Pope Hailed for Praying toward Mecca Like Muslims

[vern_humphrey]

Correct! It gets pretty old listening to all the petty garbage some people dream up. It’s not a democracy folks…it is the church founded by Christ, lead by the sucessor to Peter

Joe 6 pack in the pew isn’t privey to all information nor does he/she have a vote.

As I said earlier, look at the headline and you can reasonably infer motivation. Muslims don’t “pray to Mecca” – they pray to God (Allah in Arabic.) It looks to me that the point of this headline was to stir up dissention within the Church and give ammuniton to those who oppose the Church.

 

[LilyM]

We don’t know that he was facing Mecca when he turned East. It just so happens that Jerusalem is to the East as well. I pray to the East because I’m facing Jerusalem, not Mecca. That’s just my take on it.

I face East many mornings when I pray - not because it faces Jerusalem or Mecca or anywhere else, simply because I like to look out my window and it so happens to face East. :yup:

 

[palmas85]

The Holy Father acts with humility, strength, and respect. We know little about Muslims in this country, but showing respect in the Muslim world is a huge thing. For the Holy Father to publicly pray toward Mecca is a sign of deep respect and he honors Roman Catholics with his conduct.

And if it irritates some of the non-Catholic Christians, that’s fine by me. They are responsible for some vicious and disrespectful language when it comes to Catholicism and the Holy Father.

Iguess that is the difference ibn me and many in the US. I DO] know a lot about Muslims, coming as I do from an area that has a lot of them. While he may indeed honor the Church in** their** eyes he belittles it and makes it subservient to them.

 

[corvidae]

I know he’s buried somewhere i forget what city though.

I doubt you will find it, I mean, according to Islam he was taken up to heaven upon the rock of the temple mount in Jerusalem.

Thus, the Dome of the Rock was built

A lone Raven

 

[palmas85]

Weak indeed, heroic I’m afraid, he went to a country that called for his head, and if they had the chance would have taken him out.

You know what my worst fear was ? some of those guards shooting him, it has happened to other leaders, when their own have taken them out.

No it was a very brave thing to do in going to a country that had most of the people calling for his head, would you go ?

You know, I’m not saying he wasn’t brave or anything like that. I’m saying in Muslim eyes he looks weak. Thats all. Believe it or not they don’t really look at religion the way that most of us do. To them there is no compromise or any real tolerance And yes, I would think that him getting capped by one of his Turkish guards is a distinct and very real possiblity. Thats how they got Anwar Sadat, they used someone that was trusted.

 

[havemercy]

Why am I not angered by this when so many of you are? I would have been ashamed of Benedict if he had instead faced West in protest, rather than doing what is respectful (and quite orthodox, since he was facing Jerusalem).

Some of you have to get over yourselves and have to learn to get less hyper over the reactions of Muslims in the middle east. This is no more a slip-up than his Regensburg address was. Benedict XVI is a slugger for the home team – and that’s a fact!

 

[tequilamac]

You know, I’m not saying he wasn’t brave or anything like that. I’m saying in Muslim eyes he looks weak. Thats all. Believe it or not they don’t really look at religion the way that most of us do. To them there is no compromise or any real tolerance And yes, I would think that him getting capped by one of his Turkish guards is a distinct and very real possiblity. Thats how they got Anwar Sadat, they used someone that was trusted.

Hopefully Catholics do not change what they do based on
how Muslims might perceive it.

 

[Thekla]

Iguess that is the difference ibn me and many in the US. I DO] know a lot about Muslims, coming as I do from an area that has a lot of them. While he may indeed honor the Church in** their** eyes he belittles it and makes it subservient to them.

People appear to be consumed by what “they” think.

First of all, I don’t know that you are correct. If Muslim leaders venture to Rome and pay respect to the Holy Father, I don’t consider them to be subservient to Catholicism. Perhaps you are projecting your own insecurities onto others.

Second of all, we should feel great honor and pride with the Holy Father’s respectfulness. He is leading by example and shows the greatness of his leadership and the greatness of Catholicism with his conduct.

I feel sorry for you that you cannot see the honor and dignity that the Holy Father brings to all Catholics and I feel sorry that other Christian faiths are led by weak men who are overshadowed by him.

 

[Grace_Angel]

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Pope Benedict wound up a fence-mending visit to Turkey on Friday amid praise from the local press for visiting Istanbul’s Blue Mosque and praying toward Mecca “like Muslims”.The Pope, who sparked protests across the Muslim world with a speech two months ago seen as criticizing Islam, looked relaxed and pleased as he entered the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit for a mass at the end of the sensitive four-day trip.
His first visit to a mostly Muslim country, held under tight security for fear of protests by nationalists and Islamists, was highlighted by a series of conciliatory gestures culminating in a stop on Thursday afternoon in Istanbul’s famed Blue Mosque.

“The Pope’s dreaded visit was concluded with a wonderful surprise,” wrote daily Aksam on its front page.
“In Sultan Ahmet Mosque, he turned toward Mecca and prayed like Muslims,” popular daily Hurriyet said, using the building’s official name.

today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2006-12-01T120223Z_01_L28626797_RTRUKOC_0_US-POPE-TURKEY.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

I am trying to understand this from a Catholic perspective-lets discuss

I don’t know if I can discuss this from a Catholic perspective, I imagine that this action was done in order to show respect for the people of Islam, but it does concern me. JPII kissed th Koran, and now Pope BXVI prays towards Mecca?
I cant remember ever a member of the Muslim heirarchy ever kneeling in St Peters or other Catholic church and prying in front of Blessed Sacrament, Jesus. Both these two actions have worried me deeply. As I said I understand the courtesy behind the action, but I can see it has far reaching ramifications.
GraceAngel.

 

[palmas85]

People appear to be consumed by what “they” think.

First of all, I don’t know that you are correct. If Muslim leaders venture to Rome and pay respect to the Holy Father, I don’t consider them to be subservient to Catholicism. Perhaps you are projecting your own insecurities onto others.

Second of all, we should feel great honor and pride with the Holy Father’s respectfulness. He is leading by example and shows the greatness of his leadership and the greatness of Catholicism with his conduct.

I feel sorry for you that you cannot see the honor and dignity that the Holy Father brings to all Catholics and I feel sorry that other Christian faiths are led by weak men who are overshadowed by him.

You see, again, you are assuming they think and look at religion as we do in the west. Trust me they don’t. If you don’t believe me, check out their own sources. Hey I think the Holy Father is a wise and brave man. He is honestly doing what he believes to be the right thing. None of that matters. What matters is what they think, because he is trying to show them something. And what he is showing them is weakness, again in their eyes.

And of course it matters what they think. They are the ones he’s doing it for. Not us. What we think about his actions probably did not even figure into the equation when he made his mind up at all. Nor should it actually.

Hey you are entitled to your opinion. But please whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of thinking for one second they respect us and our faith. They don’t because our faith is seen as being corrupt and blasphemous to God. Very simple. And they take it very, very seriously.

 

[palmas85]

Hopefully Catholics do not change what they do based on
how Muslims might perceive it.

I just hope that Catholics are prepared for what just might happen.

 

[Thekla]

He is honestly doing what he believes to be the right thing. None of that matters. What matters is what they think, because he is trying to show them something. And what he is showing them is weakness, again in their eyes.

The Holy Father is the leader of the Catholic Church, not the Church of England or the Church of America. We already have politcal leaders who, by their inability to conduct themselves with respect, have weakened us politically with the Muslim world.

The United States may be at war with Islam, but the Catholic Church is not. And when you say “what matters is what they think,” it tells me that you are missing the point. We do the right thing because it’s the right thing, not because of what others might think.

And the Holy Father’s main target is not them, but us - Catholics. He is trying to show us something; he is leading us by example.

 

[Odell]

Nonetheless, what the Holy Father did in Muslim eyes, was display weakness and cowardice. Despite all the hoopla when he made his statements several montsh ago, the Muslim world saw him and respected him as being strong. The back pedaling by the Vatican and now this, shows them in their eyes that he and we are weak, Since he is the leader of the largest Christian denomination, it also probably showed them that he doesn’t even believe the the Catholic Churches teaching of being the true Church.
.

Im sorry but I have to disagree Muslems know who the holy father is They know he stands for peace and love. There is nothing weak in this. If that was the case than Jesus was a coward himself.

 

[Morwenna]

Tour these threads and you’ll see there are Protestants who are upset over the Church “inventing wax candles.” holding tradition as sacred along with scripture, requiring confessions to priests, and on and on.

If we are to be controlled by “what upsets some Protestant sects,” we will have to stop being Catholics.

 

[SORROWS]

The Holy Father acts with humility, strength, and respect. We know little about Muslims in this country, but showing respect in the Muslim world is a huge thing. For the Holy Father to publicly pray toward Mecca is a sign of deep respect and he honors Roman Catholics with his conduct.

And if it irritates some of the non-Catholic Christians, that’s fine by me. They are responsible for some vicious and disrespectful language when it comes to Catholicism and the Holy Father.

A nice positive response compared to the open hostility of others. Thank you.

No other religious leader would have had the courage (let alone be invited) to participate in a mission of peace in Turkey. Would the news coverage have bothered to film such a magnificent gesture let alone care? What ever the Catholic Church does is BIG news.

I am so proud of our beloved Pope Benedict. Under intense scrutiny he acted with respect and humbleness just as Pope John Paul II would have.

 

[maggieodae]

As I said earlier, look at the headline and you can reasonably infer motivation. Muslims don’t “pray to Mecca” – they pray to God (Allah in Arabic.) It looks to me that the point of this headline was to stir up dissention within the Church and give ammuniton to those who oppose the Church.

:yup: And it certainly brought them out of their holes didn’t it.

 

[Peter_DiMitri]

All I can say is WHATTA POPE!

I missed the JP II years, as my reconversion happened about a year ago. So, Benedict is “my” Pope. I’ve been very concerned for him, especially in light of the fact that he followed one of the most popular and beloved Popes in history.

But Benedict is a wonderful and holy man. I am honored that he is leading my Church. The Church of Christ.

What various posters have said – Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. It’s clear that Benedict understands this. It may well be that the Islamic world perceives this as weakness rather than respect; so be it. We who follow Jesus must do what is holy, and not be concerned with reciprocity or even respect.

So, God Bless the Holy Father. He’s done us proud!

 

[genotob]

Is this a reading disability you have or are you even aware that your statement is false?

Where does the Pope say God is not present in the Eucharist. I read your paragraph three times and couldn’t find it. Where is it?

You need to read it one more time. Do you believe that going to church to visit God is " a sensless act which modern man rightfully rejects"? Tou must be one of those “modern” men

 

[PauloFreire2]

“Joe 6 pack in the pew isn’t privey to all information nor does he/she have a vote.”

Now THAT is scary. Yeah…I wanna know what my church is doing and why. That kind of attitude permitted child molestation by priests to go unchecked for decades, until it exploded in our faces recently and almost bankrupted the Church in America. No thanks.

 

[genotob]

The Holy Father acts with humility, strength, and respect. We know little about Muslims in this country, but showing respect in the Muslim world is a huge thing. For the Holy Father to publicly pray toward Mecca is a sign of deep respect and he honors Roman Catholics with his conduct.

And if it irritates some of the non-Catholic Christians, that’s fine by me. They are responsible for some vicious and disrespectful language when it comes to Catholicism and the Holy Father.

One does not need to “show respect” for a false religion .Muslims cannot be saved.