Full text of Pope Francis' in-flight presser from Poland Aboard the papal plane, Jul 31, 2016 / 05:06 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- During his flight from Krakow to Rome on Sunday, Pope Francis gave a press conference to the journalists assembled aboard the papal plane. He reflected on the World Youth Day gathering in the Polish city, and the recent attempted coup in Turkey. He also addressed abuse accusations against Cardinal Pell, the crisis in Venezuela, Islam and violence, and Panama – which will host the next World Youth Day. Please find below the full text of the July 31 press conference, translated by Catholic News Agency: Fr. Lombardi: Holy Father, thanks a lot for being here with us on the return from this trip. Despite the storm tonight it seems that everything went very well and we are all happy and content and we hope that you are as well in these days. As usual, we will ask you some questions. We are here, if you want to say something for an introduction, we are at your disposal. Pope Francis: I would like to thank you for your work and your company. I would also like to give you, because you are colleagues, condolences for the death of Anna Maria Jacobini (Editor’s note: Jacobini is an Italian journalist who died unexpectedly in Krakow while covering the trip). Today I met her sister, niece and nephew: they were so saddened by this. Then, I would like to thank Lombardi and Mauro, because this will be the last trip they take with us. Fr. Lombardi was at Vatican Radio for more than 25 years and then on the flights 12-13, 10 (years). Mauro: 37. Thirty-seven years in charge of the bags on the flight. I thank you very much, Mauro and Fr. Lombardi. And then at the end we’ll thank them with a cake. I am at your disposal; the trip is short, so we’ll do it in a hurry this time. Fr. Lombardi: Thank you, Holy Father. The first question we’ll do as usual, from our Polish colleague, Magdalena Wolinska from TVP. Here she is. Magdalena Wolinska-Riedi, TVP: Holy Father, in your speech at Wawel, in your first speech immediately after arriving, you said that you were happy to begin getting to know Central Eastern Europe. I come from Poland, and in the name of the nation I would like to ask you how was Poland for you in these five days, how did it seem? Pope Francis: But it’s a special Poland, because it was a Poland invaded once again, this time by youth. But Krakow...what I have seen, I saw very beautiful. The Polish people...so much enthusiasm! But look, this evening, with the rain, and long streets...it wasn’t only the youth! Even the elderly! It’s a goodness, a nobility! I had an experience of knowing the Polish people when I was a child, and where my father worked many Poles came to work after the war. They were good people, and this has stayed in my heart. I rediscovered this goodness of yours. It’s a beauty. Thank you. Fr. Lombardi: We give the word to another of our Polish colleagues, Ursula Rzepczak from Polsat. Ursula Rzepczak, Polsat: Holy Father, our young children were touched by your words, which correspond very well to their reality, to their problems...but you also used, in your speeches, you used the words, the very expressions, of the language of the youth. How did you prepare? How were you able to give so many examples close to their lives, to their problems, but also with their words? Pope Francis: I like to speak with the youth, and I like to hear the youth. They always put me in difficulty. They tell me things that I haven’t thought of, or that I’ve partly thought of. The restless youth, the creative youth, I like them! And thence I take that language. Many times I have to ask myself: what does this mean? And they explain what it means! They explain to me what it means...but I like to speak with them. They are our future, and we must have a dialogue. This dialogue between the past and the future is important. Because of this I underline so much the relationship between the youth and grandparents. They must speak with...when I say grandparents, I mean those who are old and those who are not so old...but me, yes! To also give our experience, which they feel as the past, as history and they take it up again and carry it forward with the courage of the present, as I said this evening...but it’s important, it’s important! I don’t like it when I hear it said: ‘but these youth say stupid things!’ Even we say many of them, eh! The youth say stupid things and they say good things, as we do, as everyone does. But hear them, speak with them, because we must learn from them and they must learn from me, from us. It’s like this. And this is how history is made, this is how it grows, without closure, without closure. I don’t know, it’s like this. This is how I learn these things. Fr. Lombardi: Thank you very much. And now we give the word to Marco Ansaldo from La Repubblica, who will ask the question for the Italian group. Marco Ansaldo, La Repubblica: Holiness, the repression in Turkey, the 15 days that followed the coup, according to almost all international observers were perhaps worse in respect to the coup. There were entire categories affected: the military, magistrates, public administrators, diplomats, journalists. I cite data from the Turkish government: it speaks of more than 13,000 arrests, more than 50,000 people torpedoed. A purge. The day before yesterday, the president Recep Tayyip Erdogan faced the critics and said: ‘Mind your own business’ - in front of external critics. We would like to ask you: until now you haven’t intervened, you haven’t spoken. Perhaps you fear that there could be repercussions on the Catholic minority in Turkey? Pope Francis: When I had to say something that I didn’t like to Turkey, but of which I was sure, I said it, with the consequences that you all know (Editor’s note: a reference to his comments on the Armenian Genocide). I said these words … I was sure … I didn’t speak because I am still not sure with the information that I received on what is happening there. And I listen to the information that is arriving in the Secretariat of State and some important political analyst, I am studying the situation even with the councilors of the Secretariat of State and the thing still isn’t clear. It’s true, harm to Catholics must always be avoided, and all of us do this...but not at the price of the truth! There is the virtue of prudence; this must be said, when, how, but in my case, you are my witnesses that when I’ve had to say something that involves Turkey, I’ve said it. Fr. Lombardi: Now we give the word to Frances D’Emilio, who is a colleague from the Associated Press, the large English-language agency Frances D'Emilio, AP: Good evening. My question is a question that many are asking in these days because it has come to light in Australia that the Australian police would be investigating new accusations against Cardinal Pell, and that this time the accusations involve the abuse of minors that are very different from the previous accusations. So, the question that I ask which many others ask is: according to you, what would be the right thing for Cardinal Pell to do, given his serious situation and in such an important position and the confidence that he enjoys from you? Pope Francis: Thank you. The first information that arrived was confusing. It was news from 40 years back that not even the police made a case about at first. It was a confusing thing. Then, all the rest of the accusations were sent to justice. Right now, they are in the hands of justice. And one mustn't judge before justice judges, eh. If I were to say a judgement in favor of or against Cardinal Pell, it wouldn't be good because I (would) judge before. It's true that there there is doubt and there's that clear principal of the law: in dubio pro reo (Editor’s note: the phrase is a Latin expression meaning in favor of the alleged guilty party), no? But, we must wait for justice and not make a first judgement ourselves, a media trial, or...because this doesn't help. The judgement of gossip and then, one can...we don't know what the result will be but be attentive to what justice decides. Once justice speaks, I will speak. Thank you.
continued..... Fr. Lombardi: Now we give the word to Hernan Reyes from TELAM, I ask you to come near. As we know he’s Argentine and represents Latin America in the midst of us. Hernan Reyes, TELAM: Holiness, how are you after your fall the other day? We hope that you are well...after the fall... Pope Francis: Ah! The fall. Reyes: This is the first question...and the second question, last week the secretary-general of UNASUR, Ernesto Samper, spoke about a mediation from the Vatican in Venezuela. Is this a concrete dialogue? Is this a real possibility, and how do you think that this mission with the mission of the Church can help in the stabilization of the country? Pope Francis: First, the fall: I was looking at the Madonna and I forgot about the stairs. I was with the thurible in hand. And when I felt that I was falling, I let myself fall and this saved me, because if I had made some resistance, I would have had consequences. Nothing. I am wonderful, I am very well. The second, the second was? Venezuela. With Venezuela, two years ago I had a very, very positive meeting with president Maduro...then he asked for an audience last year, it was Sunday, the day after arriving from Sarajevo. But then he cancelled that because he was very sick with an ear infection and couldn’t come. Then after this I let some time go by and I wrote a letter to him. Then, there were contacts...you mentioned one...of an eventual meeting. Yes, yes. With the conditions that are made in this case. And if you think, right now...I am not sure, I can’t guarantee this, eh. Clear? I am not sure! But I think that in the group of the mediation, someone, and I’m not sure if the government also - but I’m not sure - wants a representative from the Holy See. This until the moment that I left Rome. But things are there. In the group there is Zapatero from Spain, Torrijos and another, three...and a fourth that is said from the Holy See...but of this I am not sure. Okay. Fr. Lombardi: Now we give the word to Antoine Marie Izoard, from France. We know what France is living these days. Antoine Marie Izoarde, i.Media: Holy Father, before all I make the congratulations to you and Father Lombardi and also to Fr. Spadaro for the feast of St. Ignatius, if you allow me. The question is a little difficult: Catholics are a bit in shock, and not only in France, after the barbarous assassination of Fr. Jacques Hamel - as you know well - in his church while celebrating the Holy Mass. Four days ago you here told us that all religions want peace. But this holy, 86-year-old priest was clearly killed in the name of Islam. So Holy Father, I have two brief questions: why do you, when you speak of these violent events, always speak of terrorists, but never of Islam, never use the word Islam? And then, aside from prayer and dialogue, which are obviously essential, what concrete initiatives can you advise or suggest in order to counteract Islamic violence? Thank you, Holiness. Pope Francis: I don’t like to speak of Islamic violence, because every day, when I browse the newspapers, I see violence, here in Italy… this one who has murdered his girlfriend, another who has murdered the mother-in-law… and these are baptized Catholics! There are violent Catholics! If I speak of Islamic violence, I must speak of Catholic violence . . . and no, not all Muslims are violent, not all Catholics are violent. It is like a fruit salad; there’s everything. There are violent persons of this religion… this is true: I believe that in pretty much every religion there is always a small group of fundamentalists. Fundamentalists. We have them. When fundamentalism comes to kill, it can kill with the language -- the Apostle James says this, not me -- and even with a knife, no? I do not believe it is right to identify Islam with violence. This is not right or true. I had a long conversation with the imam, the Grand Imam of the Al-Azhar University, and I know how they think . . . They seek peace, encounter . . . The nuncio to an African country told me that the capital where he is there is a trail of people, always full, at the Jubilee Holy Door. And some approach the confessionals -- Catholics -- others to the benches to pray, but the majority go forward, to pray at the altar of Our Lady... these are Muslims, who want to make the Jubilee. They are brothers, they live… When I was in Central Africa, I went to them, and even the imam came up on the Popemobile… We can coexist well… But there are fundamentalist groups, and even I ask… there is a question… How many young people, how many young people of our Europe, whom we have left empty of ideals, who do not have work… they take drugs, alcohol, or go there to enlist in fundamentalist groups. One can say that the so-called ISIS, but it is an Islamic State which presents itself as violent . . . because when they show us their identity cards, they show us how on the Libyan coast how they slit the Egyptians’ throats or other things… But this is a fundamentalist group which is called ISIS… but you cannot say, I do not believe, that it is true or right that Islam is terrorist. Izoard: Your concrete initiatives to counteract terrorism, violence? Pope Francis: Terrorism is everywhere. You think of the tribal terrorism of some African countries. It is terrorism and also . . . But I don’t know if I say it because it is a little dangerous… Terrorism grows when there are no other options, and when the center of the global economy is the god of money and not the person -- men and women -- this is already the first terrorism! You have cast out the wonder of creation -- man and woman -- and you have put money in its place. This is a basic terrorism against all of humanity! Think about it! Fr. Lombardi: Thank you, Holiness. Seeing as how the announcement was made this morning of Panama as the next World Youth Day, there was a colleague here who wanted to give you a small gift in order to prepare yourself for this event. Javier Martinez Brocal, Rome Reports: How are you, Holy Father? You told us in the meeting with volunteers that maybe you will not go to Panama, this you cannot do, we are waiting for you in Panama... Pope Francis: No no, this one is not going, Peter is going, whichever it is Martinez Brocal: We believe that you will go. I give you on behalf of the Panamanians two things: a shirt with the number 17, which is your date of birth, and later the hat that the farmers in Panama wear. They asked me to put it on, but... Pope Francis: The tribute to the farmers... Martinez Brocal: If you would like to greet the Panamanians... Pope Francis: To those from Panama, thank you very much for this and I hope that you prepare well with the same strength, the same spirituality, the same depth with which the Poles, the Cracovians and the Poles, prepared. Izoarde: Holiness, in the name of my journalist colleagues - because I feel a little obligated to represent them, I must also say two words if you allow me, Holiness, about Fr. Lombardi in the Press Office with Pope Benedict, an unprecedented interregnum, and then your election, Holy Father, and the surprises that followed. What one can say, though, is the constant availability, commitment, and dedication of Fr. Lombardi, your incredible ability to respond or not to our questions, and this is also an art - to our often strange questions. And then also your humor, a little British, in all situations, even the worst. And we have many examples. Obviously we welcome with you your successors, two good journalists, but let’s not forget that you, more than being a journalist, were, and still are, a priest. And also a Jesuit, wow! So we cannot wait until September to celebrate with dignity your departure for other services, but we wish to congratulate you today...a wish for a happy feast, we said, of St. Ignatius, and then for a long life, of 100 years as they say, of humble service. “Stolat,” they say in Poland, stolat, Fr. Lombardi. Pope Francis: Thanks a lot. Did Mauro run away? http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/n...-francis-in-flight-presser-from-poland-70432/
Name me groups of Christians who commit violence in the name of Christ? I will list you groups of militant Islamists who commit violence in the name of Muhammed, Islam and Allah! The evidence is simply overwhelming in countries from a A to Z! Why Islamic Terrorists Commit Attacks - In Their Own Words "I am one of the servants of Allah. We do our duty of fighting for the sake of the religion of Allah. It is also our duty to send a call to all the people of the world to enjoy this great light and to embrace Islam and experience the happiness in Islam... "Our primary mission is nothing but the furthering of this religion." Osama bin Laden, May 1998 Aside from pursuing mass murder plots against innocent populations in every corner of the planet, Islamic terrorists have one other thing in common: They credit their motivation and success to religion. Islam isn't hijacked by extremists - it is what inspires them. This distinguishes Islamic terrorism from mere criminal activity, and it is part of what makes Islam so very, very different from other religions. Many people prefer to bury their heads in the sand or look for ways to re-cast Islamic terror to fit their own political agenda, but the fact is that violent Muslims are quite explicit about the religious certainty that compels their actions. The teachings and early history of Islam that explain the violence are discussed elsewhere on this site. Here we just want to show that, as far as Islamic terrorists are concerned, their acts are done explicitly in the name of Allah and for the cause of Islam and Islamic rule... across the globe. Afghanistan [The Taliban are] "a simply band of dedicated youths determined to establish the laws of Allah on earth... The Taliban will fight until there is no blood in Afghanistan left to shed, and Islam becomes a way of life four our people." Mullah Omar, Taliban leader "Our animosity is based on religion. We hate Americans for their secular ideology." Tehrik-e-Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan explaining why his group of terrorists are opposed to the American presence in Afghanistan. "In the name of Allah the Avenger, I swear on the holy book to perform my sacred duty as a soldier of Islam in this Jihad to restore to this world the light of divine justice... Allah demands no less. For to die in the cause is to be sent immediately to paradise." A Taliban official. Algeria “But the coming Islamic caliphate country will not rise except at the hands of the fighting sect who raises the flag of Allah and Jihad.” Statement from the Salafi terrorist group, one of several fundamentalist cells responsible for the slaughter of 150,000 men women and children in the 1990’s. "Our Jihad consists of killing and dispersing all those who fight against Allah and his Prophet." "Throat-slitting and murder until the power is Allah's!" Both quotes from leaders of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA). The first spoken by Sid Ahmed Mourad, the second from Abdelkader Hattab. Australia “My motivation is paradise itself. It is the sacrifice of my life to fight the enemy of Allah... To establish Jihad in Australia and to put fear into those who are enemies to Allah." Words of Sevdet Besim who pleaded guilty to plotting an attack on Anzac Day Bangladesh “They came to our room one last time and told us not to tarnish the name of Islam, be a good Muslim and uphold the pride of Islam. They said they had no intention of hurting us as we were Muslims. ” Survivor of the massacre at a restaurant in 2016. The seven terrorists made sure that Muslim hostages got their Ramadan iftar meal while those who could not recite from the Quran were tortured and hacked to death. "This will repeat, repeat and repeat until Sharia is established throughout the world” An ISIS spokesman known as Abu Issa al-Bengali, explaining the 2016 restaurant massacre Belgium “And Quran has decided waging Jihad against the disbelievers until they give the jizyah willingly while they are humbled and the Islamic State has asked them to give it but they refused.” From the video released claiming credit for the Brussels suicide attacks of March, 2016. Bulgaria “The month of Ramadan is a month of holy war and death for Allah. It is a month for fighting the enemies of Allah.” 'Base of Jihad' , taking credit for the brutal suicide bombing of a bus full of innocent tourists. Canada “Islam came for the good of humanity. So if someone doesn't like good we fight them.” Faruq Khalil Muhammad, explaining why he supports terrorism against infidels. Chechnya “True resistance is helped by Allah the Supreme and the battles are for His just cause” Abu Hafs, Mujahideen and one of the region’s most prolific killer “I ask you to step up Jihad against enemies of Allah... Destroy Allah's enemies wherever you have them, wherever your hands reach you may open a front... When there is a total war, there are no more civilian objects or civilian population" Doku Umarov, a leader who has taken personal responsibility for dozens of terror attacks in which many civilians were left dead. China “We are working until we make Allah's religion supreme and we live a precious life in the shadow of Islamic Shariah law, or else be rewarded with martyrdom in the cause of Allah. We are plotting for the Chinese to suffer the torture of Allah, or else by our hands” Abdul Haq, leader of the Turkistan Islamic Party, which took credit for the hacking to death of 33 commuters at a Chinese train station. Dagestan "I ask Allah that the next season he’ll give us the opportunity to kill as many kafirs [non-believers] as we can, just to shred them to pieces. Allah is almighty." William Plotnikov, an Islamic militant fighting in Dagestan Terrorism is killing non-believers... for the sake of Allah Dagestani 'rebel' speaking on camera. Egypt "There is nothing more right in God's religion (Islam) than those who speak of the infidelity, reneging on Islam and abandonment of religion, and call for the necessity to fight" Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, an al-Qaeda spokesperson "Allah is our objective, the Quran is our Constitution, the Prophet is our leader, Jihad is our way, and death for the sake of Allah is the highest of our aspirations." Credo of the Muslim Brotherhood, which has spawned attacks and numerous subsidiary terrorist organizations France "This group of believers from the soldiers of the Caliphate (may Allah give them strength and victory) targeted the capital of prostitution and vice, the one that carries the banner of the cross in Europe, Paris. This group of believers advanced toward their enemy hoping to be killed for Allah's sake, doing so in support of His religion and His Prophet... "They were truthful with Allah and Allah granted victory upon their hands and cast terror into the hearts of the crusaders... All praise, grace and favor belong to Allah." Statement released by the caliphate, taking credit for the November13, 2015 Paris massacre "Kill them! Kill them! Kill them! In the name of Allah, they are insulting the prophet, they are insulting our religion... It is obligatory for every Muslim to relieve Islam" Videotaped statement by Larossi Abballa just after he stabbed a police officer and his wife to death in their home.
Gaza "Our conflict is not an Israeli-Arab conflict. Our struggle is not for a Palestinian state. We are seeking the world. We are seeking the whole world. We are seeking a confrontation against all Crusaders, against all Christians, against all infidels until they adopt the Islamic religion, until they follow the Sharia of Allah. We are not interested in Palestine. We are not interested in Tel Aviv or in Ashkelon. What is important for us is to see Islam ruling the world. This is the religion of God and we are fighting to see Islam rule the world." Abu al-Ayna al-Ansari, a leader of a Salafi group in the Gaza Strip that is allied with Islamic State ideology “As Muslims, we don’t believe in states, borders, and embassies, and most certainly not in Israel’s right to exist. We have to focus on imposing the rule of Islam wherever we are, to signal to the infidels that their support of the enemy is useless." Abu al-Ayna al-Ansari India "I fight for Allah, I am a terrorist." Text message to his parents from a 'youth' who joined ISIS “It's a religious war with those who are unbelievers in the mission of Muhammad... especially for the purpose of advancing Islam and repelling evil from Muslims." Abu Jindal Hamza explaining why he helped slaughter 166 people in Mumbai “Democracy is among the menaces we inherited from an alien government. It is part of the system we are fighting against… It is not possible to work within a democracy and establish an Islamic system… If Allah gives us a chance, we will try to bring in the pure concept of an Islamic Caliphate.'' "The notion of the sovereignty of the people is anti-Islamic. Only Allah is sovereign.'' Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the leader of the Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist organization. Yes! We - the terrorists of India – THE INDIAN MUJAHIDEEN, - the militia of Islam whose each and every Mujahid belongs to this very soil of India - have returned, to execute the compulsion of Allah: "Fight them (the disbelievers), Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace, and give you victory over them and He will heal the hearts of those who believe." (Qur'an 9:14).Here we begin ... raising the illustrious banner of Jihad against the Hindus and all those who fight and resist us... All Praise and Glory be to Allah, Who Alone Helps His slaves, Who Alone Fulfils His Promise, and Who Alone Defeats the enemy.... While hoping for the Help and Victory from Allah we declare that such and more severe attacks shall continue irrespective of what the blamers blame us for. The hosts (of the Kafir) will all be routed and will turn and flee. [Qur’an 54: 45].We ask Allah to forgive us and Have Mercy on us and Aid us to conquer the unbelievers and Guide us to raise His Word and degrade His enemies with His Will Alone. And peace be upon His Messenger, and all those who follow the Guidance. The Indian Mujahideen, claiming credit for a brutal series of bombings that left dozens of civilians dead and hundreds more in agony. It is strictly prohibited to worship anyone except Allah. These Kafirs worship cow, sun, and moon. There is strict prohibition to maintain ties with those who are against Allah. Either accept Islam, pay Jiziya or prepared to be slaughtered. A statement by the Islamic State informing Hindus of their choices Iran “Those who know nothing of Islam pretend that Islam counsels against war. Those who say this are witless. Islam says: 'Kill all the unbelievers just as they would kill you all! Kill them, put them to the sword and scatter their armies'.... "Islam says: Whatever good there is exists thanks to the sword and in the shadow of the sword! People cannot be made obedient except with the sword! The sword is the key to paradise, which can be opened only for holy warriors! "There are hundreds of other [Koranic] psalms and hadiths urging Muslims to value war and to fight. Does all that mean that Islam is a religion that prevents men from waging war? I spit upon those foolish souls who make such a claim.'” The Ayatollah Khomeini Indonesia “We planned to kill for the sake of upholding Islamic Sharia and the establishment of a caliphate." Captured terrorist, Bayu Setiono, who was busted along with five other members of an Islamic school for plotting deadly attacks. “Keep on fighting for the application of Islamic law. If this state and nation wants to become great, safe, and at peace then it has to return to Islam one hundred percent without bargaining. If not, then it will be destroyed.” Abu Bakar Bashir, spiritual leader of the Indonesian Mujahideen Iraq “There is no doubt that Allah commanded us to strike the Kuffar (unbelievers), kill them, and fight them by all means necessary to achieve the goal. The servants of Allah who perform Jihad to elevate the word (laws) of Allah, are permitted to use any and all means necessary to strike the active unbeliever combatants for the purpose of killing them, snatch their souls from their body, cleanse the earth from their abomination, and lift their trial and persecution of the servants of Allah. The goal must be pursued even if the means to accomplish it affect both the intended active fighters and unintended passive ones such as women, children and any other passive category specified by our jurisprudence.” Statement by the head of Jama'at al-Tawid wal-Jihad ("Group for Monotheism and Jihad"), a Sunni terrorist known for bloody massacres, including 86 Shiites at a mosque. Iraq (Shia) “My motivation is a sense of duty toward my religious faith to fight against any hostile enemy of Islam.” Abu Deraa, Shiite terrorist known for drilling into captive’s heads Iraq (Sunni) "We are defending Islam and its sanctity” A woman training to be a suicide bomber "The Prophet, the master of the merciful has ordered to cut off the heads of some of the prisoners of Badr in patience. He is our example and a good role model." Abu Muasa'b al-Zarqawi speaking moments before beheading an abducted American businessman. ISIS "We are fighting for no other reason than to extract people from the kufr and to usher them into the fold of Islam." ISIS Commander "The Islamic State is only putting into practice what we have been taught by al Azhar." Sufyan al-Omar, the pseudonym of a student who joined ISIS, explaining that it was a natural result of what is taught at the world's most prestigious Islamic university. "What I did were terror acts. It was my duty. There are infidels and there is instruction in Koran to stop this and fight all infidels." Jasim Mohammed Atti'ya, ISIS bomb maker We hate you, first and foremost, because you are disbelievers; you reject the oneness of Allah – whether you realize it or not – by making partners for Him in worship, you blaspheme against Him, claiming that He has a son, you fabricate lies against His prophets and messengers, and you indulge in all manner of devilish practices... "We hate you because your secular, liberal societies permit the very things that Allah has prohibited while banning many of the things He has permitted, a matter that doesn’t concern you because you Christian disbelief and paganism 32 separate between religion and state, thereby granting supreme authority to your whims and desires via the legislators you vote into power." An article in ISIS's Dabiq Magazine entitled, "Why We Hate You and Want to Fight You" Israel “The Islamic Resistance Movement: Islam is its way. It is from Islam that it derives its ideas, concepts, and perceptions concerning the universe, life, and man, and it refers to Islam's judgment in all its actions. It is from Islam that it seeks direction so as to guide its steps. “ The covenant of Hamas, a terrorist organization that enjoys widespread popularity in the Islamic world despite brutal massacres of Israeli men, women and children. "It was a calculated act, performed with conviction and faith in Allah... I dedicated myself to Jihad for the sake of Allah and Allah granted me success. Do you know how many casualties there were? That was made possible by Allah." Ahlam Tamimi, one of the bombers who slaughtered fifteen innocents, including six children at a Sbarro's pizza parlor. "When your Lord revealed to the angels: I am with you, therefore make firm those who believe. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off the fingertip of them" Literature from the Jama'at al-Tawhid wa'l-Jihad Salafi group in Gaza quoting from the Quran to justify sending rockets haphazardly into Israeli population centers. "I am proud and honored to be a terrorist for the sake of Allah... This is Islamic religious law. I don't invent anything. I follow Islamic religious law in this." Umm Nidal, a woman who sent her six sons on suicide missions against Jewish civilians We are in need of strong and powerful heroes in order to implement the words of Allah: [The companions] 'are tough against the infidels and merciful among themselves.' We … motivate the students, to wage jihad, for the sake of Allah, and we instill love for Allah and His Prophet in the souls of our sons Hamas spokesman at a 'summer camp' for kids. The Quran verse referenced is 48:29
Italy "This month the jihad market is being organized, and the Prophet prepares soldiers this month against idolaters and fights against the enemies of God. So profit from this month, rush to be the first. God ordered you to kill his enemies and wage jihad in his name, preach religion and the sharia and punish the sinner" steps. “ An imam who plotted to blow up Rome's central train station while encouraging others to join the effort to make Allah's religion supreme Jordan “Terrorism is a badge of honor on our chests until Judgment Day. In the name of Allah, we’re pursuing the path of jihad until we uproot you, exterminate your state until the rule of the king vanishes. We follow the steps of the Prophet (Muhammad)... Allah is our Lord; you have none." Hassan al-Smeik, leader of the cell that plotted a chemical weapons attack intended to kill 80,000 Jordanians "Our people... are fighting disbelievers amongst their own just like the Prophet, Allah’s peace and prayer be upon him, fought his people. The Prophet, Allah’s peace and prayer be upon him, didn’t start with fighting the Romans or the Persians, but he started by fighting his people and made the criterion in that to be this religion." Hassan al-Smeik, leader of the cell that plotted a chemical weapons attack intended to kill 80,000 Jordanians Kenya "Only Kuffar were singled out for this attack... Oh Allah, plant firmly our feet and give us victory over the disbelieving people." Terrorists on Twitter explaining why they were shooting non-Muslim shoppers at the Westgate Mall after allowing those who could recite from the Quran to escape. “The Mujahideen punished with their hands those believing and worshipping other than Allah. The [holy warriors] will continued until such practice is eliminated." al-Shabaab loyalist Sheikh Hassan Takar on why two churches were targeted with grenades and gunfire. Lebanon “We are… linked to the Muslims of the whole world by the solid doctrinal and religious connection of Islam, whose message God wanted to be fulfilled by the Seal of the Prophets, i.e., Muhammad” From the charter of the Hezbollah terrorist group, which has kidnapped, tortured and killed numerous non-Muslims. "All praise is due to Allah, the strong and mighty, and may blessings and peace be upon the one sent by the sword as a mercy for all the world...chopping off the heads that have been carrying the cross delusion for a long time...They supplicate what they worship and die upon their paganism...We will conquer Rome, by Allah’s permission, the promise of our prophet." A statement by Islamists as they are beheading 21 Christian laborers on a beach in Libya Libya “We are in a battle with the liberals and the secularists... I swear by Allah that we can tolerate the killing of all people and wiping all countries off the map but we cannot tolerate a single swear word that could hurt our prophet... Our brave youths will continue their struggle until they impose Sharia" Mohammad Ali al-Zahawi, the leader of the Libyan arm of Ansar al-Sharia, which has massacred hundreds. Mali “All we want is the implementation of Sharia.” A spokesman from Ansar Dine, a group which has been compared to al-Qaeda for its summary execution of civilians and captured soldiers.. “We are going to kill you because you don't want Sharia.” Ansar Dine in Northern Mali Netherlands "What moved me to do what I did was purely my faith. I was motivated by the law that commands me to cut off the head of anyone who insults Allah and his Prophet." Mohammed Bouyeri, explaining in court why he stabbed Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh to death. (Bouyeri was holding a Quran at the time). Niger "Thanks to Allah, we carried out two operations against the enemies of Islam in Niger." Mujao spokesman Abu Walid Sahraoui, following a terror attack. Nigeria "For peace to reign in the land, all Christians must convert to Islam. Allah has tasked all Muslims in Quran chapter 9 verse 29 to continue to attack Jews and Christians who refused to believe in him and his messenger, Prophet Mohammed" Abu Qaqa, explaining why his band massacred nearly one hundred worshippers, including children, in a series of attacks on churches in a single Sunday morning. "Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in his life time flushed out all idol worshipers and their leaders and all these evils. So, our aim and target is to do so here... Allah commanded us to obey His Holy Quran. Whether one likes it or not, we will follow it... we will get people to believe Allah is one, and Muhammad, His Prophet. They will come to the right way. " Ustaz Muhammed Yusuf, founder of the Boko Haram terror group that has been known to kidnap and behead Christian pastors who refuse to embrace Islam “Whomever we kill, we kill because Allah says we should kill and we kill for a reason." Abubakar Shekau, a cleric and spiritual leader calling for holy war against Christians. "I enjoy killing anyone that Allah commands me to kill the way I enjoy killing chickens and rams" A Boko Haram spokesman explaining his group's declared war on Nigerian Christians. "Today Almighty Allah has given us victory against Christian Churches in Kaduna and Zaria which led to the deaths of many Christians... " A Boko Haram spokesman who went on to quote the Quran to explain why the group bombed churches, killing many Christians, including children. "As for killing, we will kill because Allah says we should decapitate, we should amputate limbs, we should mutilate which led to the deaths of many Christians" Abubakar Shekau the leader of the Boko Haram sect . "We are warriors who are carrying out Jihad (religious war) and our struggle is based on the traditions of the holy prophet. We will never accept any system of government apart from the one stipulated by Islam because that is the only way that the Muslims can be liberated. We do not believe in any system of government, be it traditional or orthodox, except the Islamic system which is why we will keep on fighting against democracy, capitalism, socialism and whatever. "We will not allow the Nigerian Constitution to replace the laws that have been enshrined in the Holy Qur’an, we will not allow adulterated conventional education (Boko) to replace Islamic teachings. We will not respect the Nigerian government because it is illegal. We will continue to fight its military and the police because they are not protecting Islam. We do not believe in the Nigerian judicial system and we will fight anyone who assists the government in perpetrating illegalities." Boko Haram 'Statement of Principles' 2011 Pakistan "[Pakistan] will be turned into a citadel of Islam and secularism will be purged... only Islam guarantees human rights and peace." The Tehrik-e-Taliban in a statement claiming responsibility for a brutal series of bomb attacks on Shiite pilgrims and mosques in which children were killed "With regard to Osama and Al-Zawahiri, I never met them, but I have the utmost love and respect for them, because of their enmity towards the Jews and the Christians. The Muslims must be harsh towards the infidels and compassionate among themselves. These two men reflect this Koranic verse... We place our trust in Allah. Soon, we will witness the miracles of Jihad." By'atullah Mahsoud, Emir of the Pakistani Taliban "Our whole struggle is for the enforcement of Sharia law" Muslim Khan, Spokesperson for the Pakistani Taliban, responsible for hundreds of bombings, shootings and abductions. Philippines “We may be small in number, but we have plenty fighting with us--the angels and the hand of Allah. We dream of an entire Islamic world, and we will achieve it. Allah is with us." Abu Sayyaf terrorist group leader, Khadaffy Janjalani, responsible for church bombings and beheadings. Russia "I have come here only to make Allah pleased with me, to earn heaven. Why should we follow those Christian commandments, when Allah, may he be glorified, urges us to fight those kafirs? Why shouldn’t we leave their children orphan?" Pavel Pechyonkin, a suicide bomber who ended the lives of 17 innocents at a bus stop Saudi Arabia "One of the greatest virtues in Islam is jihad for the sake of God. Ramadan is the month of jihad and battles, and most Muslim battles took place during the blessed month. This is your season, o people of jihad. Jihad during the fasting month of Ramadan has a great taste -- for what better way to break your fast than to kill infidels and relish the sound of the weeping of the despicable tyrants and infidels." Saudi-based terrorist magazine, al-Jihad
Scotland "This all happened for one reason and no other issues and no other intentions. It is mentioned in the Quran that there is no doubt in this book no one has the right to disrespect the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. And no one has the right to disrespect the Prophet of Islam Muhammad, Peace be upon him." Tanveer Ahmed, who brutally stabbed to death a member of the Ahmadi religious sect Somalia "And your brothers of the Mujahideen Movement are on their way, going forth in Jihad against the occupiers and disbelievers so that the word of Allah is the highest and there is no more fitnah on earth and the religion is solely for Allah." Deadly Somali terrorist group calling itself, Youth Islamic Movement "Know that I am doing this martyrdom operation only for the sake of Allah and for his religion." A 21-year-old member of al-Shabaab and former British college student who murdered 20 Africans. South Africa "Verily Allah has purchased the lives of the believers that theirs shall be paradise. They fight in Allahs cause, so they kill and are killed... it will NEVER be over until the day that we see our lands governed by He Allah the almighty, whose law is complete." Samantha Lewthwaite, the so-called 'white widow', in a poem discovered shortly after the Westgate mall massacre. Spain "Allah, may he be praised, said… ‘Kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from where they have driven you out; for internal strife [Fitna] is worse than killing.’" The Qur’anic verse quoted by the Abu Hafs Al-Masri Brigades in explaining the murder of 202 Madrid train commuters Sudan "To Fight and Conquer. Death in the name of Allah." The unit logo of the Janjaweed militia, responsible for “cleansing” Darfur of African people along with the rape of thousands of women. "Long live the Mujahideen" Sudanese President, Omar al-Bahir, at a meeting of Janjaweed fighters. “Jihad is a duty.” The constitution of the Islamic Republic of Sudan Sweden "Instead of putting on a T-shirt and going to the most hated place for Allah, just to stand there and do dawah [missionize] you should go there with a bomb instead. Download Inspire Magazine, start making bombs from simple stuff . Now is the time to show who the earth belongs to!" Mikael Skramo, a convert to Islam who openly advocates killing 'kafir' Syria “Our hero [the suicide bomber] believed in Allah and died while fighting for Allah” Islamic Jihad leader, Abu Ayman "We are fighting to apply what Allah said to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. We are fighting so people don’t look to other people but only to Allah. We don’t believe in complete freedom: it is restricted by Allah’s laws." A member of al-Nusra, an al-Qaeda affiliated group responsible for hundreds of terror attacks "Being Muslims, we do not believe in political parties or parliamentary elections, but rather in an Islamic regime... Our heading towards the establishment of Islamic law (Sharia) is jihad in Allah's way." A spokesperson for al-Nusra, explaining what motivates the car bombings, suicide attacks and execution of hostages
Tajikistan "The Mujahideen, fighting in our ranks, have firm faith, they do not fight for power or positions in the society, they only want to make supreme the world of Allah... we abandoned this world, and, Allah willing, strive for the appeasement of Allah” Mujahideen of Tajik, the country's bloodiest terror group. Thailand "The Islamic warriors of Pattani announce the purpose that we will never stop killing the Siamese kafir (infidel) and will never stop destroying army weapons, the economy, politics, education and the Siamese kafir society until we regain the land of Pattani and establish the state of Pattani Dar al-lslam” Leaflets distributed by separatists to intimidate the local Buddhist population. “….Martyrs, how glorious we will be if we fall as warriors of our land. When Martyrs are killed, they are not dead but alive next to Allah. They will watch and listen to every piece of news to see if their children will follow in their footsteps….” Berjihad di Pattani, “calls for a holy war to liberate Pattani from ‘colonists’. It is liberal in employing metaphoric references and verses from the Quran. ...a significant and clear articulation of the radical religious dimension of the conflict in south Thailand used within the context of Malay-Muslim resentment of the central government. It engages in Takdir (the labeling of fellow Muslims as infidels) and makes direct calls for Martyrs to attack fellow Muslims perceived to be collaborating with the “occupation”, or the Jahili (people of the ignorance). It views the practice of religious obligations of these “hypocrite” Muslims as a disguise hiding hearts filled with fury and hatred against Islam…” Turkey “The Koran says: ‘Fight them until evil disappears and all religion becomes Allah's [religion].' The suicide activists who blow themselves up are carrying out the Koran's commandment.’" Ali Osman Zor, Great East Islamic Raiders Front terrorist organization "We are following Allah’s word. We believe that humanity’s only duty is to honor Allah and his prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. We are implementing what is written in the Koran... It is every Muslim’s duty to fight those of a different belief until only Allah is worshipped around the world." Abu Sattar, Islamic State recruiter in Turkey United Kingdom “Our religion is Islam - obedience to the one true God, Allah, and following the footsteps of the final prophet and messenger Muhammad... This is how our ethical stances are dictated. “ Mohammad Sidique Khan, London subway bomber, explaining his motives on a pre-recorded video tape. "Know that, I did what I did for the pleasure of Allah alone." From the will of Bilal Abdulla, a Glasgow suicide bomber. "We are doing this in order to gain the pleasure of our Lord and Allah loves us to die and kill in his path. Anyone who tries to deny this, then read the Koran and you will not be able to deny this because this is the words in the Koran and the words of our the messenger of Allah, prayers and peace upon him." "We love to die in the path of Allah... On top of this is to punish and to humiliate the Kuffar [non-believer]" "Thank God Allah accepted my duas [prayers] yeah, and provided me a means to do this." From the farewell videos of those convicted in the plot to kill thousands of airline passengers over the Atlantic in 2006. "O enemies of Allah, we have heard and seen you openly insulting the final Messenger of Allah. You should know that for every action there is a reaction. Today is a day of retaliation (especially) for your blasphemy of Allah and his messenger Muhammad. We love death more than you love life." Letter of explanation from six Muslim devotees who admitted to plotting a bomb attack on critics of Islam at an EDL rally. "We are forced by the Quran, in Sura at-Tawba, through many ayah in the Quran athat that say we must fight them... Allah's peace and blessings be upon you." Convert Michael Adebolajo, explaining himself on video right after hacking an off-duty soldier to death on a London street while shouting praises to Allah. In court, he told a judge, "I did it for God." United States "In the name of Allah, the merciful (Arabic), Praise be to Allah, and prayers as well as peace upon the prophet of Allah. I let you know, I'm in Orlando and I did the shootings. Omar Mateen, while massacring 49 innocents at a gay night club in Florida "We ask Allah to make us follow their path [Muhammad's companions]. To give us a complete understanding of the message of Islam, and the strength the live by this knowledge, and to know what role we need to play to establish Islam in the world." Final posting from Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez, the Americanized Kuwaiti immigrant who shot four US Marines to death in Chattanooga, TN "When you put a bomb in a place like this, are you okay, you've made peace with Allah that you're fine with killing women and children and everything else... I feel that I'm doing it for a good cause for Allah." James Media, aka James Mohammad, a convert to Islam who plotted to bomb a synagogue in Florida. ”The Mujahedeen are proud to kill in the name of God and this is exactly what God told us to do in the Quran." Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the "underwear bomber" who tried to down an airplane over Detroit - speaking at his sentencing. "I did not act out of hatred for Americans, but love for Allah instead. I live only to serve Allah by obeying all of Allah’s commandments, of which I am aware by reading and learning the contents of the Koran.” Mohammed Reza Taheri-Azar, explaining (in his words) “reasons for premeditating and attempting to murder citizens and residents of the United States of America.” He also quoted 141 verses from the Qur'an. "We, Muslims, are content with God's book, the Quran, to fight you with. God has granted us to fight... In God's book, He ordered us to fight you everywhere we find you... We ask to be near to God, we fight you and destroy you and terrorize you. The Jihad in God's cause is a great duty in our religion.” The "9/11 Shura Council" - 9/11 planners held at Guantanamo Bay - in a March 2009 letter. "[The United States Government] openly acknowledges that it would hate for the law of Almighty Allah to be the supreme law of the land. Is that a war on Islam? You bet it is." Maj. Nidal Hasan, the Army psychiatrist who gunned down thirteen people at Fort Hood, Texas. "I wasn't insane or post traumatic nor was I forced to do this Act... [it was] justified according to Islamic Laws and the Islamic Religion. Jihad to fight those who wage war on Islam and Muslims." Abdulhakim Muhammad (formerly Carlos Bledsoe), explaining why he gunned down an unarmed soldier outside a recruiting station in Little Rock, Arkansas. "The Muslim war will continue until Islam is spread throughout the whole world." Faisel Shahzad, in his farewell tape, made shortly before the attempt to mass murder hundreds of New Yorkers at Times Square. "In late 2009, in fulfillment of a religious obligation, I decided to participate in jihad against the United States. The Koran obliges every able Muslim to participate in jihad and fight in the way of Allah, those who fight you, and kill them wherever you find them." Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the "Underwear Bomber", proudly telling a court why he attempted to detonate a plane full of innocents over Detroit. "The attack by the Islamic State in America is only the beginning of our efforts to establish a wiliyah [Islamic territory] in the heart of our enemy. Allah, those who fight you, and kill them wherever you find them." Statement by ISIS following the shooting massacre at San Bernardino. "The first thing we are calling you to is Islam." Osama bin Laden, extending the dawah (invitation to Islam) to America prior to Jihad as Muhammad instructed. Uzbekistan "We have declared a jihad to create a religious government in Uzbekistan” Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan leader, Tahir Yuldeshev Yemen "We will implement the rule of Allah on earth by the tip of the sword." "We need men who are willing to go all the way and not hold back anything from Allah. The religion of Allah cannot be given victory by part-time service. This is not a weekend religion. The contract is to sell our souls to Allah. The compensation is paradise." American-born Islamic cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who has inspired multiple bombing and shooting plots in the U.S. and Europe from his base in Yemen. "Our project is to institute the Sharia of Allah on Earth and reject the man-made laws and constitutions. Nothing will rule the country other than the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger We will fight the enemy without leniency and not surrender until only Islam rules" Nasir al Wuhayshi, the leader of Yemen's most feared terrorists "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious the Most Merciful... Praise is to Allah, the glory granter to Islam with His victory and the disgracer of the unbelief with his Might... and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger who said: 'I have been inspired between the hands of the hour until Allah alone is worshiped and my sustenance has been made under the shade of my spear, and disgrace and humiliation has been prescribed for the one who disobeys my command.'"al-Qaeda al-Jihad in Yemen taking credit for a brutal suicide attack and quoting the words of Muhammad to explain why.
The Pope is wrong about Islam just as he is wrong about climate change. Islam is inherently violent and oppressive. Islam is not a religion; it is a death cult. Allah is an imaginary being at best and a demon at worst. And for Pope Francis to contine to insist that verbal abuse is equivalent to the violent torture and murder of these Islamist terrorists is quite frankly a scandal.
Every time I read one of these cringe-worthy stories I remember Charlie Johnston's prediction that the Pope would make a major blunder in 2015, then he would realize his mistake, take heart, and turn into the Great Pope who will guide us through the Storm. It's now 2016, the Pope's blunders are as numerous as terror attacks, and there's no end in sight. From last July, https://charliej373.wordpress.com/2015/07/11/the-summer-of-our-discontent/ I was initially shaken to realize over the last few days that, despite his increasingly strident, bombastic political pronouncements, Pope Francis has not yet made the major blunder I was told about last December. Then I was comforted to understand that he, too, is being formed for the fullness of the Storm. When the blunder comes, he will shed the brashness, while holding fast to a holy boldness necessary for both him and us to weather this great Storm.
I'm sure it wouldn't be hard to find Christians who have killed in the name of Christ. The difference is that no Christian who commits an act of violence can claim to be following Christ's example. Non-Christians often quote this line from St. Matthew's Gospel when justifying Islamic violence or when claiming that all religions are violent: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword." They never quote the entire passage because most likely that is the only sentence they have read or are aware of. It's a very chilling passage for believers because it warns us that our faith will be tested by all sorts of persecution, even from our own families. Nowhere does it tell Christians to attack their enemies either by sword or any other weapon. There's much for all of us to learn from Matthew 10 http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/10
It's clear now how much we lost when Pope Benedict retired. Recall his Regensburg address? In it the Holy Father spoke on faith and reason. Benedict was always clear in his teaching that Islam was violent and irrational in its roots. He presented arguments to demonstrate his claim. From Wikipedia, a discussion of the Regensburg lecture, which sparked violent protests (what else?) from Muslims: The lecture ... with references ranging from ancient Jewish and Greek thinking to Protestant theology and modern secularity, focused mainly on Christianity and what Pope Benedict called the tendency to "exclude the question of God" from reason. Islam features in a part of the lecture: the Pope quoted a strong criticism of Islam, which he described as being of a "startling brusqueness, a brusqueness which leaves us astounded". The author of this criticism was the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos (or Paleologus) in a 1391 dialogue with an "educated Persian" (who remained unnamed in all the dialogues), as well as observations on this argument made by Theodore Khoury, the scholar whose edition of the dialog in question the pontiff was referencing. Pope Benedict used Manuel II's argument in order to draw a distinction between a Christian view, as expressed by Manuel II, that "not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature", and an allegedly Islamic view, as explained by Khoury, that God transcends concepts such as rationality, and his will, as Ibn Hazm stated, is not constrained by any principle, including rationality. As a part of his explication of this distinction, Pope Benedict referred to a specific aspect of Islam that Manuel II considered irrational, namely the practice of forced conversion. Specifically, the Pope (making clear that they were the Emperor's words, not his own) quoted Manuel II Palaiologos as saying: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only bad and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." The pontiff was comparing apparently contradictory passages from the Qur'an, one being that "There is no compulsion in religion", the other being that it is acceptable to "spread the faith through violence". The pontiff argued the latter teaching to be unreasonable and advocated that religious conversion should take place through the use of reason. His larger point here was that, generally speaking, in Christianity, God is understood to act in accordance with reason, while in Islam, God's absolute transcendence means that "God is not bound even by his own word", and can act in ways contrary to reason, including self-contradiction. At the end of his lecture, the Pope said, "It is to the great logos, to this breadth of reason, that we invite our partners in the dialogue of cultures."
I'm okay with the popes 'blunder's', because they test my faith. Not the doctrines of my faith, because I already know what the church teaches in this area, but it is a higher test, a test of whether I will pray harder and harder for the Vicar of Christ and even fasting for him. I fear this is the test that many are not passing in the eyes of God. It is the test of love. I think most of us would do this for one of our children who speak and act with blunders, but why is it so hard for us to do with our spiritual father. There is no doubt his past has been affected with all kinds of liberation theology, but it seems to me prayer and fasting for our pope is the answer God is looking for. This is the our testing.
I think the Regensburg address was not exactly Pope Benedict's finest moment: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5351988.stm But the following is interesting which people may not be familiar with. Needless to say, I'm with Pope Francis all the way on this matter! Pope Francis' run-in with Benedict XVI over the Prophet Mohammed Pope Francis came close to losing his position within the Catholic Church after he criticised his predecessor seven years ago Pope Benedict XVI meets the archbishop of Buenos Aires Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio at the Vatican, 13 January 2007 Photo: AFP/GETTY By Alasdair Baverstock 10:11AM GMT 15 Mar 2013 In 2005, then Pope Benedict quoted from an obscure medieval text which declared that the Prophet Mohammed, founder of the Islamic faith, was "evil and inhuman", enraging the Muslim population and causing attacks on churches throughout the world before an apology was issued. Reacting within days to the statements, speaking through a spokesman to Newsweek Argentina, then Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio declared his "unhappiness" with the statements, made at the University of Regensburg in Germany, and encouraged many of his subordinates with the Church to do the same. "Pope Benedict's statement don't reflect my own opinions", the then Archbishop of Buenos Aires declared. "These statements will serve to destroy in 20 seconds the careful construction of a relationship with Islam that Pope John Paul II built over the last twenty years". The Vatican reacted quickly, removing one subordinate, Joaquín Piña the Archbishop of Puerto Iguazú from his post within four days of his making similar statements to the Argentine national media, sending a clear statement to Cardinal Bergoglio that he would be next should he choose to persist. Reacting to the threats from Rome, Cardinal Bergoglio cancelled his plans to fly to Rome, choosing to boycott the second synod that Pope Benedict had called during his tenure as pontiff. "The only thing that didn't happen to Bergoglio was being removed from his post", wrote investigative journalist Horacio Verbitsky in his column in left-wing daily newspaper Página/24. "The Vatican was very quick to react." Cristina Kirchner, the Argentina president, stated at the time that such diatribes were "dangerous for everyone". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...h-Benedict-XVI-over-the-Prophet-Mohammed.html
Pope BXVI was prescient in his talk at Regensburg. Some would also say prophetic. Cardinal Bergoglio acted in disgrace (beside being woefully incorrect, as current events prove). If a current Cardinal disrespected Pope Francis the way Cardinal Bergoglio acted with Pope BXVI, they'd be shipped off to Malta, if they kept their red hat at all. "Mercy," eh?
Cardinal Bergoglio behaved absolutely correctly and Pope Benedict's apology effectively ended this particular disagreement. Pope Francis and the Pope Emeritus have now, of course, a very warm relationship.
Part of the interview: Antoine Marie Izoarde, i.Media: Holy Father, before all I make the congratulations to you and Father Lombardi and also to Fr. Spadaro for the feast of St. Ignatius, if you allow me. The question is a little difficult: Catholics are a bit in shock, and not only in France, after the barbarous assassination of Fr. Jacques Hamel - as you know well - in his church while celebrating the Holy Mass. Four days ago you here told us that all religions want peace. But this holy, 86-year-old priest was clearly killed in the name of Islam. So Holy Father, I have two brief questions: why do you, when you speak of these violent events, always speak of terrorists, but never of Islam, never use the word Islam? And then, aside from prayer and dialogue, which are obviously essential, what concrete initiatives can you advise or suggest in order to counteract Islamic violence? Thank you, Holiness. Pope Francis: I don’t like to speak of Islamic violence, because every day, when I browse the newspapers, I see violence, here in Italy… this one who has murdered his girlfriend, another who has murdered the mother-in-law… and these are baptized Catholics! There are violent Catholics! If I speak of Islamic violence, I must speak of Catholic violence . . . and no, not all Muslims are violent, not all Catholics are violent. It is like a fruit salad; there’s everything. There are violent persons of this religion… this is true: I believe that in pretty much every religion there is always a small group of fundamentalists. Fundamentalists. We have them. When fundamentalism comes to kill, it can kill with the language -- the Apostle James says this, not me -- and even with a knife, no? I do not believe it is right to identify Islam with violence. This is not right or true. I had a long conversation with the imam, the Grand Imam of the Al-Azhar University, and I know how they think . . . They seek peace, encounter . . . The nuncio to an African country told me that the capital where he is there is a trail of people, always full, at the Jubilee Holy Door. And some approach the confessionals -- Catholics -- others to the benches to pray, but the majority go forward, to pray at the altar of Our Lady... these are Muslims, who want to make the Jubilee. They are brothers, they live… When I was in Central Africa, I went to them, and even the imam came up on the Popemobile… We can coexist well… But there are fundamentalist groups, and even I ask… there is a question… How many young people, how many young people of our Europe, whom we have left empty of ideals, who do not have work… they take drugs, alcohol, or go there to enlist in fundamentalist groups. One can say that the so-called ISIS, but it is an Islamic State which presents itself as violent . . . because when they show us their identity cards, they show us how on the Libyan coast how they slit the Egyptians’ throats or other things… But this is a fundamentalist group which is called ISIS… but you cannot say, I do not believe, that it is true or right that Islam is terrorist. I am sorry but this is pure globalist-speak. There are murders in every society that is correct. But Holy Father, everywhere Islam touches Christianity there are murders done on the Christian population in the name of Allah. That is the problem that you are not addressing. How is this for the good sheperd who guards his flock. Wolf or sheep or pure globalist? I will not follow this pope on issues outside his authority.
We are all products of our environments. I am very thankful for the environment is grew up in. Pope Francis will understand what isis is all about when they attack the vatican. Prayers for our pope!
I I am partial to Pope Urban II's response to Islamic violence: "Most beloved brethren: Urged by necessity, I, Urban, by the permission of God chief bishop and prelate over the whole world, have come into these parts as an ambassador with a divine admonition to you, the servants of God. I hoped to find you as faithful and as zealous in the service of God as I had supposed you to be. But if there is in you any deformity or crookedness contrary to God's law, with divine help I will do my best to remove it. For God has put you as stewards over his family to minister to it. Happy indeed will you be if he finds you faithful in your stewardship. You are called shepherds; see that you do not act as hirelings. But be true shepherds, with your crooks always in your hands. Do not go to sleep, but guard on all sides the flock committed to you. For if through your carelessness or negligence a wolf carries away one of your sheep, you will surely lose the reward laid up for you with God. And after you have been bitterly scourged with remorse for your faults-, you will be fiercely overwhelmed in hell, the abode of death. For according to the gospel you are the salt of the earth [Matt. 5:13]. But if you fall short in your duty, how, it may be asked, can it be salted? O how great the need of salting! It is indeed necessary for you to correct with the salt of wisdom this foolish people which is so devoted to the pleasures of this -world, lest the Lord, when He may wish to speak to them, find them putrefied by their sins unsalted and stinking. For if He, shall find worms, that is, sins, In them, because you have been negligent in your duty, He will command them as worthless to be thrown into the abyss of unclean things. And because you cannot restore to Him His great loss, He will surely condemn you and drive you from His loving presence. But the man who applies this salt should be prudent, provident, modest, learned, peaceable, watchful, pious, just, equitable, and pure. For how can the ignorant teach others? How can the licentious make others modest? And how can the impure make others pure? If anyone hates peace, how can he make others peaceable ? Or if anyone has soiled his hands with baseness, how can he cleanse the impurities of another? We read also that if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch [Matt. 15:14]. But first correct yourselves, in order that, free from blame , you may be able to correct those who are subject to you. If you wish to be the friends of God, gladly do the things which you know will please Him. You must especially let all matters that pertain to the church be controlled by the law of the church. And be careful that simony does not take root among you, lest both those who buy and those who sell [church offices] be beaten with the scourges of the Lord through narrow streets and driven into the place of destruction and confusion. Keep the church and the clergy in all its grades entirely free from the secular power. See that the tithes that belong to God are faithfully paid from all the produce of the land; let them not be sold or withheld. If anyone seizes a bishop let him be treated as an outlaw. If anyone seizes or robs monks, or clergymen, or nuns, or their servants, or pilgrims, or merchants, let him be anathema [that is, cursed]. Let robbers and incendiaries and all their accomplices be expelled from the church and anthematized. If a man who does not give a part of his goods as alms is punished with the damnation of hell, how should he be punished who robs another of his goods? For thus it happened to the rich man in the gospel [Luke 16:19]; he was not punished because he had stolen the goods of another, but because he had not used well the things which were his. "You have seen for a long time the great disorder in the world caused by these crimes. It is so bad in some of your provinces, I am told, and you are so weak in the administration of justice, that one can hardly go along the road by day or night without being attacked by robbers; and whether at home or abroad one is in danger of being despoiled either by force or fraud. Therefore it is necessary to reenact the truce, as it is commonly called, which was proclaimed a long time ago by our holy fathers. I exhort and demand that you, each, try hard to have the truce kept in your diocese. And if anyone shall be led by his cupidity or arrogance to break this truce, by the authority of God and with the sanction of this council he shall be anathematized." After these and various other matters had been attended to, all who were present, clergy and people, gave thanks to God and agreed to the pope's proposition. They all faithfully promised to keep the decrees. Then the pope said that in another part of the world Christianity was suffering from a state of affairs that was worse than the one just mentioned. He continued: "Although, O sons of God, you have promised more firmly than ever to keep the peace among yourselves and to preserve the rights of the church, there remains still an important work for you to do. Freshly quickened by the divine correction, you must apply the strength of your righteousness to another matter which concerns you as well as God. For your brethren who live in the east are in urgent need of your help, and you must hasten to give them the aid which has often been promised them. For, as the most of you have heard, the Turks and Arabs have attacked them and have conquered the territory of Romania [the Greek empire] as far west as the shore of the Mediterranean and the Hellespont, which is called the Arm of St. George. They have occupied more and more of the lands of those Christians, and have overcome them in seven battles. They have killed and captured many, and have destroyed the churches and devastated the empire. If you permit them to continue thus for awhile with impurity, the faithful of God will be much more widely attacked by them. On this account I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ's heralds to publish this everywhere and to persuade all people of whatever rank, foot-soldiers and knights, poor and rich, to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends. I say this to those who are present, it meant also for those who are absent. Moreover, Christ commands it. "All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested. O what a disgrace if such a despised and base race, which worships demons, should conquer a people which has the faith of omnipotent God and is made glorious with the name of Christ! With what reproaches will the Lord overwhelm us if you do not aid those who, with us, profess the Christian religion! Let those who have been accustomed unjustly to wage private warfare against the faithful now go against the infidels and end with victory this war which should have been begun long ago. Let those who for a long time, have been robbers, now become knights. Let those who have been fighting against their brothers and relatives now fight in a proper way against the barbarians. Let those who have been serving as mercenaries for small pay now obtain the eternal reward. Let those who have been wearing themselves out in both body and soul now work for a double honor. Behold! on this side will be the sorrowful and poor, on that, the rich; on this side, the enemies of the Lord, on that, his friends. Let those who go not put off the journey, but rent their lands and collect money for their expenses; and as soon as winter is over and spring comes, let hem eagerly set out on the way with God as their guide."
