Catholic Church and Islam

[Ahimsa]

ABERNETHY: Geneive, one of the issues between Christianity and Islam is why Saudi Arabia and other Muslim groups can build a big mosque in Rome, but Christians can’t build a church in Saudi Arabia. Why is that?

Ms. ABDO: Well, in fact, there are many churches across the Arab world, and there’s a long history of Christian minorities living very peacefully with Muslims. The current tensions that we see now are actually a response to global events, to U.S. policies in all the countries that we know about and that’s really…

ABERNETHY: So it’s not a religious argument, it’s a political argument?

Ms. ABDO: Absolutely. It’s not about a religious difference. It’s about recent political developments, because, don’t forget, this history, this tension is very new. In Lebanon, for example, Christians have lived alongside Muslims for centuries. So this is really a response to global events.

 

[exoflare]

So, you agree with this?

 

[Damascus]

No where in that answer do I see addressed why there is religious intolerance in Saudi Arabia.

Or did I miss it?

 

[cestusdei]

I would ban all mosques from Italy until there was reciprocity in Saudi Arabia.

 

[StMarkEofE]

ABERNETHY: Geneive, one of the issues between Christianity and Islam is why Saudi Arabia and other Muslim groups can build a big mosque in Rome, but Christians can’t build a church in Saudi Arabia. Why is that?

Ms. ABDO: Well, in fact, there are many churches across the Arab world, and there’s a long history of Christian minorities living very peacefully with Muslims. The current tensions that we see now are actually a response to global events, to U.S. policies in all the countries that we know about and that’s really…

ABERNETHY: So it’s not a religious argument, it’s a political argument?

Ms. ABDO: Absolutely. It’s not about a religious difference. It’s about recent political developments, because, don’t forget, this history, this tension is very new. In Lebanon, for example, Christians have lived alongside Muslims for centuries. So this is really a response to global events.

Oh give me a break! Just read up on middle east history from the beginnings of Islam and you can blow Ms. ABDO’s argument out of the water.

 

[Ahimsa]

So, you agree with this?

I’m sure the situation is a bit more complicated then she implies, but she does raise an interesting set of questions: why have Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in relative peace during different eras in history? when did Arabia actively exclude churches and synagogues, and why?

 

[Damascus]

I’m sure the situation is a bit more complicated then she implies, but she does raise an interesting set of questions: why have Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in relative peace during different eras in history? when did Arabia actively exclude churches and synagogues, and why?

Ahimsa, Why cant bibles be allowed there?

 

[ferdie]

I remember when I was in Dubai, I was wearing a small crucifix given to me by a friend, one old man started yelling and pointing at me. First I stopped and just wondered what he was trying to convey. He kept walking in the opposite direction raising his fists. So I realized that he was mad at me for something. The next day it happened again with a different old man. Then I just realized that I was in a muslim country wearing a crucifix. My father in law told me that I was lucky, and if that happened in Saudi Arabia where he worked for 16 yrs., it would have been different story, I could have been imprisoned.

 

[RLT]

I’m sure the situation is a bit more complicated then she implies, but she does raise an interesting set of questions: why have Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in relative peace during different eras in history? when did Arabia actively exclude churches and synagogues, and why?

The “relative peace” is really just blatant or veiled institutionlized dhimmitude.

 

[Booklover]

I remember when I was in Dubai, I was wearing a small crucifix given to me by a friend, one old man started yelling and pointing at me. First I stopped and just wondered what he was trying to convey. He kept walking in the opposite direction raising his fists. So I realized that he was mad at me for something. The next day it happened again with a different old man. Then I just realized that I was in a muslim country wearing a crucifix. My father in law told me that I was lucky, and if that happened in Saudi Arabia where he worked for 16 yrs., it would have been different story, I could have been imprisoned.

So much for the “tolerance” of Islam!

 

[JimO]

I’m sure the situation is a bit more complicated then she implies, but she does raise an interesting set of questions: why have Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in relative peace during different eras in history? when did Arabia actively exclude churches and synagogues, and why?

Ahimsa,

What exactly is your point? Are you trying to start a genuine dialogue or trying to make a subtle point about monotheism?

Just curious.

 

[Ahimsa]

Ahimsa,

What exactly is your point? Are you trying to start a genuine dialogue or trying to make a subtle point about monotheism?

Just curious.

My larger point is that since Islam in the Middle East is as much ‘political’ as it is ‘religious’, then political conflict often becomes almost inextricably intertwined with religious practice.

Whereas in the U.S.A. the government is not officially Christian, and so much of what the US government does – whether good (foreign aid, e.g.) or bad (provoking assassinations of foreign leaders, e.g.) – does not get laid at the door of Christianity.

Politically, there does not seem to be much difference between the American pratice of ‘manifest destiny’, in which Native American cultures were either almost destroyed or Christianized; and the current Wahhabic desire to ‘purify’ Islam and terrorize civilians. At the level of politics, both are deplorable. And both of these political projects receive/d religious support.

Christianity did not originate as a ‘political’ entity. The early Christians were waiting to leave this world, not conquer it. And Christianity itself thus is rather free of being tied to any one political framework – whether American, British, Roman, Hellenic, or Hebraic. On the other hand, Judaism and Islam (and the US government) did originate as political entities, and as political entities, have felt free engage in very political, violent activities during parts of their histories. Islam today, politically, seems to be where Judaism was from 1200 BCE to 70 CE.

 

[Damascus]

My larger point is that since Islam in the Middle East is as much ‘political’ as it is ‘religious’, then political conflict often becomes almost inextricably intertwined with religious practice.

Whereas in the U.S.A. the government is not officially Christian, and so much of what the US government does – whether good (foreign aid, e.g.) or bad (provoking assassinations of foreign leaders, e.g.) – does not get laid at the door of Christianity.

Part of the reason for this comes from the origins of Christianity, which did not originate as a ‘political’ entity. Whereas Judaism and Islam did originate as political entities, and as political entities, have had to engage in very political, violent activities during parts of their histories. Islam today, politically, seems to be where Judaism was from 1200 BCE to 70 CE.

AHIMSA-

Thank you for the post, and I personally agree. As Christians , we look for HIS kingdom- not the WORLDS kingdom,

Thank you - what insight!

 

[Vigis]

I respect the moslems, but they have not always been right in their actions. They have taken the front porch of the Holy Seplechre and made it their own shrine. They have murdered thousands of Christians throughout their history. Anyone ever hear of the Armeanian Genocide? The Moslem Turks wiped the Armeanian race out of the Ottomon Empire because they were Christian. Political and recent? Indeed political, but that is mostly religious as well. Recent? No, not at all recent. If the Moslems can build a mosque at Constantinople in the 13th. century and we Christians still have to fear oppression in Islamic countries then there is something wrong. We should have been able to build a magnificant cathedral in Mecca long ago… Yes, in the Levant especially, Christians, Moslems, and Jew get along. But their are suicide bombers their almost everyday. The only place that I can recall where Christians and Moslems lived peacefully was in Sicily under the rule of Roger II. I have to admire those people. They learned to respect each other. Sadly a lot of the Islamic World has not almost 1000 years later. Their is obviously something wrong here. God speed.

 

[Lance]

I respect the moslems, but they have not always been right in their actions. They have taken the front porch of the Holy Seplechre and made it their own shrine. They have murdered thousands of Christians throughout their history. Anyone ever hear of the Armeanian Genocide? The Moslem Turks wiped the Armeanian race out of the Ottomon Empire because they were Christian. Political and recent? Indeed political, but that is mostly religious as well. Recent? No, not at all recent. If the Moslems can build a mosque at Constantinople in the 13th. century and we Christians still have to fear oppression in Islamic countries then there is something wrong. We should have been able to build a magnificant cathedral in Mecca long ago… Yes, in the Levant especially, Christians, Moslems, and Jew get along. But their are suicide bombers their almost everyday. The only place that I can recall where Christians and Moslems lived peacefully was in Sicily under the rule of Roger II. I have to admire those people. They learned to respect each other. Sadly a lot of the Islamic World has not almost 1000 years later. Their is obviously something wrong here. God speed.

Why in the world would you respect a people who has done these things? Do I want to kill them or harm them? No, but I do not respect them in any way, shape or form.

 

[Booklover]

Why in the world would you respect a people who has done these things? Do I want to kill them or harm them? No, but I do not respect them in any way, shape or form.

Exactly! Respect is earned and is for those who deserve it!

Vickie

 

[Vigis]

Why in the world would you respect a people who has done these things? Do I want to kill them or harm them? No, but I do not respect them in any way, shape or form.

Let me clarify what I was saying. I respect Moslems by loving them. I give them what I call “break-even respect”. Sorry about this misconception. Indeed respect must be earned, but what I was stating essentaily was that I love Moslems as Christ has commanded all of us to do for everyone. God speed.

 

[JonnySee]

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Catholicishit is dead.