There was outrage among many Catholics and others when Pope John Paul II was photographed kissing the gift of a copy of the Quran, explained here. That was nothing compared with the anger, violence and protests by Muslim scholars and religious leaders who criticised Pope Benedict XVI, claiming that the Pope had criticised Islam and its concept of jihad when he quoted a 14th-century Christian Emperor who had said that the Prophet Muhammad had brought the world "evil and inhuman" things. Pope Benedict was condemned for referring to this period in history and urged to play a positive role in bringing Islam and Christianity closer. It was as if 1400 years of jihad were a fiction when its consequences are plain to see.
Pakistan's parliament passed a resolution demanding that the Pope retract his remarks "in the interest of harmony between religions" while the "hostile" remarks drew a demand for an apology from a "top religious official" in Turkey where the Basilica of Hagia Sophia, built in 537 AD, was converted into a mosque in 1453. It was secularised in 1931 before becoming a museum in 1935. Following President Erdogan's promotion of Islam giving it a more prominent role in Turkey there are growing calls to convert the museum back into a practicing mosque.
Meanwhile remnants of ancient civilisations are being destroyed to eradicate any suggestion that Islam has been spread by conquest. Churches are regularly destroyed in Islamic countries and Christians oppressed in what were Christian countries. Simply consider the plight of the Copts in Egypt as an example of the persecution experienced by Christians in what was a Christian country in ancient times.
Often referred to derisively as the "National Catholic Distorter", the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) may not find its way to many coffee tables which is probably just as well given this headline: "The Muslim Jesus provides common ground for Christianity, Islam".
The only common ground between Christianity and Islam are the bits lifted from the Bible to support spurious Islamic claims. They may recognise Abraham, Moses, the Virgin Mary and Jesus, regarded as a minor prophet, but they deny the centrality of the Christian faith, that Jesus is the Son of God, He died on the Cross, rose again and ascended into heaven.
In an interesting juxtaposition, the video 'Jihad Exposed in America' appeared on the Facing Islam Blog. In just a few minutes Robert Spencer completely demolishes the spurious claims made in the National Catholic Reporter and goes on to explain the Dhimmi, the subjugation of non-Muslims after conquest. [Advance to position 13.40 if you cannot spare the time to watch the whole interview.]
The NCR report concludes with: "The importance of finding common ground has become particularly apparent after the events in Charlottesville this month, which laid bare real and deep divisions in our country. Reconciling Christianity and Islam based on a true understanding of each other's religions could serve as a bulwark against these divisions and provide a worldwide example to emulate."
Deception does not provide common ground any more than the absurd statement that Islamophobia is defined as "unfounded hostility towards Muslims and therefore fear or dislike of all or most Muslims". That is simply a 'PC' device to deflect any questioning of Muslim behaviour, a device which has resulted in hundreds of young girls being sexually abused by mainly Muslim men in Great Britain.
Most people will be familiar with the claim that 'Islam is a religion of peace'. Prime Minister Blair along with US Presidents Bush and Clinton said so. Experts begged to differ but the same claims are made today every time a violent Muslim follows their Prophets example as demanded in the Quran.
The latest ISIS propaganda film threatens Pope Francis. Fighters are seen "stamping on a bust of Jesus, defacing pictures of the pontiff and vowing to come to Rome". Sadly such threats and "terrorist" actions (the media have already been cowed into describing Muslim aggressors as terrorists) have become so commonplace that people simply shrug their shoulders saying that they are not afraid and will not be deterred instead of investigating the real cause of the problem. Those who do are criticised as being Islamophobic.
Outright Islamic invasion has been replaced by immigration and cultural jihad in the West. This is the reality but political correctness and charges of Islamophobia keep the truth hidden while Muslims are allowed to build mosques, practice Sharia and encourage conversion while denying Muslims the truth about the saving nature of Christianity as opposed to submission which is Islam.
It has been estimated that 80% of Muslims have not heard the Gospel message. Despite Christ's command to evangelize, 67% of all humans from AD 30 to the present day have never even heard the name of Jesus Christ and 91% of all Christian outreach/evangelism does not target non-Christians, but targets other Christians.
That anyone can suggest that Jesus links Islam to Christianity illustrates either a complete ignorance of Islam or a desire to mislead and subjugate more people into Dhimmitude by deception.
As I close this entry I have noticed this report in Christian Today:
A five-year-old girl from a Christian family was left 'very distressed' after she was fostered to two Muslim families, encouraged to learn Arabic and had her Christian cross taken away.
After the two placements by Tower Hamlets council in east London, the girl returned home where she told her birth mother that Christmas and Easter are 'stupid' and European women are alcoholics, according to a report in The Times. And she refused to eat what had been her favourite meal spaghetti carbonara, because it contained bacon.
According to The Times, the child sobbed and begged not to have to go back to her foster home, where her present carer wears a burqa, covering her face entirely, outside the home. She told her social worker: 'They don't speak English.' Her own family had opposed the placements. Full report here.
One can imagine the outrage if the position were reversed
