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‘It is custom of the Roman Catholic Church, which I unworthily serve with the help of God, to tolerate some things, to turn a blind eye to some, following the spirit of discretion rather than the rigid letter of the law.’ – Pope Gregory VII.
Pope Benedict XVI is the latest figure who joined the chorus of other self-appointed advisors to Muslims. During his recent visit to Germany, at a meeting with leaders of Germany’s Muslims community, Pope Benedict appealed to Muslims to help combat the ‘cruel fanaticism of terrorism’. Following the common vogue, he calls them to put their house in order and castigating them to denounce terrorism. ‘It’s your job to stamp out terrorism’, he tells them.
This does not sound too surprising when it is well known how Pope Benedict had felt very uncomfortable with Pope John Paul’s readiness to apologise for the Church’s past errors, including the crusade against Islam.
It had been noted that, before this occasion, no pope had ever been so explicit in facing the question of terrorism on a personal level with representatives of the Islamic community.
However, he conveniently ignores the fact that the state of the world today is the result of a history of colonial atrocities and resultant exploitative systems and structures erected.
History is repeating itself with the Pope speaking the same language as the liars who made their way to butchering thousands of Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Western-Christian forces invade Muslim countries, kill innocent children, women and men by the tens of thousands, and it’s Muslims whom Pope Benedict calls upon to ‘combat the cruel fanaticism of terrorism’? Are we still living in the age of the crusades or in the time of the Holy Inquisition?
Pope Benedict also expressed his sorrow at the ‘terrorist attacks’ in London, calling them ‘barbaric acts against humanity’, and said he was praying for the families of the victims. He said that he was deeply saddened by the news and urged for trust and respect between religious communities.
Adversely, while the Church of England bishops have suggested that Christian leaders should apologise to Muslim leaders for the war in Iraq, the Pope hasn’t uttered a word of censure or, at least, disapproval.
It seems that he had no concern of military operations by the US-led forces in Iraq that have resulted in civilian deaths, injury and displacement caused by excessive or indiscriminate use of force and the unending systematic use of torture. Well over 100,000 civilian deaths in Iraq for which US-led coalition forces are responsible have been recorded, while US soldiers are dying at six times the rate they did in Vietnam.
Does this show that the lives of people in Afghanistan, Baghdad, Fallujah and Palestine are held that cheap, not to deserve a mention?
Is the Pope oblivious also of what’s happening in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib? This is not only manslaughter. It’s murder!
Does the blood of Americans, or Israelis or Europeans hold greater value than the blood of Iraqis or Afghans? Did the families of those who died through acts of terrorism suffer any greater pain than did the relatives of Iraqis and Afghans who died of American and British bombings? They all suffered unjustifiable deaths!
It really does look like the Roman Catholic Church is unaware that there is a clash of civilisations going on and that God has definitely taken sides.
To fulfill Christ’s commission completely, then heed the moral: ‘Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote of thy brother’s eye’ (Matt. 7:1-5)
Joseph M. Cachia
Cospicua
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