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Pope Calls For Muslims To Condemn Their Own

Mike

Well-known member
Pope in Albania urges Muslims to condemn extremism
TIRANA, Albania (AP) -- Pope Francis called Sunday for Muslims and all religious leaders to condemn Islamic extremists who "pervert" religion to justify violence, as he visited Albania and held up the Balkan nation as a model for interfaith harmony for the rest of the world.

"To kill in the name of God is a grave sacrilege. To discriminate in the name of God is inhuman," Francis told representatives of Albania's Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic communities during a half-day visit to Tirana in which he recalled the brutal persecution people of all faiths suffered under communism.

Francis wept when he heard the testimony of one priest, the Rev. Ernest Troshani, 84, who for 28 years was imprisoned, tortured and sentenced to forced labor for refusing to speak out against the Catholic Church as his captors wanted.

"Today I touched the martyrs," Francis said after embracing the man.

Security was unusually tight for the pope's first trip to a majority Muslim country since the Islamic State group began its crackdown on Christians in Iraq and announced its aim to extend its self-styled caliphate to Rome. The trip was preceded by reports that militants who trained in Iraq and Syria had returned and might pose a threat.

The Vatican insisted it had no reports of specific threats against the pope and that no special security measures were taken. But Francis' interactions with the crowds were much reduced compared to his previous foreign trips. His open-topped vehicle sped down Tirana's main boulevard, not stopping once for Francis to greet the faithful as is his norm.

He only kissed a few babies at the very end of the route, and then left quickly after his Mass ended. Snipers dotted rooftops along the route, military helicopters flew overhead and uniformed Albanian police formed human chains to keep the crowds at bay behind barricades. Francis' own bodyguards stood guard on the back of his car or jogged alongside.

In his opening speech, Francis told President Bujar Nishani, Albanian officials and the diplomatic corps that Albania's interreligious harmony was an "inspiring example" for the world, showing that Christian-Muslim coexistence wasn't only possible but beneficial for a country's development.

"This is especially the case in these times in which authentic religious spirit is being perverted by extremist groups," he said.

"Let no one consider themselves to be the `armor' of God while planning and carrying out acts of violence and oppression!" Francis said in the wood-paneled reception room of Tirana's presidential palace.

Muslims make up about 59 percent of Albania's population, with Catholics amounting to 10 percent and Orthodox Christians just under that, according to the country's official figures. Muslims and Christians govern together and interfaith families are common, thanks to the near-quarter century when religion was banned under communism.

Addressing Muslim and other religious leaders at a Catholic university, Francis said religious intolerance was a "particularly insidious enemy" that was evident in many parts of the world today.

"All believers must be particularly vigilant so that, in living out with conviction our religious and ethical code, we may always express the mystery we intend to honor," he said. "This means that all those forms which present a distorted use of religion must be firmly refuted as false since they are unworthy of God or humanity."

Francis has said it was legitimate to use force to stop the Islamic extremists, but that the international community should be consulted on how to do so. Last month, the Vatican's office with relations with Muslims issued a strong statement condemning the Islamic State's atrocities and calling on religious leaders, particularly Muslims, to use their influence to stop them. The extremists' advance is of particular concern to the Vatican given the exodus of faithful from lands where Christian communities have existed for 2,000 years.

The Albanian capital's main Boulevard Martyrs of the Nation was decorated for the visit with Albanian and Vatican flags - as well as giant portraits of 40 Catholic priests who were persecuted or executed under Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha, who declared Albania the world's first atheist state in 1967. Hundreds of priests and imams were jailed and scores executed before the regime fell in 1990.

One of those who was imprisoned was Troshani, the 84-year-old priest who said he nearly died from the torture inflicted on him by his jailers, who took him on Christmas Eve, 1963 and slated him for execution. He said he was only spared because Hoxha learned that he had forgiven his captors.

"I didn't know that your people had suffered so much," Francis said after embracing Troshani and an 85-year-old nun who recounted how she had kept her faith alive, secretly baptizing children, once even in a roadside canal with her plastic shoe.

Francis' decision to visit tiny, poor Albania before any major European capital was in keeping with his desire for the Catholic Church to go to the "periphery." Albania is seeking European Union membership and his visit comes just a few weeks before he delivers a major speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

Albania's president, Nishani, thanked Francis for making the country his first European destination, saying it was a historic event for all Albanians.

"There is no intolerance, extremism among us but reciprocal respect inherited from generation to generation," he said. "From an atheist country, we have turned into a country of religious freedom."

Albania's Interior Ministry promised "maximum" protection from 2,500 police forces and beefed-up patrols at border crossings.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, insisted that no special security measures were taken, and said Francis didn't stop to greet the crowd as usual because he didn't want to fall behind schedule.

On previous foreign trips, including his last one in South Korea, Francis frequently has run behind schedule because he spends so much time greeting crowds.

It didn't seem to matter to the Albanians who turned out, many of whom traveled from the north for what the prime minister said was a "rock star" visit that gave the world a different view of Albania.

"Don't ask for names because we are all Albanians today," said Nikolla, who traveled about 80 kilometers south from Lezha to Tirana with a group of teenage friends for the event. "All love God the same. We are a mixed (religious) group and came together to see the pope."
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Indonesian Muslim Leaders Condemn ISIS: 'The Public Have to Be Critical'

by Mary Chastain 2 Aug 2014 5 post a comment


More Muslims are speaking out against the Islamic State (IS), formerly known as ISIS. Two Muslim leaders in Indonesia condemned the group and those who support it, while the Supreme Religious Authority in Iraq asked the world to help the country fight the jihadists.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/08/02/Indonesian-Muslim-Leaders-Condemn-ISIS-The-Public-Have-to-be-Critical

PUBLISHED: July 11, 2014 8:00 am
British Muslim leaders condemn ISIS

Muslim leaders in Britain have condemned the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis), expressing their "grave concern" at continued violence in its name.

Muslim leaders, including from Leicester Central Mosque, condemned ISIS, saying it did not represent their ideology
Representatives from both the Sunni and Shia groups in the UK met at the Palac e of Westminster and relayed their message that the militant group does not represent the majority of Muslims.

Maulana Shahid Raza, of Leicester Central Mosque told Sky News: " ISIS does not represent the main Sunni Muslims' ideology.

"They are involved in acts of terror and violence, they are involved in destructing and demolishing the Muslim shrines...We condemn it."



http://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2014/07/11/british-muslim-leaders-condemn-isis/





American Muslims march on Saudi Embassy to protest extremism
By Rahat Husain - - Sunday, August 10, 2014


Blaming the Saudi government for exporting extremism around the Muslim world, a cluster of American Muslim groups joined a protest at the Saudi Embassy this week. Organized by the Chicago-based Al Baqee Organization, the rally was held in remembrance of a multitude of Islamic heritage sites that were destroyed by the Saudi Royal family upon assuming power nine decades ago.

Chief among them was the first-ever Islamic cemetery, personally founded by Islam’s Prophet Muhammad, named “Jannat ul Baqee” (literally “Garden of Baqee”). The cemetery contains numerous relatives of Muhammad, as well a large number of “Sahaba” (companions) of the Prophet.

Amongst the chants were condemnations of terrorism, and calls for restoration of destroyed holy sites. Protesters attempted to hand deliver a letter to the embassy, voicing their complaints; however, guards for the building refused to accept the document, and forbade entry into the building to do so. Muslims from approximately 15 different states attended, attempting to make a show of solidarity in opposing violent extremism.


Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/aug/10/husain-american-muslims-march-saudi-embassy-protes/#ixzz3A6e7UhTJ
Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter
[/quote]



Local Muslim Leaders Condemn ISIS

Posted 8:41 PM, September 19, 2014, by Samantha Schoenfeld

Connecticut Muslim leaders gathered today at the Muhammad Islamic Center of Greater Hartford to condemn ISIS, and to ask for help.

Imam Kashif Abdul Karim, the MICGH’s resident Imam, spoke about the barbaric actions that ISIS has taken against ethnic minorities, and outsiders in general, and to offer condolences to the families of James Foley and Steven Sotloff.

Karim is also a board member of the Connecticut office of the Council on American Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy group.

Another point made at the press conference was that ISIS’ actions are “un-Islamic.”

http://foxct.com/2014/09/19/local-muslim-leaders-condemn-isis/


Muslim leaders do condemn ISIS
Posted on September 7, 2014 | By Azra Haqqie

Why don’t Muslims condemn the Islamic terrorists?, people ask me.

They always do, I reply. The imams condemn them in the Friday sermons and say they are not of us, implying that terrorists are not Muslims.

The mainstream Muslims condemn them. The terrorists have made their lives miserable.

The American Muslims condemn them. Certainly the American Muslims have paid a heavy price for being associated with the terrorists.

The global Muslim communities condemn them. But almost none of this makes its way into the American media. Here are some examples:

Vatican Radio, an official Vatican news site, reported that:

“Two of the leading voices in the Muslim world denounced the persecution of Christians in Iraq at the hands of extremists proclaiming a caliphate under the name Islamic State.”

Muslim leaders in Britain have condemned the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis), expressing their “grave concern” at continued violence in its name.

Representatives from both the Sunni and Shia groups in the UK have said the militant group does not represent the majority of Muslims.

Muhammadiyah, an organization with 29 million members, is more modern, well-known for educational activities, and avoids politics, said ISIS does not represent Islam.

The International Union of Muslim Scholars said ISIS members “violate Islamic laws, Islamic conscience and leave but a negative image of Islam and Muslims.”

And in America, The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest civil rights Muslim group in the U.S., called ISIS “un-Islamic and morally repugnant,” noted that the Islamic State’s “human rights abuses on the ground are well-documented,” and called the killing of American journalist James Foley “gruesome and barbaric.”

The Islamic Society of North America, the largest Muslim organization on the continent, denounced ISIS “for its attacks on Iraq’s religious minorities and the destruction of their places of worship.”

http://blog.timesunion.com/muslimwomen/muslim-leaders-do-condemn-isis/5874/


It is good to see the peaceful religions/sects of the world uniting and opposing these extremist criminals that hide behind the façade of religion....
And its refreshing to see Pope Francis' call for more condemnations by all being taken serious by Christian and Muslim alike... The Pope so far has shown himself to be the caring tolerant person I expect to see in a Church leader (any church)...
 

Mike

Well-known member
A half a dozen or so Islamic orgs. speak out against ISIS while the millions worldwide won't join Buckwheat's coalition?

What's wrong with this picture? :roll:
 

Brad S

Well-known member
What's wrong with this picture?

Well, given Obama's trustworthiness, they may be willing to oppose Muslim torture but are doing due diligence with regard to joining Obama.
 

littlejoe

Well-known member
That guy is extreme fresh air for the pope deal.

And he's got some amazing hats!

I call on him to condemn catholic church's 'own'

If any of us had a guard dog that was eating--or screwing--the sheep, it'd probably be ought six time.

(a .22 would work, but need ought six anyhow where I run--excellent noisemaker for larger varmits, they seem to stay gone)
 

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