“We would ask that violence and anger subside and that serious dialogue begin.
“We are therefore planning to invite several leading Muslim religious leaders to visit us here in the Vatican where we can have detailed and inter-faith discussions."
“After that, we would like Muslim religious leaders to invite us to continue the conversation in their holy places: Mecca, Medina, Qum and Najaf for example. Our Jewish brothers should be invited to attend, too. And why not add in people of faith from the Buddhist and Hindu communities?"
As if you didn't know Mecca and Medina are forbidden for non-Muslims to enter. And while we're at it, let's bring some Jews!
Benedictus, you slay me.
That really is well done. I'm curious as to whether you think - for I am not a pontifficator - he's merely responding to those who overreacted to his prior comments or if he's up to something larger.
ReplyDeleteEither way, nicely played.
If I may issue forth a little papal bull myself, I think the Bishop of Rome knows exactly what he's doing, as he has made a long study of Islam.
ReplyDeleteMy original draft noted that a) Jews in Mecca would certainly be a bright light at the end of the tunnel, but b), a simple smoking out of intolerance for all to see (and that means you, too, secularists) and showing Islam's isolation from Hindus and Buddhists as well, is Benedict's likely intention.
We have a foundational problem here; it's not a question of mere rhetoric. It is Islam, dummy, as one who seems quite familiar with it wrote just a month ago, following very closely Benedict's analysis.
As Benedict sees himself as pastor for the entire world, the call for open examination of Islam's tenets comports with his duty as he sees it, and it's hard to argue that it's there he can be most effective. He has privately (and not so privately) come to the conclusion that as theological Islam stands now, only reason and reasonableness can head off a conflagration.
And in his heart of hearts, I doubt he believes it will work.