by Raymond Ibrahim<\/p>\n
Private Papers<\/em><\/p>\n A<\/span>fter being accused of having a special vendetta against Muslims, Pope Benedict XVI is back in the spotlight for offending Jews, Protestants, and the Orthodox.\u00a0 In back to back moves, he formally removed restrictions from annually celebrating an old Latin Mass which includes prayers calling on God to \u201clift the veil from the eyes\u201d of the Jews and to end \u201cthe blindness of that people so that they might acknowledge the light of your truth, which is Christ\u201d; and approving a document which states that \u201cthough we [Catholics] believe they [non-Catholic Christians] suffer from defects, [they] are deprived neither of significance nor importance in the mystery of salvation.\u201d<\/p>\n These steps \u2014 reinstating a prayer for the Jews and asserting that the surest road to salvation is through the Catholic church \u2014 have precipitated an avalanche of condemnations from, not just Jews and non-Catholic Christians, but secularists and Catholics.<\/p>\n The Anti-Defamation League announced:\u00a0 \u201cWe are extremely disappointed and deeply offended that \u2026 [the Vatican] would now permit Catholics to utter such hurtful and insulting words by praying for Jews to be converted.\u201d<\/p>\n Overall sentiments are perhaps best captured by an op-ed \u2014 \u201cThe pope shows his fangs\u201d \u2014 written in the\u00a0Seattle Times<\/i>\u00a0by a Catholic parishioner.\u00a0 Regarding the document asserting that Catholicism is the surest way to salvation, the parishioner remarks, \u201cIt was something the folks at Trent (the sixteenth-century Catholic council) could have embraced.\u00a0 But now?\u00a0 In the 21st century?… When you\u2019re a pastor for the world, you need to first listen to what the world is saying, feeling and longing for.\u201d<\/p>\n T<\/span>he problem with all the complaints leveled against Benedict is that they are rooted in a very subjective, \u201cpostmodern\u201d outlook that is nonetheless often presented as objective and therefore universally binding \u2014 even in discourse. This epistemology takes for granted that a) there are no objective \u201ctruths,\u201d certainly not in the fields of ethics and morality, and that b) religion\u2019s ultimate purpose is to make this life as peaceful and pleasant as possible \u2014 or, as the parishioner puts it, to respond to \u201cwhat the world is saying, feeling and longing for.\u201d<\/p>\n This same parishioner culminates the indictment against his Pope with, \u201cBenedict, simply stated, is speaking like a man who hasn\u2019t met a lot of people since he took over the barque of Peter (the church) more than two years ago.It\u2019s as though he made his mind up long ago about the things he wanted to say during his papacy. And, if people are offended, excluded or shut out, too bad<\/i>\u201d (emphasis added).<\/p>\n What many seems to miss, however, is that\u2019s just it.\u00a0 Regarding right and wrong, Benedict has\u00a0made up his mind<\/i>, and yes,\u00a0a long time ago<\/i>. The fact is, most religions \u2014 especially the missionary ones, Christianity and Islam \u2014 claim to possess the one and only truth, or road to salvation. And there is no difference between the sixteenth and twenty-first centuries where \u201ctruth\u201d \u2014 or, more properly, what one believes to be truth \u2014 is concerned, since truths transcend time and circumstance. If two plus two equaled four in the sixteenth century, is there reason to believe it won\u2019t in the twenty-first? So is it really that bewildering for a sincere Catholic \u2014 say, the Pope \u2014 who firmly believes that the teachings of scripture and his church are necessary for universal salvation to have a position maintaining that those \u2014 be they Muslims, Jews, Protestants, Orthodox \u2014 who, to varying degrees, refuse scripture and the Church doctrine are in error and need correcting?<\/p>\n I<\/span>n fact, Benedict\u2019s actions reveal that his many \u201coffenses\u201d to non-Catholics can be seen as acts of altruism: if you truly believe \u2014 and one assumes that if the average Catholic doesn\u2019t at least the Pope does \u2014 that you know the one road that leads to paradise and averts damnation, is it not altruistic to be up front about it and share it with humanity, rather than being merely politically correct, and maintaining that all religions are equal? If, for instance, Benedict truly believes that Jews need to accept Christ in order to be saved, it would seem that his initiating a prayer that they \u201cacknowledge the light of truth, which is Christ,\u201d is altruistic; conversely, if he truly believes that the Jews need Christ but says nothing for fear of being \u201coffensive,\u201d then he would be behaving egotistically \u2014 since, according to his beliefs, he \u201cleaves them in blindness\u201d simply to save his good name.<\/p>\n Based on this dichotomy of altruism and egoism, one must wonder what Benedict\u2019s predecessor Pope John Paul II had in mind when he kissed a copy of the Koran in front of millions of Christians and Muslims \u2014 a book that, among other contradictions with Christianity, vociferously denies the trinity (K 5:17, 5:73), or even that Jesus was crucified (K 4:157), and calls Christians infidels whom Muslims must wage war against until they are subjugated (K 9:29).<\/p>\n At any rate, Benedict himself has, in so many words, intimated, in print, his belief that there is only one truth:<\/p>\n The prevailing view today is that everyone should live by the religion \u2014 or perhaps by the atheism \u2014 in which he happens to find himself already.\u00a0 This, it is said, is the path of salvation for him.\u00a0 Such a view presupposes a strange [euphemism for \u201cerroneous\u201d?] picture of God and a strange idea of man and of the right way for man to live (Jesus of Nazareth, 92)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n T<\/span>he conviction that there is only \u201cone\u201d true path to salvation is, of course, not a Catholic or Christian phenomenon.\u00a0 Christianity\u2019s historic competitor, Islam, maintains the same view by presenting itself as the \u201cfinal\u201d revelation to humanity offering misguided infidels the true path to righteousness and salvation in the hereafter. Again, by default, Islam assumes that all other religions are \u201cwrong.\u201d Indeed, under Islamic law, Hindus, Buddhists, animists, atheists, etc., are so misguided that they must be warred against until they either accept the \u201ctruth\u201d \u2014 Islam \u2014 and convert, or are killed (K 9:5). The so-called \u201cpeople of the book\u201d \u2014 Jews and Christians \u2014 may practice their religions, but only after being subdued and acknowledging Islamic superiority (K 9:29).<\/p>\n After blasting the concept of inter-faith dialogue as beyond futile since \u201c[W]hat is false is false \u2014 even if a billion individuals agree to it; and truth is truth \u2014 even if only one who has submitted [a Muslim] holds on to it\u201d in one of his essays, Osama bin Laden offers the following regarding Islam\u2019s relationship to non-Muslims:<\/p>\n There are only three choices in Islam: either willing submission [i.e., conversion]; or payment of the jizya [tribute], through physical though not spiritual, submission to the authority of Islam; or the sword \u2014 for it is not right to let him [an infidel] live. The matter is summed up for every person alive: either submit, or live under the suzerainty of Islam, or die\u2026.Allah Almighty\u2019s Word to his Prophet recounts in summation the true relationship [between Muslims and non-Muslims]: \u201cO Prophet! Wage war against the infidels and hypocrites and be ruthless. Their abode is hell \u2014 an evil fate!\u201d [K 9:73]. Such, then, is the basis and foundation of the relationship between the infidel and the Muslim. Battle, animosity, and hatred \u2014 directed from the Muslim to the infidel \u2014 is the foundation of our religion. And we consider this a justice and kindness to them (The Al Qaeda Reader<\/i>, 42-43)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n I<\/span>ncidentally, I write all of the above as neither a Catholic nor a Muslim.\u00a0 According to both Benedict and bin Laden, then, I am misguided.\u00a0 But that\u2019s just fine by me: they are entitled to their beliefs, and their conclusions about me are at least logically consistent to their particular dogmas. Moreover, I acknowledge that when they want me to convert, that is to a great extent only because they are so sure that they have the truth and wish me to share in it \u2014 altruism. Even bin Laden concludes that Islam\u2019s animosity to other faiths is for altruistic purposes: \u201cAnd we consider this [warfare] a justice and kindness to them.\u201d At any rate, so long as it\u2019s just words and opinions, what real difference does it make to me \u2014 or you?<\/p>\n And therein is the final point: words based on theological positions and convictions are immaterial. They are only the logical outcome of a system of belief. What does matter, however, is when these words materialize into coercive action \u2014 which is not part of the doctrines of any Christian denomination but is, in fact, well enshrined in Islam: jihad.<\/p>\n Thus we can disagree, but there is certainly nothing startling, disappointing, sad, insulting, depressing, perplexing, baffling, or hurtful \u2014 all adjectives recently appearing in headlines next to the Pope \u2014 in the Pope\u2019s implied position. Nor is there even in bin Laden\u2019s blunt assertions. It is nothing short of ludicrous to complain about people when \u2014 through words alone \u2014 they demonstrate theological consistency. Equally foolish is not responding, or just complaining, when people of religion do act on their faith \u2014 such as when radical Muslims of an al-Qaedist bent wage jihad around the world.<\/p>\n Raymond Ibrahim is the editor of the\u00a0Al-Qaeda Reader<\/i>, translations of religious texts and propaganda.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Raymond Ibrahim Private Papers After being accused of having a special vendetta against Muslims, Pope Benedict XVI is back in the spotlight for offending Jews, Protestants, and the Orthodox.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[227,754],"tags":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p466Sb-1pO","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1331,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/collective-punishment-wherever-you-can-reach-them\/","url_meta":{"origin":5444,"position":0},"title":"Collective Punishment: “Wherever You Can Reach Them”","author":"victorhanson","date":"December 12, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Ibrahim Hudson New York During a recent altercation in Egypt, a Christian inadvertently killed a Muslim. This incident, according to an\u00a0AINA report, \"turned into collective punishment of all Copts in the majority Christian village.\" Two Christians \"not party to the altercation\" were killed; others were stabbed and critically\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Egypt"","block_context":{"text":"Egypt","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/ahref=\/index.php\/categories\/angry-reader\/categorylink\/a\/the-world\/the-middle-east\/egypt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1036,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/islamists-target-christians-wherever-they-can-reach-them\/","url_meta":{"origin":5444,"position":1},"title":"Islamists Target Christians ‘Wherever They Can Reach Them’","author":"victorhanson","date":"December 12, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Ibrahim PJ Media In 2006, when Pope Benedict\u00a0quoted history\u00a0deemed unflattering to Islam, Christians around the Muslim world paid the\u00a0price: anti-Christian riots ensued, churches were burned, and a nun was murdered in Somalia. That was then. Days ago, when a Christian in Egypt was accused of dating a Muslim\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Raymond Ibrahim"","block_context":{"text":"Raymond Ibrahim","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/ahref=\/index.php\/categories\/angry-reader\/categorylink\/a\/our-contributors\/raymond-ibrahim\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5526,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/conquest-and-concession\/","url_meta":{"origin":5444,"position":2},"title":"Conquest and Concession","author":"victorhanson","date":"December 3, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"The fate of Hagia Sophia and the Aqsa Mosque by Raymond Ibrahim Private Papers Previous to Pope Benedict XVI\u2019s November 30th\u00a0visit to the Hagia Sophia complex in Constantinople, Muslims and Turks expressed fear, apprehension, and rage. Turkey\u2019s independent paper\u00a0Vatan\u00a0expressed it thus: \u201cThe risk is that Benedict will send Turkey\u2019s Muslims\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Raymond Ibrahim"","block_context":{"text":"Raymond Ibrahim","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/ahref=\/index.php\/categories\/angry-reader\/categorylink\/a\/our-contributors\/raymond-ibrahim\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1457,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/conspiracy-theory-shuts-down-great-pyramid\/","url_meta":{"origin":5444,"position":3},"title":"Conspiracy Theory Shuts Down Great Pyramid","author":"victorhanson","date":"November 15, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Ibrahim Jihad Watch According to the\u00a0Associated Press, \"Egypt's antiquities authority closed the largest of the Giza pyramids Friday following rumors that groups would try to hold spiritual ceremonies on the site at 11:11 A.M. on Nov. 11, 2011\u2026. The closure follows a string of unconfirmed reports in local\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Egypt"","block_context":{"text":"Egypt","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/ahref=\/index.php\/categories\/angry-reader\/categorylink\/a\/the-world\/the-middle-east\/egypt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":709,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/greatest-church-soon-to-be-mega-mosque\/","url_meta":{"origin":5444,"position":4},"title":"Greatest Church Soon To Be Mega Mosque?","author":"victorhanson","date":"June 14, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"by Raymond Ibrahim FrontPage Magazine Ostensibly dealing with a building, a recent report demonstrates how Turkey's populace \u2014 once deemed the most secular and liberal in the Muslim world \u2014 is reverting to its Islamic heritage, complete with animosity for the infidel West and dreams of Islam's glory days of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Religion"","block_context":{"text":"Religion","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/ahref=\/index.php\/categories\/angry-reader\/categorylink\/a\/religion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5360,"url":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/real-talk\/","url_meta":{"origin":5444,"position":5},"title":"Real Talk?","author":"victorhanson","date":"April 2, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"The Saudi king ought to stop killing non-Muslims first. by Raymond Ibrahim National Review Online According to the\u00a0Associated Press, Saudi King Abdullah, in an unprecedented move last week, \u201cmade an impassioned plea for dialogue among Muslims, Christians, and Jews\u201d \u2014 going so far as to refer to the latter two\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Raymond Ibrahim"","block_context":{"text":"Raymond Ibrahim","link":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/ahref=\/index.php\/categories\/angry-reader\/categorylink\/a\/our-contributors\/raymond-ibrahim\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5444"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5444"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5444\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5445,"href":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5444\/revisions\/5445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/victorhanson.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}