NON-WHITE).
WHY?
The reason was because in order to VOTE in the newly-installed Democracy in the Empire, one had to be able to Read and Write,to be an Educated Voter.
The vote was only for MEN, but the Constitution of Cadiz gave Far More Rights to ALL the different peoples of the empire than the BRITISH and FRENCH empires of THEN and yes,of LATER
gravenimage says
Yes–Muslims especially want to retake lands once conquered by Islam–Israel and Spain, especially.
Brando says
There are 46.5 million in Spain of which 2.1 million are Muslim.
gravenimage says
Not as bad as some Western nations, Brando, but still far too many.
Michel Cdopelan says
The 3-year-old boy who died in the attempted crossing of the Mediterranean Sea was the victim of his own father’s recklessness. The father, a Syrian, indicted in Turkey for criminal negligence after the drowning, fled back to Syria to escape Turkey’s jurisdiction. He was not a refugee. He was a people-trafficker, who took payment for arranging crossings to Greece, and had been living in Turkey for three years or so. He was not familiar with boats. His method of coping with heavy seas was to go at full speed through the waves. He did not equip his own family with life-jackets. Some of his other, paying, passengers were drowned. He wanted to make his way to Canada where he could have expensive dental work paid for by Canadian taxpayers.
Michael Copeland says
Name mistyped.
Brando says
All the so-called “poor” refugees PAY for the boat crossing,in cash,around $3,000, it is a MAFIA operation, and all have to pay,even children.
somehistory says
“Every day,” he’s just going faster, taking his “soul” straight to eternal disaster. (Thanks, Buddy Holley for the tune).
““a humble man” who has “wisdom and prudence,”
No mo slum is ever “humble.” it is not taught by their filthy, evil book or in any of their meetings on learning to “prey.”
And “wisdom” is the correct application/use of knowledge.
mo slums are taught to be stupid and ignorant…the shape of the earth, the value of camel kidney cast-offs, to rape dead wives, to rape little children, to beat wives, to lie and lie and lie some more, to “fast” all day and gorge all night, etc.
Prudence…if defined as “cautious,” okay, maybe. But, if defined as “judgment” or “wisdom,” see above.
As they say, “it takes one to know one.” Since this pope is not “humble, nor wise, nor prudent,” he doesn’t recognize that his new bosom buddy isn’t either. He lies with the rest of them. Lies, just like mo slums…in furtherance of islam. That is what all of these meetings for “dialogue” are about. Talking the world into believing the lies told by mo slums, thereby, giving in and handing over.
Shirley Ann says
Is this Three-Year Old Boy, Alan Kurdi, not the Little Boy, whose Body was posed for the Cameras by his Father,the Father survived, OF COURSE?
Pope Francis has not even pity for the Christians, who dare to try & survive in that pitiless Area of the so-called Muslim World.
The Pope can lay claim to his OWN Cruelty, but HE CAN NOT claim that ALL Christians are like him. Other Popes have stood fast for the Christian World, but Not Francis the Fickle. It appears he sold us out, & is preparing us to start paying the “Muslim Tax”.
Hoi Polloi says
This man is a machine, self-programmed to pervert every situation into one he uses to attack his own flock, whether directly or indirectly, when his sole purpose is to shepherd and thereby defend his flock. He laments the creation of physical weapons, but passes on the opportunity here to identify Islam as an ideological weapon, the intent of which is to turn its followers into the weapons that are currently slaughtering Christians.
At least some have stepped forward to point out his devilry; this taken from the quote, “those who have accused him of being “one step away from heresy.” That warning must be years old because one step away is well and truly behind him.
Hoi Polloi says
Thanks for bringing the flood quote to my attention. When he teaches that the flood is a mythical tale, I guess he’s saying the promise is also a myth. Despite his acknowledgment of evidence. Brings to mind the warning about adding to or taking away from the Word.
Jerry says
The poop is an apologist for Islamic Jihadi Terrorism.
nicholas tesdorf says
The Pope appears to know nothing about anything and know even less about Islam and History.
gravenimage says
In Iraq, pope views mosques and churches destroyed by the Islamic State, laments ‘our cruelty’
………….
More unearned guilt. Yes, all humans are flawed–but most of them are *not* like those in the Islamic State.
Chrissie01c says
the plight of the refugees was a subject…please! this gives me a cerebral shortcircuit
You look at destroyed religious locations, condoning the perps.
There should be a subject in universities called:
Victomology.
Gets you anything you want while maintaining the moral highground.
somehistory says
The subject of victimology is part of criminal justice courses. There are people who are more likely to be victimized than some others; and there are certain categories of victims who are victimized more than once…because of the kinds of situations, their age, their circumstances, habits, etc. found in their lives.
Perhaps there should be a whole separate course on how some people are taught to become “victims”…faking it, whining until they get what they want, etc. It would probably contain a lot about psychopathy and manipulation, ways to discern when they are lying, and a whole lot more. And as an illustration in the text, they could show mo slums as those most likely to claim victimhood falsely.
JamesC. says
“On Sunday (March 7), Francis viewed the ruins of mosques and churches in Mosul, the capital of the Islamic State during the occupation. He said he “had no words” after seeing the scale of destruction. “Human cruelty, our cruelty, is impossible to believe,” he added.”
Mahometan cruelty, committed by ISIS, a Mahometan group – not by the KKK, nor by the IRA. His silence encourages Mahometans to attack Christianity in Italy as well as in Iraq, because they know he won’t criticise Mahometanism for either its violence or for killing Christians.