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I missed the significance of Pope John Paul II (the Polish Pope) kissing the Koran. At the time, I was among the sedated ones (see below). My level of alertness subsequently rose. I am now broadly aware of archbishops of Canterbury doing double somersaults with twists to show how flexible they are when it comes to dealing with Islam. For example, at one point then-Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams (Civil and Religious Law in England: a Religious Perspective, 7 February 2008) envisaged the introduction of sharia law in the UK before smartly back-flipping in case anyone noticed. Pope Francis has also shown a particular keenness for inter-faith dialogue.
Imagine the reaction of the mad mullahs, the radical muftis, the firebrand imams, and the sheiks of Arabique to the Pope kissing the Koran. Mixed emotions, I would think. Defilement of their sacred book might have entered their minds. Uppermost, however, would probably have been extreme satisfaction that the Pope was behaving as befitting the leader of future dhimmis.
According to John O’Sullivan’s insightful and entertaining book, The President, the Pope and the Prime Minister, Pope John Paul became disappointed that his respectful gesture was not appropriately reciprocated in one way or another. After fourteen centuries of bloody and bloody-minded conflict that is surely the best-ever example of the triumph of hope over experience.
Recall, Islam in its fundamental scripture specifically takes on and mangles the central tenets of Christianity. No other religion does that. It specifically denies the divinity and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In the Koran, verse 61:6, it has Christ (conveniently for Mohammed) foreshadowing the coming of a Messenger (read Mohammed), despite Christ clearly ruling out future prophets before his own return and warning that false prophets will arise in the interim. (Matthew Ch. 24, Mark Ch. 13)
For Christian leaders who actually (really) believe in their faith there is no wriggle room here. There is no room to consort with Islam, being, clearly, the product of a false prophet; or to find common cause with Islam as there might be with other faiths; or to seek rapprochement with Islam. Engaging with Muslims as individuals is of course an entirely different matter.
When the very leaders of Christianity give the appearance of legitimising Islam, is it time to give up? Imagine the signal it sends to all those Muslims, including many women, who would like to escape Islam’s medieval clutches. Without a spiritual and resolute Christian counterweight, the long march of unbelievers to submission and/or death seems all too likely.
Yet, bravely, Geert Wilders does not give up, nor do commentators such as Robert Spencer (Jihad Watch). Then there are unlikely allies like Bill Maher and Richard Dawkins. Having the advantage of coming from the God-denying left, they are insulated to a degree from being torn down by the gatekeepers of the politically-correct moral order. They perform the same sort of indispensible role as did George Orwell in criticising communism. Whether it will be nearly enough is debatable at best.
These are desperate times shrouded by sophistry. In keeping with the stance of Christian church leaders, political leaders, commentators and news outlets are almost universally administering verbal sedatives to calm (mislead intentionally or not) the populace at large. As part of this, Muslim community leaders who call for engagement are lauded and feted without any hard questions being asked of them.
Muslim community leaders should not be anointed in the absence of explicitly identifying those parts of Islamic scripture, including the very words of Allah in the Koran, which they personally disavow. Because if they disavow none of it; perforce, they cannot give primacy to Western values. For example, from verse 4:89:
So choose not friends from them [disbelievers] till they forsake their homes in the way of Allah; if they turn back [apostates] then take them and kill them wherever ye find them, and choose no friend nor helper from among them.
Does this passage have an historical time band on it? Or, are Allah’s words timeless? If they are indeed Allah’s timeless words, how can a ‘devout’ Muslim accept the Western values of treating people equally and freedom of religion? It doesn’t make sense. Let me repeat this sentiment for the benefit of those sedated: It doesn’t make sense.
There are many passages in the Koran and in the Hadith which are equally offensive to Western values. Muslims wanting to embrace Western values have a problem. For if they disavow the ‘offending’ parts of their scripture, are they still Muslims? I seriously doubt they are so considered by Islamic religious leaders. These leaders, so far as I can tell, aren’t like Christian leaders. They will not accommodate heresy.
On the other hand, many Christian leaders will apparently accept any heresy in a forlorn attempt to cosy up to Islamists. Let me take a stab at their thinking.
Oh well, so what if Christ said that about false prophets. I am sure he didn’t mean to refer to an illiterate, medieval warlord, credited with a cobbled-together scripture which elevated him and marginalised Christ, who bedded a nine-year -old girl, and whose sayings and doings have inspired conquest, butchery, enslavement and mayhem for over fourteen centuries. Let’s not be obdurate; let’s simper in their direction in hopes they will begin to like us.
Memo to leaders of Christian churches: they despise you and will always despise And, while you act like toadies and betray Christ’s ministry; who can blame them? Meanwhile, sedated Canadians, unmoved by the Muslim invasion of Europe, have elected Justin Trudeau on a policy of admitting 25,000 so-called Syrian refugees by the end of this year. We’d better wake up and smell the coffee.
A startling challenge Peter to be woken up to the awareness of coffee and you might also have said croissants! You allude to both which came to Vienna in 1683 from the spoils obtained after defeating the Turks.
Your list of Quislings, who have the best of intentions no doubt,could have included local ones.One of which is a very clever academic of great potential for good who, in his desire to have Islamic approval on his book for possible use in schools, allowed the printing of compromised text.
An example from ‘A Spectator’s Guide to World Religions’: page 186, “Reminiscent of Jesus,and of the Old Testament prophets before that, Muhammad proclaimed a message of justice for all”. Some might alternatively suggest that the message proclaimed was ‘submission by all’.
And on page 203 ‘Sharia’. “That law law is called Sharia, which literally means a’path to a watering hole’. It is a lovely image really, implying a pathway through the desert to life giving water’. No, it means ‘way’,the additional words try to make a silk purse from a pig’s ear as the saying goes.
Time to repent of all such cover ups!
Appeasement, denial, accommodation, sycophancy, and bare-faced lying is what the great unwashed now get from the politicians and media when it comes to the Muslim threat. Truth is always the first casualty in war – and we are at war. We know this because the “Caliph” of IS has publically announced that it is so.
“During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revulutionary act” Orwell? Anyhow, Akif Pirincci is getting crucified in Germany by the left, even Amazon.de is in on the act and stopped selling his books! A book shredding was advertised by one book shop. I guess it is more evironmental friendly than burning?
Trust Peter Smith once again nudging and prodding us to remain awake to the deadly peril Islam means to our civilisation.
The craven pandering of most of our politicians to Muslim leaders is a shameful spectacle, but the most concerning is the identical attitude of Christian dignitaries. It is embarrassing and infuriating. Pope Francis’ stance in this regard, coupled with his support of climate change alarmism and pitifully ignorant condemnation of free market capitalism, blaming it for all the ills of the world, qualifies him as the Antichrist. Leaders of other Christian churches, while less influential, are no better.
Is it clutching at straws hoping that the newly launched Australian Liberty Alliance, with opposing islamisation high on its agenda, will be effective enough to make a difference? Geert Wilders launched a party with similar aims in Holland a little over 10 years ago, and now it is the most popular of all parties there, likely to make Wilders the next Dutch prime minister in a coalition government. Wilders was the keynote speaker at the launch and has been advising the organisers for some considerable time. Perhaps the Nationals in coalition with the new party and some independents could take government within a couple of election cycles. Wishing and hoping, I know, but utter dispair is the only alternative.
Bill, I think the jury is still out on Pope Francis. I agree that there is a lot to be concerned about at present. One can only hope he begins to receive some good advice in relation to capitalism, non-climate change etc etc. But your point that his actions to date would qualify him to be the Antichrist (AC) is simply going too far. For one, the AC will not come until all the earth has accepted or rejected Christianity. This is a long way from happening as there are many parts of the earth still convert or reject Christianity. Two, the AC will lead many back to the Jewish faith and the belief of many Christians will be severely tested. Thankfully I don’t think anything Francis has done to date qualifies him as leading a mass return to Judaism.
Would you be comfortable if your teenaged son went on a camping trip with the Pope?
I have two sons. Both legally adults; one a teenager and they would probably want to make their own minds up even with my input. I don’t know Pope Francis personally but I suspect both would be safe from your cheap shot assumption Jack.
The Incas, Aztecs, Byzantines, American Indians: all initially welcomed in invading strangers on the promise that their lives would be better for the enrichment the intruders could bring. All takeovers ended in total disaster for the invaded civilisations.
Fortunately, we can be assured that THIS time this barbarian invasion of Europe will go much better with peace and harmony guaranteed by Sharia. I mean, what could possibly go wrong? Sweden has now proudly moved to the forefront as the rape capital of Europe thanks to its women flouting themselves by walking alone (at night too!) and not wearing a niqab tent. They deserve what they are begging for. The screenshot url below is of a 10-year old girl telling the camera how much she wants to stab Jews. As a parent we can all empathise with her parents when we see our children stand out from the crowd. However, one minor criticism I have: why is she not safely married yet to her 40-year old cousin. I accept there is no rush if she has been genitally mutilated, but until that is confirmed she needs to be carefully watched and groomed.
http://unitedwithisrael.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Palestinian-Young-Girl-Declares-Her-Intention-to-Stab-a-Jew-While-Holding-a-Knife-As-Her-Father-Encourages-Her-784×400.jpg Cut and paste it into a browser
The following YouTube is excruciating and the greatest proof that there has to be SOMETHING better that either democracy or Mal the Malevolent as President for Life. I do not know what it is, but surely … Otherwise we are doomed (but then we are anyway as the Canadian election of Trudeau demonstrated)
https://youtu.be/AqWOJqWrJxQ
What only 25,000 muslims into Canada by Xmas (a delicious choice of date)? What is Trudeau thinking? That is only 357/day, hardly enough to bring Sharia to Canada in a generation. Still, he is just getting started, so the jury is out – as is the sense of the Canadian electorate.
Could it happen in Oz? It is well on the way with the halal funding tax, super mosques, political appeasement, initial terrorism, public ignorance (watch the You Tube again), quisling politicians, condemnation of free speech (you can chant ‘Kill a Jew” or “Behead those who insult Allah”, but hatefully saying {or thinking} “I think islam is a threat to Oz” is probably illegal.)
Come the election we may be the last nation with the sense to vote out a whole raft of traitors in the Left Liberal, Labor and Green parties. After 32 years as a Liberal member the Liberals have gone from first place to third from the bottom on my ballot paper.
Note to Helen Kroger: no I will not be rallying round when you need me. That’s what you get for bad policies, bad management, poor (non-liberal) politicians and ignoring me until each election cycle. I am not alone.
The left are willing to embrace Islam because many leftists have this deluded sadomasochistic suicidal dream that they can use Islamic terrorism as another means of further weakening the remains of the semi-capitalist [partly free] west to the extent that they will be able to somehow establish their socialist Nirvanas. As an atheist I have the view that all religions are a little bit stupid, but it is beyond doubt that some religions are stupider, and certainly more toxic and lethal than others. The barbarity of the Islamists and the suicidal perfidy of leftists is reason enough for me to defend Christianity.
The Christians is one thing – the ‘progressives’ amongst us is another, and in my view far more important segment that needs to wake up to Islam.
It would seem impossible to me that last gay mardi gras in Sydney chose ‘homophobia in sport’ as it’s target this year. Impossible, and a huge affront to gays who have somehow escaped being flung off tall towers and stoned to death for being what they are. But that is the politically correct ‘progressives’ for you.
Although there was not a single #IllRideWithYou for the real victims of vicious Islam, it is par for the course. Without fail, we get the deafening silence from the media and chattering classes when it comes to the really important issues.
Homophobia in sport? Give me a break. Or better still, grow a pair of cojones!