Cardinal Dolan Makes First Visit to New York City Mosque: “You Love God, We Love God…”

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, made his first visit to a mosque in New York City and it was the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center in Tompkinsville where he met with Muslim and other faith leaders.

The cardinal spent more than two hours touring the mosque and the Miraj Islamic School and having lunch with about 40 clergy and laity.

“I thank God that this day has arrived,” the cardinal said. “I thank you for your welcome, I thank you for making me feel like a friend and a member of a family.”

The cardinal asked questions about the Muslim faith and emphasized throughout his visit how much the two religions and their members have in common.

>> Somehow we went from Islam being described as diabolical and heretical by Popes to Islam being described as worshipping the same God as Catholics.<<

Looks to me like the RCC believes they do.

CCC841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day.

Wouldn’t that mean the you have to also if you are a Catholic?

The Roman church is having some identity and mission angst.

Unlike a lot of Protestants, I do affirm that yes collectively the Roman Catholic worship system is a Christian church. I don’t agree with all they have come to preach in it after the bible books were authored, but to me it is unquestionable both by biblical logic and empirically that the Blood is thicker than mud. You individually receive the spirit of Christ into your soul, then you are Christian, period. There’s only one unpardonable sin and whatever the Roman church is doing, that ain’t it.

>> I do affirm that yes collectively the Roman Catholic worship system is a Christian church.<<

Deuteronomy 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God

Notice how God says not to use the way of the pagans to serve Him? Even the RCC itself says they have incorporated pagan practices into their “religion”.

“We need not shrink from admitting that candles, like incense and lustral water, were commonly employed in pagan worship and the rites paid to the dead. But the Church from a very early period took them into her service, just as she adopted many other things indifferent in themselves, which seemed proper to enhance the splendor of religious ceremonial. We must not forget that most of these adjuncts to worship, like music, lights, perfumes, ablutions, floral decorations, canopies, fans, screens, bells, vestments etc. were not identified with any idolatrous cult in particular; but they were common to almost all cults” (Catholic Encyclopedia, III, 246.)

“When we give or receive Christmas gifts; or hang green wreaths in our homes and churches, how many of us know that we are probably observing pagan customs...the god, Woden, in Norse Mythology, descends upon the earth yearly between December 25th and January 6th to bless mankind...But pagan though they be, they are beautiful customs. They help inspire us with the spirit of 'good will to men', even as the sublime service of our Church reminds us of the ‘peace on earth’ which the babe of Bethlehem came to bestow” (Externals of the Catholic Church, 140).

Catholics can’t deny that the RCC has incorporated pagan practices into its practices. The RCC itself admits that it does. The RCC refuses to hear the words of the Lord.

“As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.” (Jer.44:16-17)

The RCC will, just as Israel did, experience the wrath of God for disobeying His word. The admonition in Revelation to “come out of her my people” is for those who truly want to listen to God.

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