Pope’s trip to Turkey still on

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Comments: 13

Istanbul, Turkey, Sep 18, 2006 / 12:00 am (CNA).- According to parties on both sides, Pope Benedict XVI’s November trip to Turkey will continue as planned, despite violent reactions on the part of many Muslims to a speech he made last week.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said yesterday that his government would not block the visit. “As far as we are concerned, there are no changes to the program,” Turkish news service Hürriyet reported.

Gul said that the Pope’s words were “particularly unfortunate” during a period in which, “the United Nations and countries in general are working to create an atmosphere of better understanding between religions and cultures.”

The Pontiff made a speech in Germany last week, in which he spoke of fostering greater cultural and religious understanding and respect. However, in the middle of his speech he quoted a 14th Century Byzantine emperor who said that violent Islam was “evil and inhuman.” Despite clarifications by the Vatican and the Pope himself, insisting that people read his entire speech, most have only quoted the portion that seems to slight Islam and the prophet Mohammed.

The Vatican has not given any official indication that the trip is in question. On Sunday Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, told the press that he hopes the trip will occur and that, “there is currently nothing that we can see which would prevent it."

However, according to Italian daily “Corriere della Sera” the schedule of the trip might be slightly adjusted. The paper reports that a meeting between Pope Benedict and Ali Bardarkoglu, Turkey’s Religious Affairs Minister is in question. Bardarkoglu has been one of the most vocal critics of Benedict’s words and was one of the first to demand an apology.

Comments: 13

Subscriber comments:

Published by: dan
uk 10/23/2006 06:46 AM EST

CAPITAL LETTERS HOW RUDE.
In response to your comments, the church did not keep people in ignorance,but in historical context; people were not expected to read on mass at that time because educational platforms were not in place. In terms of religion and violence: If Mohammed was a General of an army, and invaded and proliferated his word in this way, how can his book be anything other? Show me the book and I will show you the man! Jesus did not advocate violence, but Mohammed did. I don't know, I am a Christian and I see my religion criticised every day, but I don't demand retribution in the streets or burn effigies of my critics. Why are you so angry, can you not just accept that religion and politics or secular societies do not mix, and keep your own beliefs, opinions and practices as a matter of the heart? Unless you feel that religion and politics should. oh yes, of course, there is always Sharia law I suppose. Giving human beings divine right over all religion, society and politics. Not much room for free will in this equation is there? You speak about ignornace against speaking against Islam and yet you speak of others that have spoken about Islam as being ignorant-surely this is a form of Nasasistic ignorance on your behalf (or you don't know your being ignorant). You must realise that for the majority of us and Kafirs, that Mohammed was an ordinary person, who was not gifted in any way, apart from his military conquests and his ability to control by religion!

Published by: DAN
UK 10/20/2006 02:35 AM EST

I think that this pope has his theological wits about him. Flying a kite about how muslims need to address their violent creed and practices; through the words of Manuel 11. Let's hope that the Pope manages to get out in one piece to deliver even greater muslim apologetic.

Published by: yesim
MALTA 10/19/2006 03:24 PM EST

I FEEL SO SORRY FOR YOUR IGNORANCE. THATS A SHAME U WERE SO UNAWARE OF ANYTHING. FIRST OF ALL AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE IT WAS THE CHURCH WHO ABUSED CATHOLICS AND PREVENTED THEM FROM ENLIGHTENMENT. SCIENCE,LITERATURE,WAS ONLY BANNED IN CHRIUSTIAN WORLD BY YOUR VERY CATHOLIC CHURC BECAUSE IT WANTED ITS PEOPLE TO REMAIN IGNORANT SO THAT PEOPLE WOULDNT SEE THE TRUTH WOULD OBEY TO THE DEMANDS OF THE CHURCH. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND U TO WATCH THE KIGDOM OF HEAVEN SO MAYBE U CAN HAVE AN IDEAABOUT CRUSADE. ISLAM IS A PEACEFUL RELIGION IT SAYS THAT WHATEVERR RELIGION U R FROM WHICH EVER COUNTRY U COME FROM WHATEVER LANGUAGE U SPEAK U ARE THE CREATION OF GOD SO U DESERVE TO BE WELCOMED. ITS A PEACEFUL RELIGION AND IT WILL REMAIN AS ITS UNLESS U PROVOKE MUSLIMS WITH DISRESPECTFUL AND UNFORGIVABLE CARTOONS. LET ME ASK U WHAT IS THE POINT OF MAKING FUN OF OTHER RELIGIONS PROPHETS?WHAT IF WE DID IT FOR JESUS? THANKFULLY WE WILL NEVER DO IT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE JESUS AS WE DO TO MUHAMMED.

Published by: Davis
La Quinta/CA/USA 09/24/2006 07:21 PM EST

Yes, this situation brings to mind four different sets of prophesies. The one of Nostradamus cited by Derek. Also that the Third and worst Antichrist would be a Mohammedan from greater Arabia, who would be associated with the color blue (The Shiite clerical color). Among the various Shiite Twelver beliefs is an eschatological prophesy, that the occulted 12th Imam would be brought back to visible corporeality to rule the world with Justice for the final seven years prior to the Last Day of Judgment. Ahmadinejad apparently has some sort of connection with one extreme sect of this variant of Apocalyptic Shiites, so extremist that they were suppressed by Khomeini, which believes that this Moslem Messiah will return only in the flames of Armageddon.There is St. Malachy's prophesy that the pentultimate Pontiff would be the "Glory of the Olives" - the symbol of the scholarly order of St. Benedict. And the Third Prophesy of Fatima of the Holy Father being massacred by soldiers as he leads a procession of religious out of the corpse-filled ruins of a great city (Rome?).

As Nostradamus wrote, all his prophesies can be averted by prayer.

Believers in the Mercy of God, earnest Prayer and fasting is urgently needed now! Pray, pray, pray!

Published by: DerekT
USA 09/19/2006 10:52 AM EST

When is the holy father going to Turkey? Here is an interesting Nostradamus prediction

Quatrain 2.97
Roman Pontiff beware of your approaching,
Of the city where two rivers water,
Your blood you will come to spit in that place,
Both you and yours when blooms the Rose.

Published by: Janice
Washington, D.C. 09/19/2006 10:24 AM EST

Lynn, you don't have to be so happy about it.

By the way, the Pope DID NOT APOLOGIZE for what he said, only for the "sensitivities" of the idiots who would riot no matter what the "provocation."

Published by: Paul Heru Wibowo
Jakarta / Indonesia 09/19/2006 09:16 AM EST

Now we are trying to explain our Moslem brothers that we, Catholic People, do not want to hurt them, do not want to insult them. We do realize that the main purpose of Catholic Church in Asia. especially in Indonesia is being brother for another. We are very sad if our mutual relationship in interfaith is going to be bad.I might think that we have to reflect from that accident. We have to be humble. Somewhere, somehow,we could be wrong. Please. do not make any wars. Just accept that we, Catholic people, can hurt anybody. I think that is the way Jesus Christ, Our Lord, would react the accident.

Published by: Lynn
Hebron/KY/USA 09/19/2006 05:44 AM EST

I see the Fatima being fulfilled with this trip to Turkey!

Published by: Sigit Kurniawan
Jakarta, Indonesia 09/19/2006 02:49 AM EST

Our Pope must be critized. I am proud if Pope Benedict made his apologize. By apologizing he looks humble. He realize his fault. On church history, we never forget our fault. Church ever been a machine of oppresion to human right. We can see church in the Middle East. It was the darkest age. Church used the violence to repress forms of pluralism. Now, our world is fragmented by ideology. I think being christian is being man for others. We must respect the other (other religion and faith). To jerk the other religion is the symbol of how weak and shallow of our faith. Don't claim yourself as a Christian if you couldn't accept and respect the others.

Published by: Charles Wadlow
USA 09/18/2006 06:55 PM EST

I cannot believe he apologized at all. Have more strength, Holy Father, and stand strong for the Truth, which is Jesus Christ!

By apologizing he looks weak! He should have said,"It is ashame you Muslims mis-interpreted what I was saying, but the fact of the matter Mohammed was not a prophet and we reject him and his teachings as false especially Jihad and anything that takes you away from Christ is evil."

That isn't going to win any friends in the Muslim world, but it's not like we are dealing with a rational bunch of people right? I mean these people kill because of cartoons. I think most of these Muslims are unemployed people just looking for an excuse to do something bad or do anything with their free time. These Muslims protest anything if it sounds like it is intollerant about their faith. Look who is truly intollerant? There are some who live good devout Muslim lives, while the majority hate the west, hate Christianity and especially Catholicism because of the Church's power.

DO NOT APOLOGIZE to these MURDEROUS, IRRATIONAL PEOPLE WHO WEAR THEIR EMOTIONS ON THEIR SLEEVES and follow a false prophet.

I've had many Protestants friends of mine who wished he didn't apologize too.

We need true leadership in our Church. I love the Holy Father very much and support him, and I ask everyone to pray for all our Bishops for them to stand strong and fight for Christ and His Church.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He is God, Mohammed is not His prophet.

Published by: Matt
New York 09/18/2006 02:46 PM EST

This is very good to hear. The Holy Father should be applauded for continuing to do this. He is doing exactly as Christ wanted....evangelize and bring the teachings of Christ's love, peace, and justice. If he were to be martyred, it would show the conviction the Holy Father has as man of Faith and of God's Church. Bringing Christ and His tecahings to a hostile place where you are hated and your life may be threatened, there is no more Catholic and Christian way than that.

Published by: lou sith
USA 09/18/2006 12:56 PM EST

The existing violence by the uneducated Moslims throughout the world only goes to prove that the statement the the Pope quoted is basically true. Any imagined slight against Islam is fraught with danger for the speaker, printer, etc. They are really in mortal danger.

Published by: MartK
Englang 09/18/2006 11:04 AM EST

Somehow I have a bad feeling about this trip.It is far too dangerous and it will lead to nothing.you cannot have any reasonable debate with Muslims.

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