2020 Taon ng Ekumenismo at Inter-Religious Dialogue: Kailan kaya makikipag-dialogo si G. Eduardo V. Manalo sa Santo Papa?

Originally Posted at Iglesia ni Cristo 33 AD blog

Isang kaanib ng INC™ 1914 nagpaabot ng kanilang opisyal na magasing Pasugo sa Santo Papa ng tunay na Iglesia ni Cristo. (Credit to the owner)

Kaawa-awang mga nilalang. Inaakala nila na sa pagbibigay nila ng kopya ng Pasugo sa Santo Papa ay magpapasakop na ang pinuno ng tunay na Iglesia ni Cristo sa INC™ na tatag ni Ginoong Felix Y. Manalo noong 1914 sa Sitio Punta Sta. Ana sa Maynila (Pilipinas). Inakala ng kaanib ng INC™ 1914 na sa pakikipagkamayan niya sa Santo Papa at pagbibigay niya ng kopya ng Pasugo ay isang BIG DEAL.

Para sa Santo Papa, wala siyang pinagkaiba sa mga nauna pang mga panauhin sa Vatican. Siya (ang kaanib ng INC™) ay napadaan lamang at hindi naging panauhing pandangal. Bago pa man sila nag-abot ng magasin, maraming mga relihiyon na ang nagbibigay sa Santo Papa ng kanilang mga babasahing pangrelihiyon tulad ng mga Muslim ng Argentina na nagbigay kay Pope Francis ng kopya ng Qu'ran.

Mabuti pa ang Saudi Arabia ay may pinadalang tagapamagitan mula sa kanila. Ang Muslim na ito ay nagbigay ng musbaha (ang rosaryo ng mga Muslim) sa Santo Papa bilang regalo. At ito ay tinanggap naman out of courtesy.  

Ang iba't-ibang religious leaders sa buong mundo, maging ang mga lider ng mga non-Christian religions at mga non-Catholic religious leaders ay nakipagkita sa Santo Papa ~ ang Iglesia Ni Cristo® 1914, kailan kaya HAHARAP si Ginoong EDUARDO V. MANALO kay PAPA FRANCISCO sa Vatican at magkaroon ng dialogo?

Ngunit ang mga ito ay ang KATOTOHANANG HINDING-HINDI MABABAGO ng INC™ 1914:

• Si Cristo ay DIYOS na nagkatawang-tao (Juan 1:1-14)!

• Si Cristo ay DIYOS na NAPARITO sa laman! (2 Juan 1:7)

• Si Cristo ay DIYOS! (Filipos 2:5-8)

• Si Cristo ay DIYOS noon, ngayon at magpasawalang hanggan! (Hebreo 13:8)

• Ang Iglesia Katolika ay na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo! (Pasugo Abril 1966, p. 46)

• Ang Iglesia Ni Cristo® ay tatag ni Ginoong Felix Y. Manalo noong 1914! (Pasugo Agosto-Setyembre 1964, p. 5)

KANINO NATUPAD ANG ROMA 16:16 ~ ANG IGLESIANG BINABATI NG LAHAT NG MGA IGLESIA NI CRISTO? INC™ 1914 BA SA PILIPINAS O ANG IGLESIA KATOLIKA SA ROMA (VATICAN)? 

Ang Roma 16:16 ay sulat ni Apostol San Pablo sa mga Kristiano sa ROMA kung saan HANGGANG NGAYON ang TUNAY na Iglesia ni Cristo ay NAKATAYO pa rin at pinamamahalaan ng KAHALILI ni APOSTOL SAN PEDRO ~ si Santo Papa Francisco, ang ika-266 Papa ng Iglesia Katolika na sa pasimula ay siyang Iglesia ni Cristo (Pasugo Abril 1966, p. 46).

Kaya't huwag na kayong paloloko pa sa mga nagsisulputang mga Iglesia raw ni Cristo sapagkat IISA lamang ang tatag na Iglesia ni Cristo (Pasugo Nobyembre 1943, p. 23). Ito ay tatag sa Jerusalem! (Pasugo Mayo 1954, p. 9) Kung meron mang mga SUMULPOT kamakailan (1914) at sinasabi nilang sila rin ay mga 'Iglesia Ni Cristo' sila ay HINDI TUNAY kundi mga HUWAD o PEKE! (Pasugo Mayo 1968, p. 7)

Muslims finally accept the doctrine of the Cross - Jesus who died and have risen!

... and therefore Muslims should allow the sign of the Cross to be hoisted in every Christian church in the Middle East!

Shroud of Turin (Source: Wikipedia)

A delegation of Italian Muslims headed by President of the League of Imams and Preachers of Mosques in Italy, Mohamed Bahreddine, and the spokesman for the Intercultural Center Mecca, Amir Younes came and visit the Cathedral where the Holy Shroud of Turin now on display according to Aleteia.

“We decided to come as a sign, to say that we are citizens of this country and city. The Shroud draws Christians and Muslims, and in a world marked by division, it invites us to be brothers.” 

The Holy Shroud of Turin is believed to be the original linen used to wrap the dead holy body of Jesus when he was condemned to die by Jewish leaders and elders "making himself equal with God" (John 5:18) and was severely tortured and executed by Roman soldiers-- dying a shameful death-- death on the Cross (Phil. 2:8).

Had the Muslims finally accepted the TRUTH about JESUS CHRIST (Eesa El-Mesih - يسوع المسيح ) who actually DIED and ROSE AGAIN as he foretold?

Had they gone directly in opposition to Muhammad, their prophet's prohibition to acknowledge the claim of Christians that Jesus DIED a HUMILIATED KIND OF DEATH and therefore nullifying the Doctrine of the Cross we Christians preached with our lives and that the Bible is a corrupted book, therefore unworthy of their reverence?

If that's the case then Alhamdulillah - الحمد الله (Thanks be to God!) Allahu Akhbar!

But the Quran claims otherwise...

That they said (in boast), “We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah”—but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not—nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise.” (Qur’an, 4:157-158, Yusuf Ali)

[Read the Irony of Quran 4:157-158]

For that same reason, Muslims forbid Christians in the Middle East (thanks to Vatican State's diplomatic ties with some GCC countries) to hoist the symbol of the cross in all Churches although some Muslim states have approved the building of such Christian houses of worship.

Roman Catholic Church in Doha, Qatar: Due to the laws in Islamic Qatar, the church displays no Christian symbols like crosses, bells, or a steeple on its exterior (Source: Wikipedia)

Roman Catholic church in Dubai (Jebel Ali Village) without bell tower or cross (Source: Wikipedia)

Proposed Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia in Bahrain without cross or bell tower (Source: HermitBrother blog)

But the endless unanswered question remains: WHO REPRESENTS ISLAM? WHO IS THE MUSLIM? Are these Muslim delegation the official representation of the 1.5 billion Muslims in the world? Why not the Grand Mufti of Makkah visit the Vatican? And why Saudi Arabia does not allow Christians to build churches in the Kingdom? Why majority of Muslims are still consider Christians as their enemies, KILLING them, RAPING their women, ENSLAVE their children, CONVERT their men, and force them to pay the JIZYA (as dhimmis) or DIE if they don't want to pay or convert?!

Dialogue with Muslims? Is it possible?

Source: StopIslam

TIME: "Pope Francis is proving himself to be one of the most powerful leaders in the world."

Pope Francis praying before the 'Separation Wall' erected by the State of Israel (Photo Source: ABC News)

By Elizabeth Dias - TIME

Pope Francis is proving himself to be one of the most powerful leaders in the world.

On Sunday, he arrived in Bethlehem and made an unexpected stop that surprised everyone: en route to mass in Manger Square, he halted the popemobile and caused a chaotic flurry of press, security, and onlookers as he walked over to the wall that separates Israel from the West Bank. Beneath the graffiti scrawled “Bethlehem,” he reached out, placed his hand on the wall, and prayed.

Only a Holy Father like Francis could pull off this kind of stunt. One small gesture, and the Israeli military in the watchtower above and the Palestinian people below were all at his mercy. He rendered all sides powerless by drawing them into his service, the most counterintuitive service of prayer.

To top it all off, during his sermon at mass, Francis made a historic invitation: “In this place where the Prince of Peace was born, I wish to invite you, President Mahmoud Abbas, and President Shimon Peres, to raise together with me an intense prayer to God for the gift of peace. And I offer my house in the Vatican to host you in this encounter of prayer.”

Within an hour, both leaders had accepted his invitation. What were they going to say, no?

The brilliance in this move goes something like this:

“Hey Peres, I’m in Bethlehem, preaching not in Jerusalem but in Palestinian territory, which happens to be where Jesus who founded my church was born, and don’t forget, I’m about to come to Israel to lay a wreath on the founder of Zionism’s grave. Hey Abbas, I’m visiting Palestine first, before I’m visiting Israel, and I just prayed at the wall, so all eyes are on you right now. I’m going to take this opportunity to invite you both, via my sermon, to come pray with me in the Vatican. And because I just made this historic invitation public, you pretty much are going to have to show up. Also, because Peres’ term expires in two months, this needs to happen ASAP. See you soon!!”

Wink, smile, drop the mic.

This is a pope who understands the power of his position, and knows how to wield it with disarming humility. Buckle up, people. We’re only fourteen months in to his papacy. This is already fun.

Muslims should learn to reciprocate

Archbishop Hashem discussed the
Saudi talks whilst visiting Qatar
(Source: BBC News)

BBC, -The Vatican is holding talks with Saudi Arabia on building the first church in the kingdom, where some 1.5m Christians are not allowed to worship publicly.

Archbishop Paul-Mounged el-Hachem, one of Pope Benedict XVI's most senior Middle East representatives, said the discussions had begun a few weeks ago.

But the archbishop cautioned that the Vatican could not predict the outcome.

The discussions come in the wake of King Abdullah's historic meeting with the Pope at the Vatican last November.

Forming a religious identity "without antagonism" in young Christians and Muslims

The Catholic Church is Reaching out to non-Christians and in particular the Muslims.  In Amman, Jordan the two faiths concluded a meeting between the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialouge and the Institute for the real inter-religious studies in the Jordanian capital city.  As concluded, both faiths have much values in common that should be highlighted and differences that must be respected.  -CD2000

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Education, religious in particular, should not form identities in antagonism or in conflict, but on the contrary, while helping the youth to be well rooted in their own religious identity, it should favor the formation of identities open to other identities. This appears to have been the main focus of discussions in a meeting between the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Institute for the Amman based Royal Institute for Interfaith Studies (R.I.I.F.S.), held in Rome on "Human and religious values shared by Christians and Muslims for a common education. "

"Christians and Muslims - reads a statement released after the meeting - share basic human values like the sacred character of human life, human dignity and the fundamental inalienable rights deriving from it."

As for the religious values, “some of them are common to Christians and Muslims, meanwhile others are specific of each community. It is therefore important to point out commonalities and to identify differences. Respect for differences is in fact an important condition for an authentic dialogue”.

The CATHOLIC CHURCH of Christ is the ONLY Christian Authority that Bridges Different Faiths and Cultures Accross Nations for Understanding and Tolerance

Listen to Chinese bishops

Some Catholics outside China are quicker than Rome to condemn the Chinese bishops
Source: UCANews

Jeroom Heyndrickx, Belgium

China

April 1, 2011

Photo Source: 30Giorni

Father Jeroom Heyndrickx has written an article commenting on the post-Chengde situation of the Church in China where an illicit bishop was ordained last November. The article was published in the March issue of the Ferdinand Verbiest Update.

The following is his article in full:

The illegal bishops ordination at Chengde (Hebei)

should not block the 40-year-old dialogue policy of Rome

Pope Paul VI and Cardinal Agostino Casaroli started the dialogue with China in 1970

In 1964 Pope Paul VI wrote the encyclical “Ecclesiam Suam” (”His Church”) promulgating one central message of Vatican II namely: the Catholic Church wishes to dialogue with all religions and all different ideologies in the world. This was a 180 degree U-turn from the encyclical “Divini Redemptoris” (Divine Savior”) in which Pope Pius XI – in 1937, during the reign of Stalin – attacked Communism in very aggressive language calling it ‘diabolic’.

In 1970 Pope Paul VI took the first concrete steps towards dialogue with China, strongly supported in this by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, his Secretary of State and promoter of dialogue between Rome and the Communist governments in Eastern Europe. In Rome Pope Paul VI visited the World Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). In his speech he observed that one of the biggest countries in the world was not yet a member of FAO. It was a historical and generous gesture towards China that the Pope publicly pleaded in favor of China’s membership in a UN organization at a time when the Cultural Revolution was still going on in China and well before President Nixon visited China. In 1971, when China entered the UN, the Vatican transferred the Nuncio of Taiwan to Bangladesh, leaving in Taiwan only a Chargé d’Affaires (until today).

"It is incorrect to say the Coptic community in Egypt is in danger" - Tariq Ramadan

You can read comments @ JihadWatch

Egypt: Muslim scholar slams top Sunni authority's decision to halt inter-faith dialogue

A prominent Muslim on Friday rejected the Cairo-based Al-Azhar University's decision to suspend inter-religious dialogue with the Vatican after remarks by Pope Benedict XVI that were critical of Islam and the plight of the Christian minority. In an interview with Adnkronos International, Tariq Ramadan said there was "no war against Coptic Christians" in Egypt.

Rome, 21 Jan. (AKI) - A prominent Muslim on Friday rejected the Cairo-based Al-Azhar University's decision to suspend inter-religious dialogue with the Vatican after remarks by Pope Benedict XVI that were critical of Islam and the plight of the Christian minority. In an interview with Adnkronos International, Tariq Ramadan said there was "no war against Coptic Christians" in Egypt.

"It is incorrect to say the Coptic community in Egypt is in danger. There are terrorist acts that don't have anything to do with most Muslims. It is extremely important to be cautious on this point, the risk is to play along with the terrorists who want to deepen divisions in Egypt, there is no 'war' against Copts."

Ramadan spoke to Adnkronos International from Rome's private LUISS University where he was participating in a debate on religion, democracy and civil liberties.

"It's a mistake to interrupt channels of dialogue between Islam and the Vatican," Ramadan said.

Violence Against Egyptian Christians Raises Concerns

By Judith Sudilovsky
Source: Catholic News Service
Published: Monday, November 29, 2010

Coptic Patriarch Antonios Naguib of Alexandria,

Egypt, center, arrives for the opening Mass

of the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East.

JERUSALEM (CNS) — Episodes of violence in Egypt that left Christian houses and businesses burned and ransacked have raised concerns among Egypt's Christian community, said a Christian worker.

The Nov. 28 elections have been seen as a possible reason for the increased violence, said the Christian, who asked that his name not be used for his safety.

"The situation is confusing. At the same time, we will (soon) have elections, and many harmful activities are taking place. The government wants to reduce the impact of the Muslim Brotherhood, and that is provoking some people to attack Christians," he told Catholic News Service.

Christians "have started to be worried. People feel something wrong in the air. They are taking more care, being more reserved, and avoiding contacts with Muslims," he said.

CONCLUSIONS OF INTER-RELIGIOUS MEETING IN TEHRAN

(Photo Source: hurriyetdailynews.com)

VATICAN CITY, 16 NOV 2010 (VIS) - The Centre for Inter-Religious Dialogue of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation (Tehran, Iran) and the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue held their seventh colloquium in Tehran from 9 to 11 November under the joint presidency of Mohammad Baqer Khorramshad, president of the Islamic Culture and Relations Organisation, and of Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue.

At the end of the meeting the participants (seven in the delegation led by Mohammad Baqer Khorramshad and six in the delegation led by Cardinal Tauran), agreed upon the following:

(1) Believers and religious communities, based on their faith in God, have a specific role to play in society, on an equal footing with other citizens.

Christians in the Middle East essential for the survival of the Arab world

For the Saudi journalist Mshari Al - Zaydi, fundamentalism and the economic crisis have overshadowed the importance of Christians to Muslims in the construction of their countries. Arab society is self-destructing and attacks against minorities are an excuse to vent the blame on someone for the failures of the Islamic world. "Pluralism is the best protection against ignorance and intolerance."

London (AsiaNews / Agencies) - "Christians are an essential part of the Middle East. Jesus himself was born in Palestine and was baptized on the banks of the Jordan. The Arab nations should co-exist with them and defend them. " This, the assertion of Mshari Al - Zaydi, Saudi journalist and expert on Islam in Asharq Al-Awsat Arabic newspaper based in London.

In an article entitled "Our citizens Arab Christians" published today, Mshari examines the plight of Christians in the Middle East, starting with the recent attack against the church of Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad. He writes“The bloody assault on Baghdad's Church of Our Lady of Salvation has opened the door to a bigger question about the fate of Christian citizens in Middle Eastern countries, and the future of their presence there. Furthermore, it has exposed an Arab and Islamic wound, and we must get to the source of this crisis”.

Pope calls for religious freedom in Muslim states

Reuters – Pope Benedict XVI blesses as he leads

the weekly general audience in Paul VI Hall at

the Vatican November 10, 2010

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict Thursday said all states must guarantee the freedom for everyone to practice their faith publicly, a clear criticism of some Muslim countries where religious rights are restricted.

The pope issued the call in a document of nearly 200 pages called an "apostolic exhortation," in which he offered his reflections on a synod of bishops that met in the Vatican in 2008 on the theme the "Word of God."

He said the Catholic Church respected all religions and a separate section of the document was dedicated to relations with Muslims.

"All the same, dialogue would not prove fruitful unless it included authentic respect for each person and the ability of all freely to practice their religion," he said.

"Respect and dialogue require reciprocity in all spheres," he said, adding that this had to include the right to profess religion "privately and publicly and (for) freedom of conscience to be effectively guaranteed to all believers."

"Reciprocity" is the term the Roman Catholic Church uses in demanding full rights for Christians in Islamic states where laws prohibit them from practicing their faith openly. It has often asked for reciprocity with Saudi Arabia.

Islamic fundamentalists preventing the construction of a church in Kuwait

The government and the emir have approved the project but the Kuwait City Municipal Council refuses to issue building permits or explain its reasons for doing so. About 460,000 Christians share four official churches, two Catholic, one Evangelical and one Anglican. A Coptic church is under construction.

Kuwait City (AsiaNews/Agencies) – A group of Christians has complained that Kuwait City’s Municipal Council is preventing them from getting land to build a church. "The Municipal Council is the big problem preventing us from getting land; not all of the members, just the Islamic fundamentalists," said Archimandrite Boutros Gharib, head of the local Greek Catholic Church.

Recently the municipal council blocked an attempt by the Greek Catholic Church to acquire land in Mahboula, an area in the Ahmadi governorate south of Kuwait City. The request has been pending for several years.

Islam and Assyria: an Impossible Coexistence

Peter BetBasoo in zindamagazine.com

Chicago

Assyrian Catholic Christians (Photo Source: drzz.info)

Islam proclaims that once a territory is conquered by Muslims it can never revert to non-Muslim rule. It is this law that even today grieves Muslims for having lost Spain. Very few conquered territories have regained their independence from Islam since the beginning of the Muslim war on the world in 630 A.D.. Those that have succeeded have often faced intense pressure from surrounding Muslim states. New non-Muslim states that have sprung in the heart of "Islamic territory" -- Israel, for example -- have been perennially at defensive war with the surrounding Muslim states.

Hariri: Maintaining Christian Presence in Mideast is Wealth for Arabism, Islam

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri

Beirut, Lebanon , Naharnet - Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on the occasion of the conclusion of the Synod held in Rome under Pope Benedict XVI that maintaining Christian presence in the Middle East is "wealth for Arabism and Islam."

FINAL MESSAGE OF SYNOD FOR MIDDLE EAST

VATICAN CITY, 23 OCT 2010 (VIS) - During yesterday's Thirteenth General Congregation of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, the Synod Father's approved their Final Message.

Extracts from the English-language version of the Message are given below:

I. THE CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE EAST: COMMUNION AND WITNESS THROUGHOUT HISTORY. THE JOURNEY OF FAITH IN THE MIDDLE EAST

"The first Christian community was born in the Middle East. From there, the Apostles after Pentecost went out to evangelise the whole world. ... We are now at a turning point in our history: The God Who gave us the faith in our Eastern lands 2000 years ago, calls us today to persevere with courage, strength and steadfastness in bearing the message of Christ and witnessing to His Gospel, the Gospel of love and peace".

"Today we face many challenges. ... What Christ asks from our Churches is to strengthen communion within every 'sui iuris' Church, and between the Catholic Churches of different traditions, and to exert every effort in prayer and charitable acts in order to attain the full unity of all Christians".

41 Propositions of Mideast Synod

Photo Source: AsiaNews

Addresses Identity of Christians, Migration, Dialogue

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 24, 2010 (EWTN / Zenit.org).- Here is the unofficial Vatican translation of the 41 propositions of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops on the theme The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and Witness."

Middle East: The Need to Recognize Christians as Citizens with FULL Rights in the Society

Synod: Christians and Islam demand religious freedom, to fight extremism

by Samir Khalil Samir

New strengths in mission emerge at the Synod for the Middle East: the scourge of extremism that suffocates Christians and Muslims, the need to recognize Christians as citizens with full rights in society, the right to the proclamation of the gospel. A summary of the week’s proceedings by an expert at the synodal assembly.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - A new factor that emerged forcefully during the Synod is that Christians are not called to fight against Islam. On the contrary, the interventions by Synod Fathers and Muslim guests expressed the need to work together to stop extremism and ensure full citizenship for Christians in Middle Eastern societies.

We can say that the central idea that emerged in the first week of the synod is the task of helping Christians to live in the East, where Christianity was born, but where it is now a minority.

1. Tolerance and discrimination

Israeli rabbi speaks of interfaith cooperation in Vatican

Rabbi David Rosen, along with Sunni and Shi'ite representatives, address over 250 bishops in Middle East forum.

VATICAN CITY, The Jerusalem Post – Rabbi David Rosen delivered a historic speech on Wednesday to Pope Benedict XVI as over 250 bishops gathered in the Vatican’s Synod Hall for the Special Assembly on the Middle East On Thursday, Sunni and Shi’ite representatives spoke.

These three religious leaders are the only non-Christian guests at the October 10- 24 synod. In different ways, they each painted a picture of a difficult but possible coexistence between the three monotheistic religions in the cradle of their birth, based on recent advances in interreligious dialogue and reciprocal respect for religious and cultural pluralism.

Rosen, adviser to Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, and the American Jewish Committee’s international director for interfaith affairs, was chosen as world Jewry’s sole representative.

He is the second rabbi to have been thus honored, preceded at the 2008 Synod on the Bible by Haifa Chief Rabbi She’ar Yashuv Cohen.

After speaking, Rosen, accompanied by Israel’s Ambassador to the Holy See Mordechay Lewy and this reporter, who is also the AJC’s liaison to the Holy See, met privately with the pope.

Rabbi Rosen thanked Benedict for his continued commitment to the Catholic Church’s respectful dialogue with Judaism, and the pope noted with appreciation Rosen’s “empathy with suffering on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict” and his “consideration for the importance and wellbeing of Christians ‘as a barometer of the health or infirmity’ of societies in the Middle East.”

In his speech, Rosen paid tribute to the Israeli Christians’ achievements in education and their outstanding role in “promoting interreligious understanding and cooperation in the country.”

Rosen said that although he was “fully conscious of the carnage of the recent past in the streets of our cities” and the “ongoing threats... from those openly committed in the destruction and extermination of Israel..., we must strive to do all we can to alleviate hardship..., especially as they pertain to the Christian communities in Jerusalem and environs.”

He went on to say that “for me personally as an Israeli Jerusalamite, the distressing situation in the Holy Land and the suffering of so many on the different sides of the political divide, is a source of pain...,” even though “it is used and abused to heighten various tensions that go well beyond the geographical context of the conflict itself.”

The speeches Thursday by the Shi’ite representative, Iranian Ayatollah Seyed Mostafa Mohaghegh Ahmadabadi, professor of law and a member of the Iranian Academy of Sciences, and the Sunni representative, Muhammad al-Sammak, political councillor to the mufti of Lebanon, revealed substantial differences between them.

While Ahmadabadi ostensibly embraced respect for cultural and religious diversity and the necessity for interreligious understanding, because “we share each other’s destinies,” Sammak took a realistic look at the lack of “equal citizenship” for Christians in many Middle East countries and the “misunderstanding of the spirit of Islamic teachings” that lead to “negative intellectual and political content” and “worrisome and harmful actions bad for us all” resulting in Christians emigrating and a “culture of extremism” for Islam.

In calling Christians “pioneers of modern Arabic renaissance,” Sammak made a brief reference to their also being in “the forefront to confront and resist occupation, defend violated national rights, especially in Jerusalem and in occupied Palestine in general.”

Chatting with the press before going to the synod, Ahmadabadi spoke of the Koranic teaching of respect for Christianity and Judaism, then proceeded to attribute the origin of contemporary Islamic and Christian fundamentalism to Israeli fundamentalist groups.

These were the only references to Israel made by the two Muslim representatives – aside from including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a long list of causes for unrest affecting Christian life in a context that largely condemned extremism and defended “true” Islamic teachings.

Regarding freedom of conscience, a difficult and recurring theme of the synod, both men pointed to the historic origins of negative attitudes by Muslim countries towards conversions from Islam. Due to past wars between Islam and Christianity, conversion was equated with treason.

“This concept must be changed,” Sammak said, pointing out that the Koran forbids the coercion of conscience and does not recognize coerced adherence to Islam.

Asked whether he agreed with Rosen’s statement that Christians could become “blessed peacemakers in the city whose name means peace,” the Lebanese political councillor replied, “I subscribe blindly to anything said by Rabbi David Rosen.”