"Evangelii Gaudium" on Islam: Outreach or Overreach?

Crisis Magazine ^ | 1/6/14 | William Kilpatrick

[marshmallow]

Much attention has been paid to Pope Francis’ observations about economic life in Evangelii Gaudium. Relatively little attention, however, has been paid to the pope’s remarks about Islam in the same document, even though they may turn out to be of much greater consequence. One sentence in particular needs to be called into question. When writing about interreligious dialogue between Christians and Muslims, Pope Francis cautions against “hateful generalizations about Islam,” for “authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence” (253).

This sweeping statement would be difficult to justify even if the pope were speaking about the Bible. It would not be an easy task to make the case that even a proper reading of the Bible is opposed to every form of violence. To make that case for the Koran, which is filled with encouragements to violence, is more problematic still.

Here is just a small sampling from the Koran:

When the sacred months are over, slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush for them everywhere. (9.5)

When you meet the unbelievers in the battlefield, strike off their heads. (47.4)

I shall cast terror into the hearts of the infidels. Strike off their heads, strike off the very tips of their fingers! (8.12)

There are hundreds of similar verses in the Koran. It has been argued that they should be understood symbolically or else that these verses must be viewed in their proper context, but this is a weak argument. For some context, let’s turn to the earliest sira (or “life”) of Muhammad written by Ibn Ishaq about 130 years after the death of Muhammad. Although the biographies of Muhammad are now called sira, they were originally called kitab al-maghazi—“book of.......

[onedoug]

The Pope is either naïve or nuts.

[Nervous Tick]

I’ve been easygoing so far in my reaction to Pope Francis’s liberal statements, even the “capitalism is evil” stuff.

Until now.

When he says Islam is, by their book, opposed to violence, he jumped the shark big time. Either he hasn’t really studied Islam and is speaking uneducated nonsense, or else he is throwing common sense (and Scripture) to the wolves in the name of political correctness. Either of those is inexcusable.

Too bad, because there is (or was, anyhow) a lot in his messages that I find helpful in my (Protestant) attempt to walk closer to Christ.

[MeshugeMikey]

if he’s read the same koran I have he cant possibly be naive about the sort of directions to violent behavior contained therein.

That would leave NUTS. He does have the composire of one that I would ordinarily think of as nuts.

Well come to think of it his “proclamation” may be the product of a naivete of intention...thinking that by denying islime’s violent nature he can make it more “freindly”..and acceptable..

Sticking to Jesus would be preferable but his “social gospel” side seems to have gotten the best of him.

[Alex Murphy]

Much attention has been paid to Pope Francis’ observations about economic life in Evangelii Gaudium. Relatively little attention, however, has been paid to the pope’s remarks about Islam in the same document, even though they may turn out to be of much greater consequence. One sentence in particular needs to be called into question. When writing about interreligious dialogue between Christians and Muslims, Pope Francis cautions against “hateful generalizations about Islam,” for “authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence” (253).

Do you want to get in on this?

[pgkdan]

He’s very, very naive, at the very least. I’m also beginning to believe he’s stupid as well. Educated, but still stupid.

[Capt. Tom]

This sweeping statement would be difficult to justify even if the pope were speaking about the Bible. It would not be an easy task to make the case that even a proper reading of the Bible is opposed to every form of violence.

I am not a Christian.
In fairnes to Christians, they get their marching orders from the "New Testament."
There is nothing in the New Testament that exhorts them to violence against others.-Tom

[savagesusie]

or an anti-pope.

Big “change” in “thinking” of the CC.....”Benedict quoted the opinion of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos, “Show me just what Muhammad 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.” “

This statement of Pope Benedict got a nun killed. Maybe the “new” pope is an appeaser—One Worlder— and just trying to establish the new “Church of Nice”...to totally destroy the CC from within.

I know-—harsh-—but really-—what is coming out of this pope defies Truth and Reason——which is the only purpose of the Catholic Church to exist (Truth).

This pope is a Jesuit....he is NOT dumb or naive—He knows exactly what he is doing.

We actually need to pray for the Church-—and the US and the World. Very evil times—like usual.

[savagesusie]

New Testament: (I understand the metaphor, but taken literally...)

“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” [Mt 10.34 NRSV]

“For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. “ [Mt. 10.35-39]

[Capt. Tom]

With that statement “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” and the following paragraph, indicates to me that Christ is telling the Jews that choose to follow him, is they will be at odds with their own Jewish families.

That's why Christ came to break up the Jewish thinking and introduce a new form of religious belief. Which in fact he did.
Christ is not encouraging anyone to violence, just alerting his followers that they can expect trouble from all Jews including those Jewish family members closest to them. -Tom

[Alex Murphy]

That's why Christ came to break up the Jewish thinking and introduce a new form of religious belief. Which in fact he did.

Given that He is God, why would Christ need to introduce "a new form of religious belief"?

[marshmallow]

I think there's a third possibility, also.

I believe the papal charism extends to leadership of the Catholic Church but not necessarily to the gift of interpreting what is or is not "authentic" Islam. I'm not sure that the papal teaching ministry extends that far. That the Pope felt moved to inform us and instruct us on this matter in an apostolic exhortation would seem to indicate that he believes it does extend that far, at least in his own ministry. This leads me to think that both imprudence and dare I say it....pride .....may be factors which guide some of his words.

"Pride" may seem a strange word to use for a man which the MSM loves to portray as being as humble as a church mouse but I'm beginning to wonder in light of this and some of his other actions.

I'm prepared to listen to him when he talks on matters Catholic but I'm unconvinced that he's an arbiter and judge of "authentic" Islam. That's overreach in the first degree.

[Capt. Tom]

Given that He is God, why would Christ need to introduce "a new form of religious belief"?

That's how religions get started.

Christians believe Christ is the son of God. Christians also believe in one God ,3 divine persons, (Father ,Son and Holy Ghost).
The Jews don't believe that.

It appears the Jews were given an opportunity to change their beliefs but most chose not to do that.
It is not uncommon for religious people to believe in different supernatural beings. Seven hundred years later Muhammed comes along, and starts another religion, with a God different from the Jewish God, and the Christian God.-tom

[BlatherNaut]

That the Pope felt moved to inform us and instruct us on this matter in an apostolic exhortation would seem to indicate that he believes it does extend that far, at least in his own ministry. This leads me to think that both imprudence and dare I say it....pride .....may be factors which guide some of his words.

To promote the idea in an apostolic exhortation that "authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence” when such a claim flies in the face of the evidence seems to indicate that he is either willing to deliberately subjugate reality in his public communications in pursuit of ecumenism or that he is operating from an egological construct of reality in regard to Islam without reference to the big picture. So whatever the motivation for such a peculiar statement regarding Islam might be, it's hard to rationalize it as being a positive one.

[miserare]

If he believes that Islam is non-violent, Chris Christie has a bridge to sell him in New Jersey.