| Tuesday, September 19, 2006 |
| Impulsivity |
There have been death threats issued against the pope. A nun was killed in Somalia. This coming from a peaceful religious group, supposedly. They were cited (in a reading from an ancient text) as being violent, so they wish to disprove this through violence. Huh?
I understand the basic teachings of Islam and the command to eliminate enemies who wish them harm. But I still want to hear the quiet voices of Islam saying "This isn't the way." There was one last night on the local news, but he still began by denouncing the pope.
I'm not Catholic in the denominational sense, but I am trying to practice a more catholic (universal) faith. So seeing any one religious group start [physically] attacking another hurts. It makes me wonder what G-d thinks, watching all of this.
Misunderstandings breed like rabbits. Forgiveness needs to be first and foremost at the front no matter what. The pope has apologized. Twice. Now can I possibly relate firsthand at what was said? No. I will never be able to empathize fully. I have an inquiry put out to my bhai to possibly gain some better insight.
I am careful not to jump to conclusions or think that this is a simple situation the simple solution that can be solved through a 23 minute sitcom. All we can do at this point is wait and pray. I wish it were easier on the stomach.
Addition (10/04/06):
From Spaeth Communications Bimbo Awards
The Power of Words
Pope Benedict XVI made global news at a scholarly lecture he gives annually in Germany where he quoted the 14th century Byzantine emporer Manuel II Paleogus. The lengthy quote was meant to highlight the debate about whether faith can, or should, be spread by violence, however the phrase that made headlines was "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."
(The incident touched off riots, violence and one death, reminiscent of the Danish cartoons satirizing Mohammed which touched off riots and attacks. Many thought the Pope had attained his goals of highlighting the need not only for Muslim-Christian dialogue but, more importantly, for Muslims to grapple with what defines Islam.) CNN.com, "Muslim Fury at Pope Jihad Comments," Sept. 15, 2006
Labels: forgiveness, Islam, pope |
posted by Sara @ 8:38 AM   |
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Name: Sara
Home: gypsy wanderer, United States
About Me: Those who know me find me stubborn, opinionated, open-minded, strong-willed, of some intelligence, and yet they still hang around.
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Love God. Love all. Serve both. There is wisdom in turning as often as possible from the familiar to the unfamiliar: it keeps the mind nimble, it kills prejudice, and it fosters humor.
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