Monday, September 18, 2006

Salman Rushdie ...

... on the Pope.

7 comments:

  1. Hi Frank,

    I've left a comment on both the blogs whose posts you linked. Maybe what is needed is more open dialogue. A deeper undertanding of one another. It would do wonders for tolerance. And when you take the Pope's speech apart, you realise that while he called for dialogue, his bits of choice text were somewhat counter productive.

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  2. Thanks for posting your comment, Saaleha. I do agree that more open dialogue is needed. But I also think that what is needed is for good Muslims to speak out against those who would exploit their faith for evil ends. If a fanatical anti-abortion Catholic bombs an abortion clinic, Church leaders will be among the first to denounce the act. There has yet to be any Muslim statement of regret for what happened on Sept. 11, 2001. And now we have at least one Muslim cleric declaring that the Pope must die. Islam has a problem with certain people calling themselves Muslims. And only Islam can deal with it.

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  3. actually. there were numerous statements from clerics and muslims post 9/11 denouncing the acts of terrorism. but these voices don't get heard because the media get more mileage out of reporting on the commnets of those pro terrorism. I am part of the Islamic Writers Alliance. One of the first things that jumps out at you on the web page is a statement declaring that we do not support terror. Muslim organisations have mushroomed to propogate this message. Why aren't you listening?

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  4. and another little thing, Roger didn't bother posting my comment. Perhaps he is one of those freedom loving souls who loves free speech for himself, and those who share his views only.

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  5. Well, Saaleha, I stand corrected and I should have known better. The ranters always get the publicity, don't they? You can be sure that your comments will be stay posted here. Please stay in touch.

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  6. Well all I see from this situation is that the Muslim world is up in arms because the Pope repeated a statement made a life time ago about Islam being evil and violent.

    So what was the Islamic response to that...they burned up some churches, attacked people and shot a nun in the back...four times.

    ...and their point was....

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  7. Dear Bonnie,

    I have no answer to why they did what they did. But I still believe that situations such as these should be the catalyst to dialogue that will foster a better understanding and mutual respect amongst all peoples. We are, after all, more alike than we are different.

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