Lebanese prelates caution Synod on problems of dialogue with Islam

[markomalley]

The following was in the Catholic World News (hosted by Catholic Culture):

Two Lebanese Catholic prelates questioned the feasibility of dialogue with Islam during discussions on October 21 at the Synod of Bishops. Commenting on propositions advocating inter-religious dialogue, Syrian Catholic Bishop Flavien Joseph Melki of Dara, Lebanon questioned whether the suggestions were realistic:

Is it even thinkable that the Arabic countries of the Middle East, where fundamentalism is becoming more entrenched, will accept in the near future abandoning their theocratic regimes founded on the Koran and the Sharia, which constitute flagrant discrimination towards non-Muslims? To me this seems to be in the domain of utopia, for the centuries to come.​

Since these bishops live with this from day to day, I think their words are very important to consider…and are very applicable in parts of the world where Muslims are an expanding minority (such as in Western Europe).