Posted on 09/18/2006 6:23:37 PM PDT by Dark Skies
Australia’s most senior Catholic has launched a stinging attack on Muslims, saying their aggressive reaction to the Pope’s recent comments about Islam highlighted the link between their religion and violence.
As the world braced for more Muslim anger over Pope Benedict’s remarks, Cardinal George Pell said “the violent reactions in many parts of the Islamic world” justified one of the Pope’s main fears.
“They showed the link for many Islamists between religion and violence, their refusal to respond to criticism with rational arguments, but only with demonstrations, threats and actual violence,” the Sydney Archbishop said yesterday.
He also described as “unfortunately typical and unhelpful” attacks on the Pope’s comments by two prominent local Muslims, Sheikh al-Hilaly, the Mufti of Australia, and Dr Ameer Ali, of the Government’s Muslim advisory committee.
Security was increased around the Pope yesterday, despite his apology for the offence taken by Muslims for his quoting of a medieval emperor that linked Mohammad to violence.
In Somalia, Italian nuns were evacuated from Mogadishu after the weekend murder of one of their colleagues amid the international Muslim fury.
The slain nun, Sister Leonella, 65, one of the longest-serving foreign members of the Roman Catholic Church in Somalia, worked at a charity hospital.
Cardinal Pell began his statement by saying it was a sign of hope that no organised violence had flared in Australia following Pope Benedict’s comments.
“Our major priority must be to maintain peace and harmony within the Australian community, but no lasting achievements can be grounded in fantasies and evasions,” Cardinal Pell said.
He detailed his criticisms of Sheikh al-Hilaly and Dr Ali. “Sheikh al-Hilaly often responds to criticism by questioning the intelligence and competence of the questioner or critic,” he said. “So too with the Pope, whose speech he claimed was not what was expected of a holy person and indeed ‘the Church needs to re-examine its thoughts about someone who doesn’t have the qualities or good grasp of Christian character or knowledge’.”
Cardinal Pell criticised Dr Ali for misunderstanding the Pope’s speech. “Dr Ameer Ali’s published reply was more surprising as it called on Pope Benedict to be more like Pope John Paul II than Pope Urban II, who called the First Crusade,” he said.
“In fact, the Pope’s long speech was more about the weaknesses of the Western world, its irreligion and disdain for religion and he explicitly rejected linking religion and violence. He won’t be calling any crusade.”
Sheikh al-Hilaly said the language used by Cardinal Pell was “not helpful”. “The point is Pope Benedict quoted a most inappropriate quote at a most inappropriate time,” he said.
The head of the world’s Anglican Church also stepped up to defend the Pope yesterday.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of 77 million Anglicans worldwide, said Pope Benedict had been right to apologise for the offence caused but his comments should be taken in context.
Lessee, if this turns into Christianity vs Islam, they gain nothing and we gain allies around the world.
Works for me.
Islam and violence go together like a wink and a smile.
Makes a feller proud (and I ain't even Catholic)!
I've put off getting a gun permit too long.
You are wrong...everyone I spoke with today stood 4square behind the Holy Father...and I spoke with maybe 35-40 people about this issue.
Hey I'm with you. I got one last year, still don't own a gun but I figured it's time to prepare before our ahole politicians surrender our 2nd ammendment lest it anger muslims.
"You are wrong...everyone I spoke with today stood 4square behind the Holy Father...and I spoke with maybe 35-40 people about this issue."
I believe people are waking up...finally.
This is a religious war, not (just) a political war. Our religious leaders need to step into the fray and follow the Holy Father's lead.
"This is a religious war, not (just) a political war. Our religious leaders need to step into the fray and follow the Holy Father's lead."
Yes, before it's too late.
God's mysterious ways are sometimes there for all to see.
The sky is falling, the sky is falling.
Prayers for Cardinal Pell's safety, though.
"the Pope is no dummy. He knows exactly what the greatest challenge of his Papacy is."
I agree. This is far from over. In fact, things are just getting started. We must prevail.
Got to save this cartoon
The Aussies have balls and I like it . My dad ( a self taught historian ) always told me , even as a kid , "In a pinch all this country can depend on is the English and Aussies . all others will stab you in he back " Pops knew, even back in the 50s he knew. Islam's reaction to the Pope proves the Pope's statement was the TRUTH.
We did it to the Nazis "culture", and we regretfully rolled up our sleeves and nearly did it to the entire Japanese nation - luckily we only had to nuke them twice instead of invading them and wiping out 95% of their population. We would have persevered, though, because it was necessary. We would have paid the price in nightmares for peace for our children.
This is quickly decending into a more necessary situation.
We are looking at a choice moving towards us - death, or slavery. We won't pick slavery - ever. And death, well, I grew up with the constant background noise of knowing that 100 million Americans may die if Russia attacked - but also knowing that every single Soviet would be dead in less than an hour if it happened. We can get death for them - wholesale.
Oh sure, we'd cringe and we'd beat ourselves up, and in two generations there'd be satirical plays lambasting people's grandparents for exterminating every human being over one-quarter of the globe. But they'd be doing it in a free country, and you know what? That's a price that I think we'll pay, if we end up free.
I don't think the moslem world understands that. I really don't.
But the Pope is a German (Bavarian) and an adopted Italian of sorts. I think we might be able to call them allies as well.
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