Islamic scholars in Rome for landmark Muslim-Catholic talks
Posted: Tuesday, November 4, 2008, 8:16 (GMT)
Muslim scholars are in Rome Monday for a landmark meeting with top Catholic officials.
The Muslim scholars, who will meet Pope Benedict XVI and Vatican officials for a series of talks starting Tuesday, hope the three-day meeting will help defuse ongoing tensions between Islam and Christianity.
"It is clear that the time has come to open debate on the common theological underpinnings and the shared foundations of the two religions," wrote Professor Tariq Ramadan, president of the European Muslim Network (EMN), in a commentary appearing in the Guardian. Ramadan is part of the delegation of Muslim scholars taking part in the first round of interfaith talks with the Vatican.
"Our task is not to create a new religious alliance against the 'secularised' and 'immoral' world order, but to make a constructive contribution to the debate, to prevent the logic of economics and war from destroying what remains of our common humanity," the Brussels-based professor continued.
"Our task will be to assume our respective and shared responsibilities, and to commit ourselves to working for a more just world, in full respect of beliefs and liberties."
It has been over two years since Catholic-Muslim relations soured following Pope Benedict's speech in Regensburg, Germany, in which he quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor's criticism of Islam, linking it to violence.
One year earlier, violent protest broke out in Muslim countries after a Danish newspaper printed a series of cartoons of Islam's most revered prophet, Mohammad. Over 50 people died in the ensuing deadly clashes, which some say could have been averted had Christians and Muslims jointly denounced the violence.
"We should develop a crisis reaction mechanism so if there is another cartoon crisis, we could get together and make a joint statement," said Ibrahim Kalin, an Islamic scholar from Turkey who is spokesman for the group attending this week's closed-doors talks, according to Reuters.
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Added: Tuesday, November 4, 2008, 19:48 (GMT)
Interfaith = ONE WORLD RELIGION!!
Revelations of John (14 v 11 - 15) tells us that this is going to happen, and then True Christians are going to suffer for it, as the OWR is will deceive people in telling them that all religions lead to God, and it doesn't matter how one expresses it.
Jesus told us that He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, no-one comes to the Father, EXCEPT BY HIM (John 14 v 6)!
He is the One who proved His credentials by His Actions, fulfilling God's Plan for the redemption of mankind, from the beginning, and will come , soon, in the air to take His True Church out of this (miserable?) world (1 Thessalonians 4 v 15 - 18, 1 Corinthians 15 v 51 -52).
Therefore, we need to realise that True Christians need to watch and pray, look at the events going on in the world, and check out Ezekiel 35 - 39 Daniel and, again, the Book of Revelations. Also, what Jesus said in Luke 21 v 7 - 19, Matthew 24 v 3 - 42 (Obama Barack = false prophet??) and Mark 13.
Any rebuttals??
Of course, it depends on whether or not one wants to believe what Jesus and Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, but both of them, and the earlier prophets, seem right on the money, so to speak. At no time in history, even in the last century, have events EVER been at such an intense level, and shaping up to be worse.
Interpretation may be the key, but if we would ask the HS to open our eyes and hearts to the Word, then He may show us the truth of these things, beyond that which the Copelands, the Van Impes, the Lahayes, et al, can tell us, and they're not far off the mark. We need to listen - and act.
Don't be left behind!!
Chris Maguire, Ventnor, IOW, UK
