Pope Benedict on Islam - Printable Version +- Forums (https://bb.islamsms.com) +-- Forum: ENGLISH (https://bb.islamsms.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=5) +--- Forum: Discussion of Beliefs (https://bb.islamsms.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=25) +--- Thread: Pope Benedict on Islam (/showthread.php?tid=7051) |
Pope Benedict on Islam - Curious Christian - 09-14-2006 <i>Rather than tackling the challenge of fundamentalist terrorism with a pithy remark packaged for the 9/11 anniversary or reaching for a John Paul-inspired sweeping gesture, the professor Pope went digging into his books. He went so far as to quote a 14th century Byzantine emperor´s hostile view of Islam's founder. "The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war," the Pope said. "He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."</i> Obvioulsy, nobody hear is going to agree with that statement. Understandably so. However, rather than just getting angry at it why not offer a rebuttal. The 14th Centry Byzantine emperor and Pope Benedict say that Muhammad brought nothing new that was good. They say that he only brought evil and inhuman things. So. Where does the Pope err? What did Muhammad bring that was new to the world? Pope Benedict on Islam - Curious Christian - 09-14-2006 As a side note...the Muslim reaction is making headlines. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5346480.stm Pope Benedict on Islam - Dan - 09-14-2006 Bismillah First that comes to mind: A Scripture that has not been altered, not just in words but also meaning (ie, classical Arabic has been preserved) and pronounciation (ie tajweed- the science of how the Qur'an must be recited). btw... I thought you said Catholicism was tainted, so why quote the pope or lend credence to what he says? Pope Benedict on Islam - Curious Christian - 09-14-2006 Quote:Bismillah I wasn't trying to throw this up at you to say, "Look! The Pope Is Right." This is a world leader who many people listen to. I just wanted to get an honest Muslim reaction. Pope Benedict on Islam - Dan - 09-15-2006 Bismillah Just curious... I don't understand how the pope can feel justified in saying this anyway. Christianity believes that foretellings of Jesus' coming is all throughout the Old Testament. So Jesus is no bring anything "new" per se but just fulfilling a message. Also, Catholicism is rife with polytheism (They consider it praying to saints but "a rose by any other name..."). Their saints have just replaced the pantheon of Roman and Greek theisms. There are even patron saints. How can a parallel between Greek and Roman polytheism not be drawn? I mention this only to point out the fallacy of someone saying that one has bad breath when they are covered in... let's just say filth. As for if the Prophet brought anything new... I listed one and there have been discussions on the board about the changes that he brought about. I am being brief because of my lack of time. I ask others to join in to help. If they do not then I will compile some when I have more time to spare. Pope Benedict on Islam - wel_mel_2 - 09-15-2006 Bismillah: Quote:the Pope said. "He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command "to spread by the sword the faith he preached". First of all we would like to know <b>where did Muhammad pbuh say or commanded</b> to <i>“spread by the sword the faith he preached”</i>?? Quote:Obvioulsy, nobody hear is going to agree with that statement. Not only <b>"here"</b>... but almost all well known and noted historians and great thinkers <b>"many of them are Non Muslims"</b> will disagree on this statement. <b>EXAMPLES:</b> <b>De Lacy O’Leary, in his the book "Islam at the cross road" (Page 8): he say:</b> Quote:"History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated." <b>The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book "Heroes and Hero worship", refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: </b> Quote:"The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one man’s head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can." <b>Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says:</b> Quote:"People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born". <b>Humayun Kabir in 'The Indian Heritage,' 1955, p. 153.</b> Quote:"Islam's democratic challenge has perhaps never been equaled by any other religious or social system. Its advent on the Indian scene was marked by a profound stirring of consciousness. It modified the basis of Hindu social structure throughout northern India.” <b>Napolean Bonaparte as Quoted in Cherfils, ‘Bonaparte et Islam,’ Paris , France , pp. 105, 125.</b> Quote:"Moses has revealed the existence of God to his nation. Jesus Christ to the Roman world, Muhammad to the old continent... <b>George Bernard Shaw in 'The Genuine Islam,' Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936.</b> Quote:"If any religion had the chance of ruling over England , nay Europe within the next hundred years, it could be Islam." <b>John William Draper, M.D., L.L.D., A History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, London 1875, Vol.1, pp.329-330</b> Quote:"Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D. 569, was born at Mecca, in Arabia the man who, of all men exercised the greatest influence upon the human race . . . Mohammed . . " <b>- Sarojini Naidu Lectures on “The Ideals of Islam.” </b> Quote:[The] <b>sense of justice is one of the most wonderful ideals of Islam, because as I read in the Qur'an I find those dynamic principles of life, not mystic but practical ethics for the daily conduct of life suited to the whole world.</b> Mahatma Gandhi, in 'YOUNG INDIA':he says Quote:"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind...I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life." hope you enjoy this. Salam Wael. </div></blockquote> Pope Benedict on Islam - Muslimah - 09-15-2006 Bismillah Here are some more: http://www.islamsgreen.org/islams_green/20...they_said_.html Till I dig a thread here on this same board that discusses smiliar issues INsh aAllah Pope Benedict on Islam - Curious Christian - 09-15-2006 Quote:Also, Catholicism is rife with polytheism No it isn't. That is like saying Muslims worship Mohammed when they worship Allah. Read what Catholics have to say about praying to saints...rather then reading what anti-catholics have to say about it. That is why I am here on IslamMessage...I'd rather hear what Muslims have to say about Islam rather than what anti-Muslims have to say. Also, you said that Jesus wasn't new? What about the teachings of Jesus? Love they enemy, help the poor, blessed are the meek etc. etc....much wisdom and human truth came from Christ. Thanks for the quotes Muslimah. It's true that not all people think the same thing about Mohammed. Pope Benedict on Islam - Dan - 09-15-2006 Bismillah I think that I am more than qualified in speaking about Catholics because I used to be one. I went to twelve years of private Catholic school. My family is Catholic so I would not call myself "anti-Catholic." In Cathlocism, saints are used an intermediaries to the intermediary (Jesus). People go on pilgrimages to the graves of saints. There are medallion, pictures, and prays to these saints. It is not called polytheism by them but when one devotes actions of worshp to more than one, then it is polytheism. If that is not polytheism, then what is polytheism in practice? Love thy enemy, feed the poor, meekness is valued... sounds very similar to many eastern religions that are much older than Christianity. Pope Benedict on Islam - Curious Christian - 09-15-2006 Quote:Love thy enemy, feed the poor, meekness is valued... sounds very similar to many eastern religions that are much older than Christianity. Really? Please enlighten me. Here, by the way, is the entire quote from the Pope. Quote:I was reminded of all this recently, when I read the edition by Professor Theodore Khoury (Münster) of part of the dialogue carried on - perhaps in 1391 in the winter barracks near Ankara - by the erudite Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus and an educated Persian on the subject of Christianity and Islam, and the truth of both. It was presumably the emperor himself who set down this dialogue, during the siege of Constantinople between 1394 and 1402; and this would explain why his arguments are given in greater detail than those of his Persian interlocutor. The dialogue ranges widely over the structures of faith contained in the Bible and in the Qur'an, and deals especially with the image of God and of man, while necessarily returning repeatedly to the relationship between - as they were called - three "Laws" or "rules of life": the Old Testament, the New Testament and the Qur'an. It is not my intention to discuss this question in the present lecture; here I would like to discuss only one point - itself rather marginal to the dialogue as a whole - which, in the context of the issue of "faith and reason", I found interesting and which can serve as the starting-point for my reflections on this issue. You attack Catholicism much in the same way that some would attack Islam for it's parallels with a certain pagan moon god and it's daughters. I could say that Islam, in that regard, smacks of polytheism. But I know that it isn't polytheism. You can say that Catholics are polytheists...but the they are not. I am actually enrolled in the RCIA program to become Catholic as a matter of fact. I'd be interested to hear how a Catholic can be lead to Islam. Maybe that is another thread for another day? |