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> > VATICAN CITY, OCT 14
He went on to point out that terms such as
> > "dialogue," "justice," "reciprocity," "human rights" and > > "democracy" have a completely different meaning for Muslims than > > they do for peoples of Christian heritage and warned European > > bishops not to be naive in their dealings with Islamic leaders. 'Thanks to your
> > democratic laws, we shall invade you; and thanks to our religious > > laws, we shall dominate you.' And, during a bilateral summit, > > another Muslim leader said: 'You have nothing to teach us, and we > > have nothing to learn.' > > During his words in the Synod hall, Italian Franciscan Archbishop > > Giuseppe Bernardini of Smyrna, Turkey, who has lived in the Islamic > > world for 42 years, censured Muslims for their lack of reciprocity > > toward Christians' efforts of dialogue. The Vatican Press Office > > published the text of his address yesterday, which explicitly > > denounces the Muslims' irrational hostility toward Catholics. > > > > Archbishop Bernardini quoted an "important Muslim figure who, > > during an Islamic-Christian meeting said: 'Thanks to your > > democratic laws, we shall invade you; and thanks to our religious > > laws, we shall dominate you.' And, during a bilateral summit, > > another Muslim leader said: 'You have nothing to teach us, and we > > have nothing to learn.' He went on to point out that terms such as > > "dialogue," "justice," "reciprocity," "human rights" and > > "democracy" have a completely different meaning for Muslims than > > they do for peoples of Christian heritage and warned European > > bishops not to be nave in their dealings with Islamic leaders. > > > > Smyrna's Archbishop explained to the Synod Fathers that dollars > > from oil sales are "used not to create work in the poor countries > > of North Africa and the Middle East, but to construct mosques and > > cultural centers in Christian countries with Islamic immigration, > > including Rome." > > > > The Archbishop specifically requested the Holy Father to convoke a > > Synod or Symposium on the Islamic question, and invite other > > Christian denominations to participate. > > > > The topic of Islamic expansion had already been addressed in the > > Synod by French philosopher Alain Besanon, who noted that "the 4-5 > > million Muslims in France are comparable in number to practicing > > Catholics. History teaches that peaceful co-existence between > > Islam and Christianity has always been precarious. Consequently, a > > Church that is unsure of its faith runs the risk of turning to > > Islam," as happened in the Magreb, the Middle East and the Balkans. > > > > Besanon made three suggestions: "Have the courage to see reality > > as it is and, above all, do not confuse the Islamic problem with > > immigration in general; explain Islam to Christians, especially > > those aspects that are directly contrary to Christian faith, but at > > the same time teach them respect and love for Muslims; teach > > Christians their religion." Previously, Cardinal Godfried Daneels, > > Archbishop of Brussels, referred to an existing ambiguity: there > > is one "kind of Islam, with its monolithic faith, language, > > culture, economic and political strength that is difficult to > > dialogue with, in fact, almost impossible. And another Islam, > > which teaches the sense of God's transcendence." Cardinal Francis > > Arinze, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religious > > Dialogue, said that it is necessary to "form specialized Catholic > > personnel with knowledge of other religions, especially Islam, and > > to know how to approach their followers." > > > > The topic of Islam was already addressed in the 1991 Synod. In the > > conclusions that year, it was stated that the dialogue with Muslims > > "must be carried out with prudence, clarity of ideas on > > possibilities and limits, and confidence in God's plan for the > > salvation of all his children. If reciprocal solidarity is to be > > sincere, there must be reciprocity in relations, especially in the > > realm of religious liberty." Which all of the above means the Vatican today has its heads in the clouds,
It promotes what is impossible. The true church of centuries is in exile from
Rome, and ready for the Islamic attack.
Philip Madsen.
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