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We need to grow in understanding of Muslims, English bishop says
Catholic Herald ^ | Friday, 19 July 2013 | Staff Reporter

Posted on 07/19/2013 4:35:08 PM PDT by haffast

Bishop Kieran Conry of Arundel and Brighton has written a pastoral letter urging Catholics in his diocese to reach out to Muslims.

In the letter he quoted from the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on non-Christian religions, Nostra Aetate, which said: “The Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions.”

Bishop Conry wrote: “These words and sentiments are very important for our time, when latent suspicions and hostility can easily be brought to the surface again by tragic events like the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich.”

He continued: “I am writing this on the first day of the Muslim holy season of Ramadan. I ask that you accept this urge to dialogue, so that at least we might understand one another more.

“Very often our image of Islam is simply the one presented by the media, and how often do we complain that the media view distorts the reality of the Catholic Church? We must not in our minds associate the word ‘Muslim’ with any of the negative and pejorative terms often linked to it in the media.”

He said that inter-religious dialogue was “not just a dialogue of charity”, but also a “dialogue of hope.”

snip

(Excerpt) Read more at catholicherald.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: catholic; ecumenism; interreligious; islam; muslims
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To: Mortrey

Why should any non-Muslim want to promote this death cult?


41 posted on 07/19/2013 5:35:34 PM PDT by 353FMG ( I do not say whether I am serious or sarcastic -- I respect FReepers too much.)
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To: haffast

I once failed to understand Islam, and turned a blind eye towards it, believing people of all religions are still people, having the needs and compassion of most people, but I was so very wrong. My eyes have been opened to see Islam for what it is, and to understand Mohammed for what he was. There is nothing good in Islam, nothing of the religion that is redeemable. Muslims who don’t repent and turn away from that abomination of a religion should be shunned by other humans everywhere.

How’s that for sharing my understanding?


42 posted on 07/19/2013 5:36:57 PM PDT by pallis
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To: haffast
I'd like to ask the Pope this question:

Is there any threshold of evil reached by islam that convinces him that it is the religion of satan?

43 posted on 07/19/2013 5:54:08 PM PDT by Mister Da (The mark of a wise man is not what he knows, but what he knows he doesn't know!)
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To: Bryanw92

Would you say we don’t worship the same God as the Jews, either, since they do not acknowledge the Trinity?


44 posted on 07/19/2013 5:55:54 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("See something, say something.")
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To: Old Yeller

Wait, he is right.

They need to grow a understanding of what islam is, all 1400 years..... perhaps that way they can avert the upcoming disaster born in thinking Islam is a religion.
Its a mercenaries political system.
Better yet , a better understanding of Jihad and their holy wars.

Lesson one:

“Jihad ~ there was and is nothing holy about these wars: which are primarily to plunder. slaughter, rape, subjugate and rob other other human beings of their wealth , produce freedom and dignity. Mohammedan muslims states and tribes attacked other non muslim groups to achieve these objectives.”


45 posted on 07/19/2013 6:00:41 PM PDT by himno hero (hadnuff)
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To: haffast

NO, NO, NO!!! Why do we never say “Muslims need to grow in understanding of us?” They are they ones who keep invading our countries, our space. Why do we need to understand them?

The Catholic Church should NOT regard them with esteem - Islam truly has NOTHING in common with Christianity. Catholics need to back off as far as they can from Islam - they who worship a false God and have nothing in common with Catholics.

Before I quit, I have a problem with the overall idea of “interfaith” which seems to be a fad today. If you belong to any faith, it’s because you believe it, otherwise you wouldn’t be there. So how can you have “dialogue” with others diametrically opposed to what you believe, just for the sake of looking cool for the world?


46 posted on 07/19/2013 6:12:10 PM PDT by smalltownslick
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To: haffast

Oh, we understand mudslimes just fine.


47 posted on 07/19/2013 6:51:04 PM PDT by TexasRepublic (Socialism is the gospel of envy and the religion of thieves)
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To: Mrs. Don-o

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob revealed himself to the Jews, long after He made Moses aware of His divine nature & awesome power.

In the fullness of time, God made the Triune nature of Himself known to those who accepted His Son as the Savior of mankind.

No one among the Jews will contend that Jews and Christians do not worship the same God of all Creation. But it is the Jews who are strongest in asserting that Mohammedans worship something other than the God of our fathers.

For both Jews and Christians, God is a God of love who hears those who worship Him.


48 posted on 07/19/2013 7:06:43 PM PDT by elcid1970 ("The Second Amendment is more important than Islam.")
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To: haffast

My understanding is that we had several excellent snipers that “use to reach out to Muslims”. Thank them for their service!


49 posted on 07/19/2013 7:15:50 PM PDT by RetiredTexasVet (The short list would be the list of all administration officials that are NOT pathological liars!)
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To: haffast
In the letter he quoted from the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on non-Christian religions, Nostra Aetate, which said: “The Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions.”

That's fine. When the Catholics converted pagans, and various native peoples, they let them keep some elements of their beliefs that were true and didn't conflict with the Gospel. If that is what they mean, then I see no harm in that, but you must also do the converse and insist that they reject the parts of their religion which are untrue and unholy.

“Very often our image of Islam is simply the one presented by the media, and how often do we complain that the media view distorts the reality of the Catholic Church? We must not in our minds associate the word ‘Muslim’ with any of the negative and pejorative terms often linked to it in the media.”

I think that is going a bit too far. We should certainly associate Islam with some negative terms, since we should be bold and honest enough to say it is a false religion, and its followers are lost. We should also recognize some of their doctrines as barbaric, or their methods as fanatical. We can't pretend, for the sake of dialogue, that there is nothing wrong with Islam or muslims. We should be looking to bring them to Christ, and you can't be brought to Christ if you are not convicted of your sins first.

50 posted on 07/19/2013 7:53:26 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: MarineDad

Well the part where Mohammed molests a 9 year old has a ring of truth to, at least. Can’t say that is holy though.


51 posted on 07/19/2013 7:54:51 PM PDT by Boogieman
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To: haffast

Good Bishop Conry, your understanding is well on it’s way. Keep praying.


52 posted on 07/19/2013 8:00:18 PM PDT by RedHeeler
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To: elcid1970
That's a good answer, as I certainly think the Jews of t\rhe OT looked forward to the Messiah, and in that sense implicitly believed in the Trinity, though they would not have formulated that term.

Bu can the same be said of the present-day religious Jews? (Whom I respect, by the way --- it's always good to affirm that.) But yet --- they don't just reject the Trinity, they deny Christ. So can they be thought to be adoring the same God?

Sincere question. No gotcha of any kind.

53 posted on 07/20/2013 3:42:18 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.")
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