Pakistani clerics, scholars want pope removed
POSTED: 1:15 p.m. EDT, September 21, 2006
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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) -- About 1,000 clerics and religious scholars at a meeting in eastern Pakistan demanded the removal of the pope for making "insulting remarks" against Islam, and warned the West of severe consequences if it didn't change its stance regarding Islam.
Pope Benedict XVI "should be removed from his position immediately for encouraging war and fanning hostility between various faiths" and "making insulting remarks" against Islam, said a joint statement issued by the clerics and scholars at the end of their one-day convention in the eastern city of Lahore.
The "Pope, and all Infidels, should know that no Muslim, under any circumstances, can tolerate an insult to the Prophet (Muhammad).... If the West does not change its stance regarding Islam, it will face severe consequences," it said.
The meeting, organized by the radical Islamic Jamaat al-Dawat group, came days after the pope apologized for his remarks on Islam.
Last week in Germany, the pope quoted a medieval text that characterized some of the teachings of Islam's founder as "evil and inhuman" and referred to spreading Islam "by the sword."
But on Sunday, he said those words did not reflect his own opinions.
However, the clerics and religious scholars -- who gathered in the eastern city of Lahore from across the country -- in a joint statement claimed that the pope had never apologized.
"The Pope has neither accepted his mistake, nor apologized for his words," it said.
The statement also said jihad was not terrorism and that "Islam was not propagated with the sword, but it became popular and was accepted by the oppressed peoples of the world because of its universal values and teachings."
"Jihad is waged to rid an area, state, or the world of oppression, violence, cruelty, and terrorism, and bring peace and relief to the people. History is full of incidents where Muslims waged Jihad to provide relief to people of many faiths, especially Jews and Christians," it said.
Pakistan is the world's second most populous Islamic country, and its people have held small rallies since the publication of pope's remarks about Islam.
However, such rallies have been peaceful. Islamabad has also condemned the pope's remarks.
From cnn.com
Concerning the bold parts.
Wtf? I am a pretty big history buff but i cant really think of a time, not once where there was a war waged by a muslim nation that had any intentions of relieving jews and christians from any kind of oppression ect. Anyone want to enlighten me? id be incredibly surprised to find any truth to this. So far a google search of "muslims free'd christians" and "muslims liberated christians" contained 0 results. I got 68 for "muslims helped christians" but the first paragraph from the top article prettymuch spells it all out for me
"JAKARTA, Dec. 5, 00 (CWNews.com) - More than 90 people were killed during an attack by Muslim jihad fighters against Christian villages in the Moluccas province, the latest in a series of attacks by organized Muslim fighters on Christian civilians. "
i however did find this paragraph in another text
When crusaders conquered Jerusalem they killed almost all Muslims, Jews and a majority of non-Catholic Christians. When Muslims re-conquered the same city after 88 years under the leadership of Sultan Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi all non-Muslims were protected and their places of worship and institutions were also protected. No revenge was taken for what had happened 88 years earlier. Instead, Muslims helped Christians and Jews to rebuild their Synagogues and churches that were destroyed.
I was under the belief that during the crusades as the holy lands swapped hands there was a general wonton slaughter by both sides.
and now ive found this~
Unlike the Crusaders of 1099, Saladin spared the inhabitants of Jerusalem from bloodshed or injury!42-44
yeah alright i saw that in the movie too, cool guy he was~ As far as i can tell in 15minutes of googleing at least. the muslims didnt massacre any populations of any towns that changed hands during the crusades.
