The pope met with the head of an
international Islamic organization on Friday, a meeting that was
characterized as the first-ever for the group.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the
secretary general of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), sat down
with Pope Francis at the Vatican in an effort to create dialogue between the
Muslim and Roman Catholic worlds. A news release from OIC outlined that the presence
of Muslims has increased in “historically Christian countries.”
“In this context, the discussions
expressed the need for greater efforts to foster respect for religious
pluralism and cultural diversity, and to counter the spread of bigotry and prejudices,”
the group explained. “It was stressed that interreligious dialogue is a
necessary condition for peace in the world, and as such it is a duty for
adherents of all faith traditions.”
OIC also advised that Ihsanoglu
discussed with the Pope “his vision regarding the need for a ‘historic
reconciliation’ between Islam and Christianity based on the common Abrahamic
roots and in order to support multiculturalism and harmonious societies.”
According
to Rome Reports when the talks finished
the pope then asked the Muslim men for their prayers and posed for photographs.
This is not the first time, however, that the pope has engaged
in dialogue with members of the Islamic religion. In August of this year, Pope
Francis had issued a written greeting to Muslims in recognition of the close of
the Islamic holiday Ramadan.
“Turning
to mutual respect in inter-religious relations, especially between Christians
and Muslims, we are called to respect the religion of the other, its teachings,
its symbols, its values,” he wrote. “Particular respect is due to religious
leaders and to places of worship. How painful are attacks on one or other of
these!”
Francis
also held an ecumenical meeting in March, greeting Christian, Muslim and Jewish
leaders, as well as atheists and agnostics. During the occasion, he praised the
Muslim leaders that had come for the meeting, remarking that they were men who
“adore the one, living, and merciful God and who call upon Him in prayer.”
“For
my part, I wish to assure you, following in the path of my predecessors, of my
firm will to continue on the path of ecumenical dialogue,” he said, referencing
the Second Vatican Council. “I also ask of you the kindness of a special prayer
for myself, so that I might be a pastor in harmony with Christ’s heart.”
Mike Gendron of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries of Plano, Texas said that it is
concerning to observe the Vatican’s ecumenical talks with the followers of
Islam.
“The
pope’s meeting with Muslim leaders is an indication of his continuing efforts
to rebuild the religious tower of Babel,” he said. “It is outrageous that he
welcomed an organization that promotes Muslim solidarity and which releases an
annual report showing the discrimination some societies have against Muslims.”
“He
must not be aware that the Quran contains over 100 verses that call Muslims to
war against nonbelievers for the sake of Islamic rule,” he continued. “Muslims
who do not join the fight are called ‘hypocrites’ and warned that Allah will
send them to Hell if they do not join the slaughter.”
Gendron,
a former Roman Catholic, stated that he also found it disturbing that Pope
Francis asked OIC for their prayers.
“The
pope’s request for prayers from the Muslims is consistent his belief that they
worship the same God,” he stated. “The Catechism of the Catholic Church,
paragraph 841, reads, ‘The plan of salvation also includes those who
acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims …
together with us they adore the one, merciful God.’ This is a blatant rejection
of the teachings of Christ, who declared He is the only way to the
Father. Those who do not believe Jesus is God will die in their sins.”
Friends, I agree with Mr. Gendron,
I do not worship the moon god allah. I worship the one true God and His Son,
Yeshua/Jesus Christ. It is sad that the Pope refuses to acknowledge that Islam
is a pagan religion. See the facts below.
Long before Muhammad was born, the
Kaba was the home of 360 idols. One of these idols was the moon god. He was
considered to be the most powerful of the gods of the Arabs. He had several
names. He was often called
“al ilah” or “the god.” The poets
called him Allah. In fact, the Kaba was called, “The House of Allah” before
Muhammad was born. This is because he was the chief god of the Kaba. The idols
there were called the daughters of Allah and intercessors in pre-Islamic times.
His symbol was a crescent moon. In fact the crescent moon has been found on all
kinds of objects everywhere in the ancient world. The Muslims adorn their
mosques and flags with the crescent moon. The moon god cult was quite pervasive
in ancient times.
Allah was a god that was especially worshipped by
Muhammad’s Quaraysh tribe. The Encyclopedic Dictionary of Religion says, “The
Quaraysh tribe to which Muhammad belonged to was devoted to Allah, but allowed
worship of other gods in the Kaba until Muhammad removed them.” Muhammad’s
father was named Abdallah meaning “The servant of Allah.” His uncle was named
Obied-Allah.
Muhammad’s grandfather had vowed to
sacrifice his son to Allah if he granted him protection from his enemies. When
it came time to make good on his promise, he cast lots to see which son he
should sacrifice. The lot fell on Abdallah, Muhammad’s father. As he prepared
to slaughter him, people began to complain. After consulting a sorceress, it
was decided that several camels could be sacrificed instead. From that time on,
Abdallah was dedicated to Allah. When he grew up, he fathered Muhammad.
Hosting’s
Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics says the following under the article Allah:
“Muhammad found the Meccans believing in a supreme God whom they called Allah …Muhammad’s reform was to assert the solitary existence of Allah. The first article of the Muslim creed, therefore, – La ilaha illa-llahu — means only as addressed by him to the Meccans, ‘there exists no God except the one whom you already called Allah.”
“Muhammad found the Meccans believing in a supreme God whom they called Allah …Muhammad’s reform was to assert the solitary existence of Allah. The first article of the Muslim creed, therefore, – La ilaha illa-llahu — means only as addressed by him to the Meccans, ‘there exists no God except the one whom you already called Allah.”
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