www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Pope breaks Record for Mosque visits

Sheikh John Paul II? LOL. Just a light-hearted guess.

Alexis

What I find rather amusing is that as Benedict XVI's pontificate continues to play out he is much more as likeminded as +John Paul II than he is different.

I never found "God's Rottweiler" to be a moniker that Benedict XVI would think fitting, and he is proving so, thanks be to God.

Bill

One does not have to agree with whom he rubs shoulders, mutual respect is only common courtesy...and Christ-like I might add.

He kissed a Our'an ?

No wonder some traditionals didn't like him.

May God have mercy on us all...

He is just trying to show respect for another world religion (the second largest there is, I might add). This is the way the world works now. It's been working like that for some time now so things like this shouldn't come as asuprise to anyone anymore.

Altar Server,

I don't think one has to be "a traditional" to not like the Pope kissing the Qur'an.

Robert, how is the number of Islamic adherents relative to the appropriateness of kissing the Qur'an? Because they are numerous we should placate them? Is that your point?

There are many legitimate ways to show respect for Muslims (which is different than showing respect for Islam). As you may be aware, in Apostolic Christianity, kissing objects has a very specific meaning: veneration due to the holy things of God. The Qur'an is not divinely inspired, is not a holy thing of God, is absolutely not appropriate for a Christian to venerate, or to simulate veneration for. In my opinion (and in the opinion of millions of others), whatever the good Pope's intentions (and I believe they were good), that was way over the line, and a source of embarrassment and true heartache for believers in Christ.

Alexis

It still causes scandal, and thus the pope should not do so.

This is without a doubt true, I was just making a connection to why so tradies would think of him as an apostate while most in main stream Catholicisim would not.

May he rest in peace.

David

I used to be a traddie but have since returned to mainstream Catholicism. There is just no way to reconcile the radical position taken by most traditionalsit with the beleifs and core values of the Roman catholic Church. i have nothing against trads (in fact, I adore some fo them as wonderful prayer filled individuals who are probably ligth years ahead of me spiritualy). however this does not change the fact that, in going against Vatican Council II and its call for ecumenism and openess to the worlds great ways of thignking, they ahve seperated themselves from the magesterium of the universal Church of Christ which ever seeks to change with the time while hodling fast to its cotre beleifs.

I am not, strictly speaking, scandalized by John Paul II kissing the Qu'uran (that is to say, I have not the slightest intention of doing the same thing). I am, however, disagreeably surprised and grieved at such an event.

This is not the way the world works, let alone the Church. Has anyone seen some Mohammedan religious leader kissing a Gospel Book?

Fr. Serge

i am all for Vatican II, and respect for those of other religions, and I know the Pope has to watch his words with muslims given the christian minorities delicate situation in the middle east and as well as radical muslims always on the watch. The media too has been on the prowl with the Holy Father, trying to create controversey all the time. That being said, the Church should keep in mind that Islam is not Christianity, and it teaches falsehood about Jesus and the cross. in the middle ages, The franciscan order tried preaching to muslims, including St. Francis. many were martyred because of this in muslim lands. I realise this is not the middle ages anymore, in the fact that one religion wanted to totally dominate the other. but as political as the papal office, he still has a job to preach christ crucified, while respecting our muslim friends of course

and the church should not been ever seen as endorsing islam, as in the case of Pope John Paul II

Today it is exactly ten years since the late Pope John Paul II kissed a copy of the Qurʾān (Koran).

The problem with this action is that it risks sending completely wrong signals. It could signal that the pope accepted Islām, or that he accepted a sort of religious indifferentism. Of course anyone who knows anything about the late pope will realize that he accepted neither. However, actions (and not least pictures) sometimes speak louder than words. Therefore, our actions should be consistent with our words, which should be consistent with our faith.

Since the contents of the Qurʾān deny fundamental tenets of the Christian faith, such as the Most Holy Trinity, the divinity of Christ, and Christ's death on the cross, it is not appropriate for any Christian to venerate a copy of the Qurʾān by kissing it. The only book that Christians should kiss is the Book of the Gospels of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Visiting a mosque is one thing. Kissing a copy of the Qurʾān is something completely different. Thankfully, I don't believe we shall ever see Pope Benedict XVI kissing a copy of the Qurʾān.

Mataeusz,

I'm all for one religion dominating (and nooo, it's not Mormonism...).

Alexis