Hello Folks,
I'm typing out word for word of an article from the "Orthodox Observer" (a Greek Orthodox Archdiocesean paper that I receive in the mail each week).
I want to first say that it is extremely horrible and it shows the manifestation of HATE that continues to dominate Islamic faith. I cannot believe such HATE HATE HATE that continues to exist while the rest of the world seem to turn their heads away.
+MEMORY ETERNAL to the faithful Orthodox priest martyred for the Christian world and in the bosom of G-d and His angels.
Read on....
"MOSUL - Iraq-Muslims extremists connected the Orthodox and Catholic faiths as they reportedly beheaded an Orthodox priest on Oct. 12 in Iraq because the Orthodox Church did not condemn Pope Benedict's recent remarks about he Prophet Mohammad.
Relatives of the behaded Iraqi priest, who was not identified in published reports, said his captors had demanded a church apology for recent papal comments about Islam.
In a speech last month, the pope quoted a medieval text describing Islam as a religion spread by the sword.
They said the Orthodox priest was abducted Sunday by an unidentified group, which also demanded ransom.
One extremist group in Turkey, the Grey Wolves, has long focused on these two Christian faiths. One of their members, Mehmet Ali Agca, shot Pope John Paul II and , in recent years, they are suspected in bombings aimed at Ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew.
The Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch will soon celebrate the feast day of St. Andrew together in Muslim Turkey.
The relatives said the priest's church had already posted signs condemning the pope's statement.
A similar message was posted again after the abduction.
The priest's son had apparently been talking with the kidnappers by phone, and had agreed to pay a $40,000 ransom. But contact abruptly ceased Tuesday night. The priest's decapitated body was found SWenesday in the northern Iraq city of Mosul."
Now to my comment:
I think the fact the local church condemning the Pope's comments is probably a "front" to protect themselves from the already threatening hatred from Muslims in their area. I genuinely think the Orthodox Church do agree with the pope's statements.
After all, don't you find it funny that when the pope made comments, the Muslims actually did the very thing the pope said...being violent and killing people in the name of religion anyway!
May the Holy Theotokos spread her mantle to protect all of us Christians in the entire world. Through the intercession of the Holy Theotokos, O'Savior save us!
SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine
