The Pope, Arabic Islam and the West

by Fr. Samir Khalil Samir

Beirut (AsiaNews) – Benedict XVI’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land has been shrouded in controversies that kick up clouds of dust without ever catching a glimpse of the truth. The fact is that the Pope’s message to the people of that land, Christian and Muslim, Israeli and Palestinian, is vital for peace in the region.

True brotherhood between Christians and Muslims in Jordan

In particular in Jordan, Benedict XVI laid the basis for collaboration between Muslims and Christians, East and West. There is a notable difference between what the Muslim world wrote about in the press and the attitude in Jordan. Many Arab papers dragged up the so called “Regensburg offence”, the demand for an apology for the offensive against Islam etc….Instead the atmosphere that we witnessed in Jordan was serene, welcoming and of shared trust.

The pope sincerely praised efforts being made by the Jordanian monarchy, the king, Prince Al-Ghazi, Queen Rania, who accompanied him to the University of Madaba, to bless the foundation stone. The same Catholic University of Madaba –wanted by the Latin Patriarch emeritus Michel Sabbah – is a sign of the cordiality shared by Christians and Muslims: a Catholic University that opens with the support, even economic, of the Hashemite Royal Family.

This is the fruit of a politics that goes beyond tolerance of Christianity. My experience in Jordan – I was there on 3 occasions last year and twice met with Prince Hassan – was one of an atmosphere of serenity and friendship, one I have, so far, failed to find in another Islamic nation.

This allowed small gestures of hospitality and honour towards their guest the Pope. For example, for his visit to the “al-Hussein bin-Talal” Mosque in Amman, they allowed the pope to wear his shoes, placing a long carpet on the ground. Prince al-Ghazi also wore his shoes.

The atmosphere in Jordan inspired a message along the lines: we are all friends, Bedouins, Christians, Muslims. Jordanians insist on the fact that Jesus and Mary are part of the historic tradition of the nation, because they lived in Jordan (the site of the Baptism, Bethany, etc...) They believe that this land is sanctified by the presence of Jesus and the prophets.

Religion and science: sharpening “critical skills”

But his discourse at the University of Madaba is really the key point of this pilgrimage. The Pope underlined many things, but above all the importance of a serious and academic education of Christians and Muslims to favour personal development, peace and progress in the region.

The pope stressed the education offered by a university is the key to personal development; that peace is built on knowledge and study rather than ignorance; that an integral, economic and social, political and democratic development, is born of study and knowledge.

He develops this argument saying that the aim of a university is to transmit “love for truth” and promote students “adhesion to values”, strengthening their “personal freedom”.

It’s very important that in a Muslim (and Christian) world, often theocratic, the pope, before speaking of religion, speaks of culture and science. And the aim of science is to love and discover truth. He insists that this intellectual formation “will sharpen their critical skills, dispel ignorance and prejudice, and assist in breaking the spell cast by ideologies old and new”.

“Critical skills” are important in the Arab world: without criticism faith can become fanaticism, superstition or even manipulation. The pope touched on a point that is vital for the growth of the region: the absence of the critical eye, results in people following one or other political leader, without ever questioning the need for democracy, freedom, human rights, coexistence. People religiously follow, without ever questioning the principals of their own faith; holding onto traditions for fear of drowning in freedom of conscience. This is true of all religions not just Islam. Ignorance or prejudice, for the pope, threatens peace and dialogue.

And when he speaks of the “enchantment of ideologies” he alludes to the easy way people let themselves become consumed by fanaticism and violence.

He says: “Religion, of course, like science and technology, philosophy and all expressions of our search for truth, can be corrupted. Religion is disfigured when pressed into the service of ignorance or prejudice, contempt, violence and abuse”.

Benedict XVI puts all of these realities into the same boat because everything can be disfigured – even science. For him, what is important is that religion is not abused or disfigured.

Need for an “ethical knowledge”

Speaking in the Amman Mosque he also says that secular society often claims that religion is the root cause of violence. In reality that only happens when religion is “disfigured”, but this is the risk of all wisdom. This is why, quoting the Letter to the Philippians (4, 8), the pope exhorts everyone to bear witness to “all that is true, honourable, just, pure, worthy of praise”. He advises Christians and Muslims not to fear science, but to open their minds to it, even at the risk of their own faith. This is a courageous message to give in an Arabic society that risks seeing religion as a refuge.

But he also has a message for the scientific world, which often runs the risk of transforming itself into an ideology devoid of ethics and openness to God.

This element is also present in Regensburg. The pope underlines that even “sciences have their limitations. They cannot answer all the questions about man and his existence. Indeed the human person, his place and purpose in the universe cannot be contained within the confines of science”.

This is why scientific knowledge must be guided by the light of “ethical wisdom”. “Such is the wisdom that inspired the Hippocratic Oath, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Geneva Convention and other laudable international codes of conduct”.

The pope illustrates this “ethical wisdom” by pointing to the oath written by the pagan Hippocrates in the III century B.C; then he speaks of the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights; the Geneva Convention on conflict situations, it too, secular. He does not refer to religious elements. Thus he suggests that ethical wisdom can exist independently of religion. This is important for a traditionally Muslim or Christian society: it means dialogue at 360 degrees with everyone, even non-believers. But to non-believers he says that it is impossible to act without an ethical code, or a religious foundation, because in doing so something essential is missing from human formation.

Religion has suffocated the Arab... Read more...

If the Church is ONE! The Iglesia ni Cristo (1914) is GONE!

Here is the point. When Christ built his Church in Jerusalem (Mt. 16), he was thinking of a perpetual ONE Church and since he foresees what would happen 1,900 years later, Jesus made sure that His original Church wouldn’t be deceived by impostors and fake angels registering business corporations in the guise of a church. When he founded his Church, he was seeing the future anticipating that in 1914 someone would be using his name.

He spoke to Simon Peter right on that day, face-to-face with the man whom we consider the Church's first Pope leading Christ’s Church. As God is fond of renaming great people such as Abram to Abraham; Sarai to Sarah, Moises whom he called by his name; Jacob as Israel so he too commissioned two great men and saints in the Church namely Simon who is re-named to Cephas or Peter (meaning “Rock”) and Saul to Paul. (Read Four Marks of the Church)

And you Simon, says Christ, you are “Rock” (Peter or Cephas) and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of Hell will never prevail against it. Trying to disfigure the very words of Christ, the Iglesia ni Cristo apologists said that the Rock Jesus was referring to was himself. How ridiculous. Christ must be out of his mind when he was talking to Simon, changed his name to Rock and at the same time he’s referring to himself on that particular conversation. No he was not. The Iglesia ni Cristo founder must be on that confused state.

No doubt, Jesus was reffered to as the Stone which the builders have rejected in Psalm but his kind of Stone or Rock is not similar to that of Simon Peter. Just as we use different rocks in erecting a building, so Christ knew exactly what he was saying.

Christ Church was build upon a strong foundation. Jesus was no doubt the very cornerstone that the builders have rejected and that this strong foundation he built it upon the Rock of Simon to be our spiritual Shepherd commanded him to shepherd his sheep, tend his sheep (see John 22:15-25). No fake Iglesia ni Cristo or Church of Christ could overpower his TRUE CHURCH, today nor in the future. Jesus knew exactly what he was saying to Peter because he was not hallucinating like the founder of a fake church in 1914 who fasted 3 days and 3 nights until he can’t bear his hunger and came out with a new gospel.

When Jesus told Peter (Cephas or Rock) he firmly promised that “I will build my Church”—it was his Church, not the Pope’s Church nor any Cardinal’s Church or a priest's nor anybody’s Church. It was Christ’s Church. And since his Church is ONE, it was known in many various names irrespective of any language on earth. Translate them to any language doesn’t change it’s meaning:

Church of God
Church of Christ
Universal Church
One True Church
Church of the Redeemer
Church of the Savior
Church of the Resurrected Christ
Church of the Unleavened Living Bread
Church of the Good Pastor
Church of the Anointed One
Church of the Promised One
Church of the Messiah
Church of the Lord
Church of the Master
Church of the Good Shepherd
Church of the Living Vine
Church of the Living Water
Church of the Living God
Church of the Incarnate Word
Church of the Word Made Flesh
Church of the Divine Made Man
Church of the Son of God
Church of Jesus Christ the Lord
Church of the….. etc., etc.


Photo Source: SCBorromeo.org
You name the Church in anyway and any language and it means still the same; the only One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church. It has existed in more than 2,000 years which scholars and experts cannot just simply set aside this facts. Its only one so it’s not difficult to trace its roots down to the first century. How much more those fake church that was founded by a man-angel in 1914? (see History of the Catholic Church or History of Christianity or Timeline in Christianity or Timeline of the Catholic Church compared it to the History of the [fake] Iglesia ni Cristo (1914))

The enemies of Christ and his Church would rather point out to isolated errors some members of the Church had done. From the time of the Inquisition to a few sexual abuses of Catholic priests in many cities. All Catholics should be humbled by these mistakes and should take responsibility and never condone with evil acts within the Church. The tremendous Psychological effect to the victims could be unbearable but let's not hate the sinner but sin.

The “enemies of the light” believed on news clippings, rumors and gossips over the official condemnation of the Catholic Church revolving around these issues. These and many more issues in the future will never apostatized Christ's Church for he promised that the gates of Hell will never prevail against his Church. This is a promise we can always rely on. This is a promise that we, members of his One, True, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church can be assured of. We have to hold fast on His words, not on the empty promises of many self-proclaimed angels and prophets whose only purpose is to build their own kingdom out of Christ’s name and enrich themselves. They have already drunk the cup of condemnation.

Some members of the cult of Felix Manalo take this issue on personal level but I would treat them as nuisance. That's very normal reaction of a man who can't explain reasonably of his belief. So far all they have been quoting were from third party sources and anti-Catholic writers from different Protestant sects. They haven’t explained fully how Felix Manalo’s angelic mandate came to be and how, when, where, and why did Christ’s true Church apostatized? They just can’t prove it and they have no data to back it up!

Wait!

Did not Felix Manalo condemned the Protestant Church as "Devil's Church" like the Catholic Church for teaching Christ as God? Why these Iglesia ni Cristo relying on quotes and literatures written by Protestant theologians and writers?

Think!

Pope Leaves Middle East: "No More War"

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Spencer: Muslim Persecution of Christians

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Pope Calls Jews and Muslims to Break Cycle of Violence in the name of Religion!

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) – With a heartfelt plea for an end to 60 years of conflict and the suffering it has caused to Israelis and Palestinians, giving birth to two States, Benedict XVI ended his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. This appeal for peace, in the morning, found its most profound expression in his visit to the Holy Sepulchre, where he spoke of the “hope that does not disappoint” offered by Christ’s empty tomb. “The Gospel – he said - reassures us that God can make all things new, that history need not be repeated, that memories can be healed, that the bitter fruits of recrimination and hostility can be overcome, and that a future of justice, peace, prosperity and cooperation can arise for every man and woman, for the whole human family, and in a special way for the people who dwell in this land so dear to the heart of the Saviour.”.

The Pope’s voyage had many objectives, not least the aim of carrying on dialogue with other Christians confessions. To this end his visit to the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate, which lies next to the Holy Sepulchre and to the ancient Armenian patriarchal church of Saint James.

In both meetings, Benedict XVI underlined that importance the Catholic Church attributes to dialogue and the progress that has been made “This dialogue, - he underline din his visit to the Armenians - sustained by prayer, has made progress in overcoming the burden of past misunderstandings, and offers much promise for the future”. “Standing in this hallowed place, - he had said shortly before in the Greek-Orthodox Patriarchate - alongside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which marks the site where our crucified Lord rose from the dead for all humanity, and near the cenacle, where on the day of Pentecost “they were all together in one place” (Acts 2:1), who could not feel impelled to bring the fullness of goodwill, sound scholarship and spiritual desire to our ecumenical endeavors?”

“It is imperative therefore – he added - that Christian leaders and their communities bear vibrant testimony to what our faith proclaims: the eternal Word, who entered space and time in this land, Jesus of Nazareth, who walked these streets, through his words and actions calls people of every age to his life of truth and love”. Read more...

Pope Longed for a Sovereign Palestine!

Bethlehem - Zenit: Expressing support for the goal of a sovereign Palestinian homeland, Benedict XVI announced that the Holy See will institute a bilateral commission with the Palestinian Authority.

The Pope affirmed this today as he closed a full day of events in the Palestinian Territories, stating that the Holy See "looks forward" to "establishing shortly" the "Bilateral Permanent Working Commission that was envisioned in the Basic Agreement," signed Feb. 15, 2000 between the Holy See and the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The Pontiff's visit began this morning as he traveled from Jerusalem, where he is staying until Friday, and passed through the border between Israel and the Palestinian Territories at the Tomb of Rachel door.

He stopped at Bethlehem's presidential palace, where he was greeted by the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas.

The Holy Father affirmed, "I earnestly beg the Almighty for peace, a just and lasting peace, in the Palestinian Territories and throughout the region."

He assured the president that "the Holy See supports the right of your people to a sovereign Palestinian homeland in the land of your forefathers, secure and at peace with its neighbors, within internationally recognized borders."

Benedict XVI encouraged the crowd assembled for the welcoming ceremony to "keep alive the flame of hope" that a solution will be found to meet "the legitimate aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians for peace and stability."

He made a particular appeal to the international community to "bring its influence to bear in favor of a solution."

Acknowledging the effects of recent conflict in Gaza, the Holy Father expressed the hope that reconstruction will happen quickly with international assistance.

Homeless

Later, the Pope visited the Aida refugee camp, north of Bethlehem, where around 5,000 Christian and Muslim Palestinians have made their homes.

On a stage built in the shadow of the cement separation wall marking the Israeli border, formal presentations were made for the Pontiff. Children performed a dance holding black keys, signifying their desire to return "home" to villages in Israel, and recited poetry lamenting the loss of their homeland.

President Abbas addressed the Pope, calling for a resolution of conflicts and sending a message of peace to Israel with an appeal for the withdrawal of the tight security around the Palestinian Territories.

The Holy Father was presented with a scarf embroidered with the Jewish Star of David, the Muslim Dome of the Rock and the Catholic basilica of the Nativity, symbolizing the desire for unity among the three religions.

Benedict XVI addressed the crowd, expressing solidarity with the "homeless Palestinians who long to be able to return to their birthplace, or to live permanently in a homeland of their own."

He affirmed: "Your legitimate aspirations for permanent homes, for an independent Palestinian State, remain unfulfilled. Instead you find yourselves trapped, as so many in this region and throughout the world are trapped, in a spiral of violence, of attack and counter-attack, retaliation, and continual destruction."

The Pope added that "the whole world is longing for this spiral to be broken."

He called for "bold and imaginative initiatives towards reconciliation" to end the stalemate that arises when each side only insists on concessions from the other.

The long-term solution to "a conflict such as this can only be political," asserted the Pontiff.

He added that "no one expects the Palestinian and Israeli peoples to arrive at it on their own."

"The support of the international community is vital," said the Holy Father, as he appealed to "all concerned to bring their influence to bear in favor of a just and lasting solution." Read more...

Western Politicians Cowardly When it Comes to Appeasing Islamists

Thanks to Muslims Against Shariah:

Dr. Sami Alrabaa

To be more precise, SOME Westerners are naïve, greedy, and coward.

Some Westerners, especially politicians, act in good faith toward Islamists and Muslim terrorists. Guantanamo will be closed, and its inmates will be rehabilitated in the U.S. and some European countries – although everybody knows that these men were not accidentally roaming Afghanistan as tourists, but were criminals fighting along side their Taliban comrades when they were arrested.

Alongside Hamid Karzei, the Afghan president, and Pakistan’s president, Asif Ali Zardari, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during a press conference on May 6, 2009, that she “deeply regretted” the death of civilians in a recent clash with Taliban terrorists, and promised a thorough investigation.

But Clinton should by now know that terrorists, whether they are Taliban or Hamas do not value human life. They use civilians as human shields when they fight the “infidels.” This has become a pattern in Afghanistan and Gaza. Besides, as these terrorists do not wear a uniform, it is difficult to tell whether they are civilians or terrorists.

Most reports from Afghanistan corroborate the fact that the Taliban deliberately kill innocent children and women in clashes with Western troops to tarnish the image of these troops and present them as the aggressors.

Of course, it is regrettable when innocent civilians are accidentally killed, but the Taliban is to blame and nobody else. Very often, Western soldiers risk their life in order to avoid killing civilians.

Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary General, also regrets the death of civilians in Afghanistan and Gaza without mentioning the real culprits. After the latest strike of the Israeli forces, he visited Gaza and blamed the destruction on Israel.

Ban Ki Moon never mentioned that Hamas terrorists use civilians as human shields and they are the ones to blame for killing innocent civilians.

On the other hand, some Western politicians and bankers are greedy, and do not value human life. They would convert to Islam if that made them make money with petrodollars. They support regimes like the one in Saudi Arabia, which funds fanatic Muslims across the globe. Read more ...

Iglesia ni Cristo: United for a wrong reason

Thanks to the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism for the article IGLESIA NI CRISTO, ‘A Most Powerful Union’ for this very helpful article:

This is how the Iglesia ni Cristo respond to Christ's universal call to mission.

At the most basic level, the INC provides for the welfare needs of its flock, such as jobs and housing for its poorest members. The INC is run like a tightly knit family, where members look out for one other. It also offers the rewards of the other life, promising that as sure as the soaring turrets of the Iglesia's Gothic-style churches pierce the sky, salvation will be granted believers.

At the same time, the 88-year old INC is a shrewd political and business operator. It parlays the votes of its members for political and financial concessions to the church.

And how do they track their "apostolic" beginning? It all started in 1914 through its founder Felix Manalo passed it on to his own kin and that's how they trace their origin to the times of the Apostles.

Iglesia doctrine is based on the Bible and the "prophetic interpretations" of church founder Felix Y. Manalo, who left both the Catholic and the Protestant churches before founding [his own] the INC in 1914.

Manalo's son Eraño is now the powerful executive minister of the church, while grandson Eduardo is deputy executive minister. They and 11 other senior ministers compose the "Central Administration," which issue edicts that church members are compelled to follow.

As the "original" Church of Christ re-established in the Philippines, the only way they can reach out to those in far away places unable to hear Erano Manalo's pastoral teachings to save mankind is by a piece of Magazine called "Pasugo" which is made available only to its Ministers after they paid the rightful amount and in turn were given as free copies to every prospect INC converts. They don't have official published books, catechism, nor do they have official website for their own. They seem to hide something terribly bad from their teachings that they prefer to keep them for themselves.

Pasugo, the church's official publication, asserts the church's fundamental
article of faith: that INC members constitute "the elect of God" and that God
listens to them alone. To them, there is no salvation outside the Iglesia.

And how we can quickly see the unity of their church? Through election.

As Fernando Elesterio wrote in a dissertation submitted to De la Salle University: "It is this exclusivist attitude, generated naturally by the teachings of the ministers, that bestows on the members a sense of security and even of pride in their organization."

INC claims to have 2 million members of voting age, although pollster Felipe Miranda believes that the actual figure is closer to 1 to 1.5 million. At the national level, this bloc is a strategic swing vote, especially in multiparty electoral contests for the Senate. It is a swing vote for the presidential race as well, but only if there are multiple candidates. At the local level, especially in Luzon, the Iglesia command vote could determine the fate of a candidate.

As a Corporation Sole meant for business.

The INC exercises its clout outside the realm of politics as well. In 1998, a big commercial bank sued the church in a dispute over property that had been offered for sale to both the bank and the INC.

The bank had acquired the land earlier, but a relative of INC Executive Minister Erano "Erdie" Manalo brokered its sale to the church, unaware of the earlier transaction.

"The church felt insulted it was being sued in court," an influential INC member said. "You don't go to court or go public at once. Usually, you call up the Iglesia first."

Stung by the lawsuit, church leaders ordered all their members employed by the bank to resign and called on all the faithful to pull their money out of the bank. The bank lost P1 billion. In time, the case was settled amicably, with the bank properly advised never to cross the INC in public or in court again.

Over the years, the INC's business interests have grown. A search at the Securities and Exchange Commission showed that INC leaders are incorporators and board directors in companies engaged in education (New Era University Inc.; Global Foundation for the New Era); medical care (New Era General Hospital; Felix Manalo Puericulture and Maternity Clinic), mass media (Scan Society of Communicators; Association of Christians in IT); manufacturing (Hi Mill Corporation); construction (Ramdustrial Corp.); and legal service (Christian Lawyers Association Foundation).

Former Justice Secretary Serafin Cuevas, one of Estrada's defense lawyer and a senior INC member, is a trustee of the New Era University and officer of Amalgamated Management and Development Corp., which has secured the contracts for production of driver's licenses, identification cards, and motor vehicle plates from the Marcos to the Estrada regimes.

The INC is trying to wangle tax-exemption deals as well. In 2000, the Montalban municipal assessor declared the 29 hectares of church lands used for housing to be taxable, and three hectares for the chapel, exempted from taxes. The assessor estimated that the INC would have to pay some P5 million in taxes.
The church, however, refused, arguing that the INC project was not meant for profit and should therefore be tax-exempt. The INC leaders also wrote personal letters to Rizal Gov. Rebecca Ynares, who endorsed the matter to Montalban Mayor Pedro Cuerpo.

Former Rizal Provincial Assessor Oscar Baraquero denied the request, saying "the housing project which you claimed for charitable and philanthropic effort does not squarely fall under the provisions of the law, as these are intended solely for the members of INC…the term charitable is an act of humanity without distinction or limitations as to religious belief, creed or social affiliation."

The tax debate has been raised to the Department of Finance for decision.
Meanwhile, Montalban officials are in a quandary. The INC has dangled before them the fact that they have many voters in the municipality. "'Yung pwersa ng boto nila ang panlaban nila," said one local official. "Maraming takot diyan sa Iglesia. (They use their votes as bait and many are afraid of them.)"

INC members have also barred DENR inspectors from entering the other phases of the Montalban project. One inspector said he feared asserting himself because INC members are armed.

Is this the church you believe its Christ's?

Where art thou my brothers?

After Afghanistan, the battle ground between the civilized world and the notorious Taliban Islamic extremists shifted to Swat in Pakistan. Heavily mortared the remaining Taliban fighters are vowing to fight till the end. (Read News from Dawn News)

Pakistan is a Islamic Democratic State while Taliban doesn't recognize any democratic government apart from a government ruled by Shariah. But the Shariah styled government of the Taliban in former Afghanistan was contrary to the Sharia styled paternal monarchical government of Saudi Arabia where women were strictly reduced to commodities and "sex-slaves" by their male partners completely covered in burqa where only small dots were provided for seeing the outside world.

Today, there are many displaced Pakistani Muslims from Swat Valley in need of food, medicine and something to wear. Children, aged human beings and women squabble in queue for hours only to find no food at the end of the line. Desperate, the Western world which Muslims are not very much comfortable with was among the first that came to extend a helping hand and I am wondering where are those good Muslims who were noisy about the "innocent" victims during Gaza siege. These are the same human beings like Gazans and majority are Muslims.

Where are the rich royal families of Saudis? Where are the Hezbollah of Jordan? Where is Iran? Where is Syria, the rich leaders of the United Arab Emirates? Where are the Qataris? The Bahrainis?

Where are thou brothers when they needed you most?

For now let the British, the UE, and the USA and it's allies help.

Photo Credit: AFP through Dawn News

Tamimi, Unrepentant for His Unbecoming Attitude!

Remember the very unbecoming attitude of a supposedly respectable men robed in a "holy" clothes two days ago? Sheik Tamimi is one of the most disrespectable representative of Muslims in Palestine and Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and he has disgraced himself by behaving very rudely from the rest of the respectable guests and visitors in Pope Benedict XVI's "peace" initiative to bridge differences. Thanks to JihadWatch for providing us a comprehensive story about this very "unbecoming attitude" of supposedly "a espectable" Muslim man.:

JERUSALEM — A Muslim cleric who commandeered the stage at a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI to rail against Israel's harsh treatment of Palestinians said Tuesday he spoke out because he was representing Islam.

Vatican officials criticized Sheik Taysir Tamimi's five-minute speech Monday evening at what had been billed as an interfaith meeting. It was the first political controversy played out in Benedict's presence on his five-day Holy Land pilgrimage.

Tamimi said organizers had not allotted him speaking time, though he was seated on the stage, and he simply righted a wrong by walking up to the podium to address the pope. A rabbi at the meeting was also not scheduled to speak.

"I wanted to express the suffering of our people and to show the occupation's procedures against the Palestinian people," Tamimi told The Associated Press. "If I represent Islam at a meeting for dialogue and I don't speak, am I just a piece of furniture?" (Read more in Newsvine)

And I guess that's the reason why he was not given a time to address the Pope for that same reason of having a rude attitude, today nor in the future.

Photo Credit: NewsVine

Pope's Historical Homily in the Valley of Kidron

The Pope delivered his historical homily while celebratig the Holy Mass in the Valley of Kidron. These texts were shared to us from Catholic Online: Thanks and God bless.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

“Christ is risen, alleluia!” With these words I greet you with immense affection. I thank Patriarch Fouad Twal for his words of welcome on your behalf, and before all else I express my joy at being able to celebrate this Eucharist with you, the Church in Jerusalem. We are gathered beneath the Mount of Olives, where our Lord prayed and suffered, where he wept for love of this City and the desire that it should know “the path to peace” (Lk 19:42), and whence he returned to the Father, giving his final earthly blessing to his disciples and to us.

Today let us accept this blessing. He gives it in a special way to you, dear brothers and sisters, who stand in an unbroken line with those first disciples who encountered the Risen Lord in the breaking of the bread, those who experienced the outpouring of the Spirit in the Upper Room and those who were converted by the preaching of Saint Peter and the other apostles. My greeting also goes to all those present, and in a special way to those faithful of the Holy Land who for various reasons were not able to be with us today.

As the Successor of Saint Peter, I have retraced his steps in order to proclaim the Risen Christ in your midst, to confirm you in the faith of your fathers, and to invoke upon you the consolation which is the gift of the Paraclete. Standing before you today, I wish to acknowledge the difficulties, the frustration, and the pain and suffering which so many of you have endured as a result of the conflicts which have afflicted these lands, and the bitter experiences of displacement which so many of your families have known and – God forbid – may yet know.

I hope my presence here is a sign that you are not forgotten, that your persevering presence and witness are indeed precious in God’s eyes and integral to the future of these lands. Precisely because of your deep roots in this land, your ancient and strong Christian culture, and your unwavering trust in God’s promises, you, the Christians of the Holy Land, are called to serve not only as a beacon of faith to the universal Church, but also as a leaven of harmony, wisdom and equilibrium in the life of a society which has traditionally been, and continues to be, pluralistic, multiethnic and multireligious.

In today’s second reading, the Apostle Paul tells the Colossians to “seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1). His words resound with particular force here, beneath the Garden of Gethsemani, where Jesus accepted the chalice of suffering in complete obedience to the Father’s will, and where, according to tradition, he ascended to the right hand of the Father to make perpetual intercession for us, the members of his Body. Saint Paul, the great herald of Christian hope, knew the cost of that hope, its price in suffering and persecution for the sake of the Gospel, yet he never wavered in his conviction that Christ’s resurrection was the beginning of a new creation. As he tells us: “When Christ, who is your life, is revealed, you too will be revealed with him in glory!” Col 3:4).

Paul’s exhortation to “set our minds on the things that are above” must constantly echo in our hearts. His words point us to the fulfilment of faith’s vision in that heavenly Jerusalem where, in fidelity to the ancient prophecies, God will wipe away the tears from every eye, and prepare a banquet of salvation for all peoples (cf. Is 25:6-8; Rev 21:2-4).

This is the hope, this the vision, which inspires all who love this earthly Jerusalem to see her as a prophecy and promise of that universal reconciliation and peace which God desires for the whole human family. Sadly, beneath the walls of this same City, we are also led to consider how far our world is from the complete fulfilment of that prophecy and promise. In this Holy City where life conquered death, where the Spirit was poured out as the first-fruits of the new creation, hope continues to battle despair, frustration and cynicism, while the peace which is God’s gift and call continues to be threatened by selfishness, conflict, division and the burden of past wrongs.

For this reason, the Christian community in this City which beheld the resurrection of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit must hold fast all the more to the hope bestowed by the Gospel, cherishing the pledge of Christ’s definitive victory over sin and death, bearing witness to the power of forgiveness, and showing forth the Church’s deepest nature as the sign and sacrament of a humanity reconciled, renewed and made one in Christ, the new Adam.

Gathered beneath the walls of this city, sacred to the followers of three great religions, how can we not turn our thoughts to Jerusalem’s universal vocation? Heralded by the prophets, this vocation also emerges as an indisputable fact, a reality irrevocably grounded in the complex history of this city and its people. Jews, Muslims and Christians alike call this city their spiritual home. How much needs to be done to make it truly a “city of peace” for all peoples, where all can come in pilgrimage in search of God, and hear his voice, “a voice which speaks of peace” (cf. Ps 85:8)!

Jerusalem, in fact, has always been a city whose streets echo with different languages, whose stones are trod by people of every race and tongue, whose walls are a symbol of God’s provident care for the whole human family. As a microcosm of our globalized world, this City, if it is to live up to its universal vocation, must be a place which teaches universality, respect for others, dialogue and mutual understanding; a place where prejudice, ignorance and the fear which fuels them, are overcome by honesty, integrity and the pursuit of peace.

There should be no place within these walls for narrowness, discrimination, violence and injustice. Believers in a God of mercy – whether they identify themselves as Jews, Christians or Muslims – must be the first to promote this culture of reconciliation and peace, however painstakingly slow the process may be, and however burdensome the weight of past memories.

Here I would like to speak directly to the tragic reality – which cannot fail to be a source of concern to all who love this City and this land – of the departure of so many members of the Christian community in recent years. While understandable reasons lead many, especially the young, to emigrate, this decision brings in its wake a great cultural and spiritual impoverishment to the City.

Today I wish to repeat what I have said on other occasions: in the Holy Land there is room for everyone! As I urge the authorities to respect, to support and to value the Christian presence here, I also wish to assure you of the solidarity, love and support of the whole Church and of the Holy See.

Dear friends, in the Gospel we have just heard, Saint Peter and Saint John run to the empty tomb, and John, we are told, “saw and believed” (Jn 20:8). Here in the Holy Land, with the eyes of faith, you, together with the pilgrims from throughout the world who throng its churches and shrines, are blessed to “see” the places hallowed by Christ’s presence, his earthly ministry, his passion, death and resurrection, and the gift of his Holy Spirit.

Here, like the Apostle Saint Thomas, you are granted the opportunity to “touch” the historical realities which underlie our confession of faith in the Son of God. My prayer for you today is that you continue, day by day, to “see and believe” in the signs of God’s providence and unfailing mercy, to “hear” with renewed faith and hope the consoling words of the apostolic preaching, and to “touch” the sources of grace in the sacraments, and to incarnate for others their pledge of new beginnings, the freedom born of forgiveness, the interior light and peace which can bring healing and hope to even the darkest of human realities.

In the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, pilgrims in every century have venerated the stone which tradition tells us stood before the entrance to the tomb on the morning of Christ’s resurrection. Let us return frequently to that empty tomb. There let us reaffirm our faith in the victory of life, and pray that every “heavy stone” that stands before the door of our hearts, blocking our complete surrender to the Lord in faith, hope and love, may be shattered by the power of the light and life which shone forth from Jerusalem to all the world that first Easter morn. Christ is risen, alleluia! He is truly risen, alleluia!

In the Name of God, the Compassionate! The Most Merciful God!

Photos below were forwarded to me by a friend in the office (Regie Bantog) which I was moved with pity. These undated photos were said to be taken from Iran. Looking from the photos, it was not the boy's nature to steal but he was a victim of his society's illness and greed that he had no food to survive the day. Unable to quench his immense hunger for food, he took a piece of bread. Because of that mistake, his hand was literally cut off and the process was very inhuman!

Thugs of self proclaimed "righteous" people in his society, instead of giving him life, they punished him for a sin which he had no control of!

In the name of God, the most merciful! The Most Compassionate!

CONVERT’S RELIGIOUS RIGHTS CASE THREATENS ISLAMISTS

There's a growing fear among Christians living in Egypt from Islamists who threatened them while those Muslims converting to Christianity were forced to hide. From Compass Direct:

To date no Christian convert in Egypt has obtained a baptismal certificate, which amounts to official proof of conversion.

Churches fear that issuing such certificates would create a severe backlash. As a result, converts cannot apply for a change of religion on their ID, but El-Gohary was able to travel abroad to get a baptismal certificate from a well-established church. In April a Coptic Cairo-based priest recognized this certificate and issued him a letter of acceptance, or “conversion certificate,” welcoming him to the Coptic Orthodox community.

El-Gohary’s baptismal certificate caused a fury among the nation’s Islamic lobby, as it led to the first official church recognition of a convert. A number of fatwas (religious edicts) have since been issued against El-Gohary and Father Matthias Nasr Manqarious, the priest who helped him.

“The converts have no chance to travel, to leave, to get asylum, so we have to help them to get documents for their new religion,” Fr. Manqarious told Compass by telephone. “So I decided to help Maher El-Gohary and others like him. They can’t live as Christians in broad daylight.”

For several months El-Gohary has been in hiding, relying on others to meet his basic needs. When Compass spoke with him by phone earlier this month, he said he lives in fear for his life and worries about his 14-year-old daughter’s safety.

“I’m hiding. Someone brings me my food and water. I haven’t gone out in a week,” said El-Gohary. “Many Muslims and sheikhs … say if anyone sees Maher Gohary, he must kill him. My life is very difficult.”

His original case, filed in August of last year, included an attempt to change the religious affiliation on his teenage daughter’s ID, but he later dropped it after further legal consultation. El-Gohary said that when radical Muslims recognize his daughter on the streets, they warn her that they will kill her father when they find him.

“She’s afraid for me,” he said.

His church acceptance letter has re-kindled discussion of a bill proposed by parliamentary members affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, a hard-line Islamist opposition movement, which would make apostasy punishable by death, said El-Gohary’s lawyers. Human rights experts, however, say that such a bill does not stand a chance in the Egyptian Parliament and is primarily a smokescreen to induce fear in Egypt’s Christian converts from Islam.

(Read more at EGYPT: CONVERT’S RELIGIOUS RIGHTS CASE THREATENS ISLAMISTS)and let's remember them in our prayers and offer sacrifices for them. May God, the compassionate, the benevolent, the merciful have pity on them.

Pope's Past Mandatory "Hitler's Army" Clouded His Message of Peace and Love

The enemies of peace and the disciples of division are trying to project a "bad Pope" by bringing up the Holy Father's past membership in the army of Hitler which was a mandatory obligation for every legal aged German during those times. The power of Hitler was great that no one could oppose that command from Hitler himself. And if they can't understand that, they need to scan pages of history and confirm if it's true that all German youths at a right age should be members of Hitler's army.

And I detest all these besmirch allegations against a man whose noble intention is to bridge people to peace and reconciliation. May God bless the Pope and those who persecute him and the Chruch.

JERUSALEM, MAY 12, 2009 (Zenit.org).- A Vatican spokesman is clarifying that young Joseph Ratzinger's mandatory enrollment with Hitler's youth organization "had no role in his life."

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, responded to a flurry of criticism that arose in the Israeli press after the Pope's visit Monday to the Yad Vashem.

Among the issues dredged up was Joseph Ratzinger's relationship with the Nazis. Even an Israeli government official was quoted as making much of the Holy Father's nationality: "The Pope [at Yad Vashem] spoke like a historian, as somebody observing from the sidelines, about things that shouldn't happen. But what can you do? He was part of them," said Parliament speaker Reuven Rivlin.

Others took issue with the Pope having used the word "killed" instead of "murdered," and other similar points.

This led Father Lombardi to say at a press conference today in Jerusalem, "I have read something that is not true. The Pope never, never formed part of the Hitlerjugend, which was a corps of fanatic and ideological volunteers."

The spokesman later clarified his own statement because the Pope's enrollment in the Hitler Youth was explained by Joseph Ratzinger himself in "Salt of the Earth." There he says he was automatically enrolled in the organization, though he did not participate in it.

In the book, Cardinal Ratzinger explains: "Q: Were you in the Hitler Youth?
"A: At first we weren't, but when the compulsory Hitler Youth was introduced in 1941, my brother was obliged to join. I was still too young, but later, as a seminarian, I was registered in the HY.

"As soon as I was out of the seminary, I never went back. And that was difficult, because of the tuition reduction, which I really needed, was tied to proof of attendance at the HY.

(Read more at Zenit.org!)

Speech of the Holy Father at the Dome of the Rock (Al Quds)

Courtesy visit to the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem (Text from EWTN Live Coverage of the Pope's Middle East Peace Pilgrimage)

Dear Muslim Friends,

As-salámu ‘aláikum! Peace upon you!

I cordially thank the Grand Mufti, Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, together with the Director of the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf, Sheikh Mohammed Azzam al-Khatib al-Tamimi, and the Head of the Awquaf Council, Sheikh Abdel Azim Salhab, for the welcome they have extended to me on your behalf. I am deeply grateful for the invitation to visit this sacred place, and I willingly pay my respects to you and the leaders of the Islamic community in Jerusalem.

The Dome of the Rock draws our hearts and minds to reflect upon the mystery of creation and the faith of Abraham. Here the paths of the world’s three great monotheistic religions meet, reminding us what they share in common. Each believes in One God, creator and ruler of all. Each recognizes Abraham as a forefather, a man of faith upon whom God bestowed a special blessing. Each has gained a large following throughout the centuries and inspired a rich spiritual, intellectual and cultural patrimony.

In a world sadly torn by divisions, this sacred place serves as a stimulus, and also challenges men and women of goodwill to work to overcome misunderstandings and conflicts of the past and to set out on the path of a sincere dialogue aimed at building a world of justice and peace for coming generations.

Since the teachings of religious traditions ultimately concern the reality of God, the meaning of life, and the common destiny of mankind – that is to say, all that is most sacred and dear to us – there may be a temptation to engage in such dialogue with reluctance or ambivalence about its possibilities for success. Yet we can begin with the belief that the One God is the infinite source of justice and mercy, since in him the two exist in perfect unity. Those who confess his name are entrusted with the task of striving tirelessly for righteousness while imitating his forgiveness, for both are intrinsically oriented to the peaceful and harmonious coexistence of the human family.

For this reason, it is paramount that those who adore the One God should show themselves to be both grounded in and directed towards the unity of the entire human family. In other words, fidelity to the One God, the Creator, the Most High, leads to the recognition that human beings are fundamentally interrelated, since all owe their very existence to a single source and are pointed towards a common goal. Imprinted with the indelible image of the divine, they are called to play an active role in mending divisions and promoting human solidarity.

This places a grave responsibility upon us. Those who honor the One God believe that he will hold human beings accountable for their actions. Christians assert that the divine gifts of reason and freedom stand at the basis of this accountability. Reason opens the mind to grasp the shared nature and common destiny of the human family, while freedom moves the heart to accept the other and serve him in charity. Undivided love for the One God and charity towards ones neighbor thus become the fulcrum around which all else turns. This is why we work untiringly to safeguard human hearts from hatred, anger or vengeance.

Dear friends, I have come to Jerusalem on a journey of faith. I thank God for this occasion to meet you as the Bishop of Rome and Successor of the Apostle Peter, but also as a child of Abraham, by whom "all the families of the earth find blessing" (Gen 12:3; cf. Rom 4:16-17). I assure you of the Church’s ardent desire to cooperate for the well-being of the human family. She firmly believes that the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham is universal in scope, embracing all men and women regardless of provenance or social status. As Muslims and Christians further the respectful dialogue they have already begun, I pray that they will explore how the Oneness of God is inextricably tied to the unity of the human family. In submitting to his loving plan for creation, in studying the law inscribed in the cosmos and implanted in the human heart, in reflecting upon the mysterious gift of God’s self-revelation, may all his followers continue to keep their gaze fixed on his absolute goodness, never losing sight of the way it is reflected in the faces of others.

With these thoughts, I humbly ask the Almighty to grant you peace and to bless all the beloved people of this region. May we strive to live in a spirit of harmony and cooperation, bearing witness to the One God by generously serving one another. Thank you!

Thank you Eternal Word Television Network for covering the Pope's travel to the Middle East. May God continuously bless you financially so that His Words can reach to the farthest parts of the earth.

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Photo Credit: Islam and the West Blog

PressTV Against the Pope?

The one-sided Iranian News agency played dirty again against the Pope.

The Catholic leader's silence on Israel's January offensive on Gaza comes as a four-man United Nations investigation panel recently blamed Israel for its "reckless disregard" for human life during the war on Gaza. (Source: PressTV)

This accusation was a blatant lie on the side of the bias PressTV. In fact, the Holy Father repeatedly condemned the violence hurled by both Israel and Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip without siding to anyone.

Here's the news from Catholic Online News:

Benedict XVI Calls for Condemnation of Violence

"VATICAN CITY (Zenit) - Violence -- whatever its source and form -- must be condemned, Benedict XVI is affirming.

The Pope said this today in the context of mentioning the war in the Gaza Strip, during a traditional annual address to the members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. The Holy See has diplomatic relations with 177 nations.

In his French-language address, the Pontiff once again took the opportunity to condemn the violence in the Middle East, something he has already done on repeated occasions in recent days.

"The birth of Christ in the lowly stable of Bethlehem leads us naturally to think of the situation in the Middle East and, in the first place, in the Holy Land, where, in these days, we have witnessed a renewed outbreak of violence provoking immense damage and suffering for the civilian population," he said.

Benedict XVI lamented that the situation "further complicates" the quest for a settlement of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, "something fervently desired by many of them and by the whole world."

He affirmed: "Once again I would repeat that military options are no solution and that violence, wherever it comes from and whatever form it takes, must be firmly condemned. I express my hope that, with the decisive commitment of the international community, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip will be re-established -- an indispensable condition for restoring acceptable living conditions to the population -- and that negotiations for peace will resume, with the rejection of hatred, acts of provocation and the use of arms."

The Pope condemned every terroristic attack to innocent civilians from Palestine to Iraq, to Philippines and to other parts of the world where the threat of terrorism is thriving and constant.

Instead, what we never heard from Iran and other Muslim countries is the same level of denunciation of terrorists killing non-Muslims in the name of Islam. Their silence is extremely deafening!

I hope PressTV holds on to the highest level of professionalism and accuracy in their newscasting.

Photos of a Thousand Words

An Israeli man fixing Vatican Flags on sticks in a textile factory a day before the Pope's arrival in Jordan. (Source: Getty Images)

A Palestinian artist Walid Ayyoub draws sketch of the Pope on 10 May 2009. (Source: Reuters)

The Holy Father backdrops a poster of Jordanian King Abdullah II.

The Holy Father with King Abdullah II and his wife Queen Rania

A Palestinian welcoming the Pope by painting his message on a wall separating them from the rest of the world. (Source: Associated Press Photo)

For thorough update, visit American Catholic Blog.

Pope Voices Esteem for Churches in the East

AMMAN, Jordan - Eastern Churches offer a treasure of avenues to bring others to Christ through their ancient living traditions, says Benedict XVI.

In a homily delivered today at the celebration of Vespers in the Greek-Melkite Cathedral of St. George, the Pope addressed leaders of Catholic Churches in the Near East.

Among those present were Gregorios III Laham, the Greek Melkite Patriarch from Damascus, Emeritus Archbishop Georges El-Murr and Archbishop Yasser Ayyach of Petra and Philadelphia, and leaders from the Maronite, Syrian, Armenian, Chaldean and Latin Churches. Archbishop Benediktos Tsikoras of the Greek Orthodox Church was also in attendance.

The Holy Father expressed his sincere thanks for the "opportunity to pray with you and to experience something of the richness of our liturgical traditions."

"The Church herself is a pilgrim people and thus, through the centuries, has been marked by determinant historical events and pervading cultural epochs," the Pope remarked. "Sadly, some of these have included times of theological dispute or periods of repression."

"Others, however, have been moments of reconciliation -- marvelously strengthening the communion of the Church -- and times of rich cultural revival, to which Eastern Christians have contributed so greatly," he continued.

"Particular Churches," the Pope explained, "within the universal Church attest to the dynamism of her earthly journey and manifest to all members of the faithful a treasure of spiritual, liturgical, and ecclesiastical traditions which point to God's universal goodness and his will, seen throughout history, to draw all into his divine life..." (Read more at Catholic Online News or at Zenit.org)

Church and Jews share 'inseparable bond' says Pope

AMMAN, Jordan – Pope Benedict XVI said Saturday that his visit to the Middle East was a reminder of the "inseparable bond" between the Catholic Church and the Jewish people, a relationship that has been strained at times under his leadership.

The pope spoke from Mount Nebo, the wind-swept hill overlooking the Jordan valley from where the Bible says Moses saw the Promised Land. The sun broke through the morning mist just before the pope arrived at the site on the second day of a weeklong visit to the Middle East that will also take him to Israel and the Palestinian territories.

"May our encounter today inspire in us a renewed love for the canon of sacred scripture and a desire to overcome all obstacles to the reconciliation of Christians and Jews in mutual respect and cooperation in the service of that peace to which the word of God calls us," said the German-born Benedict..." (Read more at Yahoo!News)

Human Rights Against Islamic Terrorism!

When the world did nothing, millions of Jews were killed by Nazis. When we don't confront this present "evil" of terrorism, soon there will be no Jews, no Catholics, no Christians, no Shieks, no Hindus, no Buddhists, no other religion except Islam. This is the right time for all human beings to act and condemn Jihadists and Islamist terrorists!

Other Intolerant News:

SOMALIA: CHRISTIAN AID WORKER BEHEADED FOR CONVERTING FROM ISLAM