Some Australian Muslim groups have reacted angrily to comments made by Australia’s most senior Catholic cleric, Cardinal George Pell.
The Archbishop of Sydney has backed the Pope’s speech made in Germany last week, linking Islam’s history with violence.
The Pontiff has since apologised, saying he is deeply sorry about angering so many Muslims, and that the 14th Century passages that he referred to in no way reflect his views.
Cardinal Pell says the pontiff did nothing wrong in making the speech, and says he does not rule out a link between Islam and violence.
"I’m not sure, I would welcome some clarification from our Islamic friends," he said.
Nada Roudee, spokeswoman for the Islamic Council of NSW, says Cardinal Pell should look at world history.
What a coincidence. In fact that is exactly what the Cardinal has done in the past.
Islam and Us, originally published in First Things this year.
9 comments
Read these. Great insights you’ll rarely find on this topic anywhere.
Strangely, even a cursory look at world history confirms exactly what Manual II said. Mohammed has brought nothing new except for jihad.
Nada Roudee, spokeswoman for the Islamic Council of NSW, says Cardinal Pell should look at world history.
LOL. He did – and that’s why he said what he said. Facing Islamists down is the only strategy that works.
George Cardinal Pell is a giant in the Church.
God bless the Pope.
Given the reactions to the Pope’s speech, I think all the Pope really had to say was “I rest my case.”
Unfortunately because the Pope was right, there can’t be much progress. The Pope tried to talk about the need for reason in faith, yet that is exactly what radical Muslims lack: reason, thus you can’t argue with them, you can’t clarify anything to them. They don’t want to sit down and dialogue, they want you to convert to Islam or kill you. Then what?
So far, the only widespread response heard from the Muslim world is more violence. It just goes to prove the Emperor’s point even more.
I think the problem is that, frankly, Muslims have by and large been lied to about their own history and that of other religions. I would not be remotely surprised to find out the lessons they learned of history were about as accurate as your average Al Jazeera broadcast…
Peter,
With all due respect, I think you are mistaken. The Muslims as you call them (I prefer “jihadist swine”) have not been lied to. They have simply read the satanically inspired “holy books” (al Quran, the Hadith, etc.) of their religion and have taken the calls to violence, murder, rape, etc. seriously.
Jovan
Janice,
First off it is no slam dunk that the Pope even kissed the Koran, or that if he did that he knew it was the Koran he was kissing. Regardless it is silly to say that if considered it on par with the Bible, especially concidering what he wrote in his books on how the Koran does not come across very favorably.
Check out apologist’s Jimmy Akin’s look on this episode for a very reasoned approach to this incident. There are may factor to consider other than to view this in a syncretistic way.
http://www.jimmyakin.org/2006/04/jp2_and_the_qur.html
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