But I Read The Koran And I Liked It!!
Ah ecumenism. I have nothing against ecumenism per se and I I have nothing against reading the Koran as it might me instructive.
But I do have a problem with the false notion of ecumenism which focuses on what we have in common as if that is sufficient. Ecumenism is about respectfully making distinctions.
Modern ecumenists think that the point of ecumenism is to bridge the gaps between religions. Wrong. It is not about bridging the gaps, it is about explaining that there is a pillar of truth to which they should anchor, everything else is death. That is real love.
Kathleen K. Duff serves on the Diocese of Albany’s Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and she has written a piece at "On Faith" in which describes the beauty and wonder of the Koran, which she read during Ramadan "in solidarity with my Muslim sisters and brothers throughout the world."
However, this Ramadan something at the core of my being was calling me to read the Quran in its entirety. And so my monthlong Ramadan journey began.So leaving aside all the untruth in it, it was beautiful.
Each day and evening, the prayerful poetry in the Quran held me in a meditative mode of peace as I read without being aware of the passage of time.
When I finished reading a week before the end of the month, I felt as if the Quran was almost endless, reaching beyond the confines of my calendar days. I didn’t want to read the last page. I didn’t want to be finished.
The Quran inspired me, taught me and helped me to remember my essential holiness and how that holiness in the image of God should be reflected in the world.
Duff concludes.
After reading the Quran during Ramadan, I am again convinced that there are more commonalities between and among religions than there are differences that isolate and divide.I am sure that will assuage your persecutors when being put to the sword as an infidel. "But I read the Koran and I liked it! Can't we talk about our commonalities?"
21 comments:
I am baffled by her thoughts on the Koran, having read it twice. I found it garbled, repetitive, contradictory and violent. Some observations here:
http://feminine-genius.com/islam%20article%20archive.htm
My book contract on a Christian response to Islam was canceled because of the publisher's fears of being sued for a hate crime, since one is not allowed to respond to those themes that undermine the dignity of women. If Catholic diocesan personnel continue to white-wash the differences in this way, then it can only lead to more confusion.
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema" (Galatians 1:8).
If there are so many "commonalities" between us and the Muslims, why do the sons of the prophet seek to convert, enslave, or kill us? Liberals need to see what makes religions different first before they oh and ah about what we have in common.
The Qu'ran is believed by Muslims to be the ACTUAL words of God. Over at Divine Ripples, there is an interesting post on whom the Qu'ran says that Muslims can kill and why. You'd be surprised. The first example is really not from the Qu'ran but from the Hadith [ a collection of the sayings of Mohammed] but is still highly revered by Muslims.
So whom does the Qu'ran say Muslims can kill:
Non-Muslims
People who have left Islam
People they do not trust
Idolaters
Anybody for a just cause
For Qu'ran citations
http://divine-ripples.blogspot.com/2011/09/islamic-teachings-to-murder-straight.html?zx=20d35ed1f974a377
The Qu'ran is believed by Muslims to be the ACTUAL words of God. Over at Divine Ripples, there is an interesting post on whom the Qu'ran says that Muslims can kill and why. You'd be surprised. The first example is really not from the Qu'ran but from the Hadith [ a collection of the sayings of Mohammed] but is still highly revered by Muslims.
So whom does the Qu'ran say Muslims can kill:
Non-Muslims
People who have left Islam
People they do not trust
Idolaters
Anybody for a just cause
For Qu'ran citations
http://divine-ripples.blogspot.com/2011/09/islamic-teachings-to-murder-straight.html?zx=20d35ed1f974a377
Diocese of Albany. Nuff said.
I believe I have just encountered my first polygamist Moslems, at the local public school. Two interchangeable wives accompanied by husband and children. I say interchangeable because these women were so covered-- not just the typical long robe and veil I'm used to seeing around here-- but also a face veil that just allowed the eyes to peek out, covered over with glasses, and thick black gloves on the hands. I also noted at least one school-aged daughter in the mix, who accompanied her family to drop her brothers off at school, but who apparently does not have the same right to education as her brothers. No doubt she is being "home schooled," which normally I am a huge proponent of, but in this case...
Magdalene beat me to it. But yes, Diocese of Albany, nuff said.
I don't believe she actually read the Qu'ran. It is the most mind numbingly dull book ever written.
As weird as the Koran is I frankly would be more concerned with the anti-Christian filth spewed out of the Talmud. Both are dangerous, spiritually and physically. Just ask a Christian in the Holy Land.
It shouldn't be that much of a surprise that she liked the Koran as, apparently, Christianity (as well as Judaism) is a part of Islam. Not only that but the Koran recommends that Muslims should read the Bible. It almost seems unfair that the Bible doesn't recommend that Christians should read the Koran. I mean, we might have some mental gymnastics to perform to assimilate the Koran's statement, 'God forbid that he should have a son' but, come on everybody, it really is a beautiful Ecumenical/sort of Christian book!
Hold on. Did i just recommend the Koran? It might have been sarcasm but what if those ecumenical bods in the Curia read this?...
Doh!
With the crucifixions in the Middle East today, I might end up burning Korans in protest. I'll post it at YouTube. Barrack HUSSEIN's administration will not lift a finger to help our brothers there. So, I'll do what I can and hopefully it'll catch on. Pictures of the atrocities at Divine Ripples.
Allah is a false god. Has she forgotten the first commandment?:
Sorry, I don't see what we have in common with the followers of the koran.
Ohhhhh, my. How refreshing it is to whitewash/overlook:
women covered in potato sacks
clid****tomies
"honor-killings" (no longer confined to the ME; happening more and morein the good ole USA)
beheading of apostates
lynching of "out" homosexuals
routine, wholesale murder of Christians-especially while attending services for maximum kill
Destruction of non-Islamic houses of worship
bacha bazi
"Work-place violence" a la Major Nidal Hassan
SJS-Sudden Jihad Syndrome << sarc/ very on on this one >>
and on and on...
It's almost as if Duff, Dolan, et. al., are saying in the face of evil, 'Weeeee. Ooooo. Weee... I'll just flit merily on my way. Everything is coming up roses. Ain't no bad stuff goin' on here.
Oh, Really? Get the butterfly net.
819 "Furthermore, many elements of sanctification and of truth" are found outside the visible confines of the Catholic Church: "the written Word of God; the life of grace; faith, hope, and charity, with the other interior gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as visible elements." Christ's Spirit uses these Churches and ecclesial communities as means of salvation, whose power derives from the fullness of grace and truth that Christ has entrusted to the Catholic Church. All these blessings come from Christ and lead to him, and are in themselves calls to "Catholic unity."
841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."
843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."
872 "In virtue of their rebirth in Christ there exists among all the Christian faithful a true equality with regard to dignity and the activity whereby all cooperate in the building up of the Body of Christ in accord with each one's own condition and function."
--Catechism of the Catholic Church
If indeed some err by promoting a vision of ecumenicism that is too expansive, it does not then follow that one avoid error by promoting a vision of ecumenicism as non-expansive as possible.
A few weeks ago, for the community prayer portion of the Mass, the speaker said, "For our Muslim brothers and sisters to grow in holiness during their holy month of Ramadan. Lord hear our prayer." I didn't say "Lord hear our prayer." I prayed for their salvation and for our Marines making it possible.
Really??
Read Surah 5:33 or 8:39, or all chapter 9.
Beautiful? Holiness?
Allison in AK @ AUGUST 21, 2012 7:09 PM
Touché!
About the compiler of the Koran: " Mahound was a malignant narcissist who invented his moon god, allah, to sate his bloodlust and perversions. He made himself the model for all arselifters to follow for all time. He was a pervert, pedophile, rapist, liar, thief, murderer, terrorist, slaver, extortionist and just plain evil! He also loved to guzzle camel urine." from http://madaboutmahound.blogspot.com/
Well, we can see what St.Thomas Aquinas said:
"He [Muhammad] seduced the people by promises of carnal pleasure to which the concupiscence of the flesh goads us. His teaching also contained precepts that were in conformity with his promises, and he gave free rein to carnal pleasure. In all this, as is not unexpected, he was obeyed by carnal men. As for proofs of the truth of his doctrine, he brought forward only such as could be grasped by the natural ability of anyone with a very modest wisdom. Indeed, the truths that he taught he mingled with many fables and with doctrines of the greatest falsity. He did not bring forth any signs produced in a supernatural way, which alone fittingly gives witness to divine inspiration; for a visible action that can be only divine reveals an invisibly inspired teacher of truth. On the contrary, Muhammad said that he was sent in the power of his arms—which are signs not lacking even to robbers and tyrants. What is more, no wise men, men trained in things divine and human, believed in him from the beginning, Those who believed in him were brutal men and desert wanderers, utterly ignorant of all divine teaching, through whose numbers Muhammad forced others to become his followers by the violence of his arms. Nor do divine pronouncements on the part of preceding prophets offer him any witness. On the contrary, he perverts almost all the testimonies of the Old and New Testaments by making them into fabrications of his own, as can be. seen by anyone who examines his law. It was, therefore, a shrewd decision on his part to forbid his followers to read the Old and New Testaments, lest these books convict him of falsity. It is thus clear that those who place any faith in his words believe foolishly”.
Summa Contra Gentiles: Book One: God. 1264. Chapter 6, article 4.
Belloc held that Islam was not a religion, but a Christian heresy. That would account for the commonalities, but would not confer a positive status.
Just a little vocabulary correction here. (Sorry for being a pedant.) This is not ecumenism. Ecumenism has to do with dialogue between Christians of different flocks.
Technically, this would fall into the area of inter-religious (dialogue? study?). When a Catholic looks into Islam or Buddhism or whatever, they are not being ecumenical, they are venturing into the arena of a different religion.
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