Pope & Islam

The Pope and Islam

Recently the “Pope” otherwise known as the “Holy See” drew the ire of Muslims. He quoted a 14^th Century Byzantine Emperor who regarded the teachings of Mohammad as “evil and inhumane.” Immediately the Muslim community condemned the Pope’s remarks and called for an apology. They regard Mohammad as “The Prophet” and to criticize him is to commit heresy.

Riots broke out in Muslim nations. Two churches were set on fire in the West Bank, other Catholic Churches were attacked; and a nun was shot and killed in Somalia . Other acts of violence have occurred since the speech by Benedict XVI. On September 18^th the Pope said he was sorry those in the Muslim community were upset by his earlier speech. In response some Muslims seem to be satisfied and others are saying the Pope’s “apology” is not enough. One Muslim group issued one of those holy war type statements saying the worshipper of the cross must die. This raises two interesting points.

The church burnings, riots, and killing prove the point that the 14^th Century Byzantine Emperor spoke. (There are extremists in any religion that give it a bad name. There are supposed “Christians” who beat up a homosexual or those who bomb a clinic for aborting babies. They do great harm to the cause.) The difference is the teachings of Mohammad were inflammatory. The Koran contains passages that condemn infidels and tell its followers to cut off their heads. The very fact that the “moderates” in the Muslim religion will not criticize the radicals helps to prove the point that the teachings of Mohammad are violent. Let us look at the fruits of those that are doing what the Koran teaches. They kill innocent people, burning down church buildings, and threatening that those that disagree with them. "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. (Luke 6:43-44)

By the Pope saying he regretted quoting the 14^th Century Byzantine Emperor, he is admitting he made a mistake in judgment. However, the Catholic Church maintains that the Pope when speaking is “Jesus Christ here on earth…He is the true Vicar of Christ, the head of the entire church, the father and teacher of all Christians. He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas …God himself on earth.” (From the New York Catechism) The Catholic Church maintains that the Pope as a man is fallible but when he is speaking ex-cathedra he is infallible. Over the last 10 years Pope John Paul II admitted that earlier Popes made mistakes. This may be the first time a sitting Pope admitted he misspoke. If the Pope said “I made a mistake” he admitted to being just a man. So much for Papal infallibility, being Jesus Christ here on earth, and being God himself, as Catholic dogma, he contradicted those teachings. This is the problem the Catholic Church faces today.

Jesus was perfect, without sin, and never had to apologize for what He said. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb 4:15). He is the only head of the church, “He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality” (1 Tim 6:15-16a). No man has the right to claim to be God here on earth.

The religion of Islam can not be reconciled with the Bible and neither can the practices and teachings of the Catholic Church. Both religions leave man in a lost condition. D. T.

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