Pope Sends Message of Respect for Muslims

[Purveyor]

In a demonstration of what the Vatican spokesman called Pope Francis’ “particular attention to relations with the Muslim world,” the pope on Friday personally signed the Holy See message for Muslims at the end of Ramadan, calling for “mutual respect through education” between Christianity and Islam.

“We are called to respect the religion of the other, its teachings, its symbols, its values,” Francis wrote in a statement distributed by the Holy See.

“We have to bring up our young people to think and speak respectfully of other religions and their followers,” said the message, which stressed the enhanced role that education must play in building respect for different religions and the need “to avoid ridiculing or denigrating their convictions and practices.”

“As an expression of esteem and friendship for all Muslims,” Francis decided to personally sign his good wishes to Muslims worldwide on the feast of Id al-Fitr, which celebrates the end of Ramadan, a month of prayer and fasting. Historically, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue has delivered the message on behalf of the Holy See. The last pope to send a personal message to Muslims was John Paul II in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf war in 1991.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/03/world/europe/pope-sends-message-of-respect-for-muslims.html

[cbayer]

1. Once again, he surprises. And once again, his message is positive.

Got to say, he's different in a good way.

[skepticscott]

3. His message is disingenuous at best

outright lies at worst. He carefully avoids stating plainly and simply what the Catholic Church's actual position on Islam is...that it a false religion and that its faithful will not attain salvation.

Could you possibly be any more fawning over such dishonesty?

[muxin]

5. Would you rather him making a hate speech then ?

He didn't say anything about the Islamic teaching, he simply asked the Catholics to show respect, what's wrong with that?

[skepticscott]

6. If the choice is between phoniness

and open animosity and violence, I'll take phoniness for $1000, Alex. But ask yourself why there has to be such a choice. What does it say about him and the RCC if he has to avoid the plain truth and avoid saying what he and the church really believe in order to send a "positive" message?

[cleanhippie]

7. It's more of the "lying for jesus" that so many use to rationalize their true feelings and ethics.

Your analysis is spot on, of course. Did you really expect to have it validated by those that use the very same tactic to rationalize their beliefs?

[kestrel91316]

2. DU's Pamela Geller wannabes to express poutrage in 3....2....1....

[2ndAmForComputers]

4. Makes sense.

They have much in common.