Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb, who as grand imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar is the foremost cleric in Sunni Islam, met up again with his pal Pope Francis in Bahrain on Friday and gave us one of the best episodes yet of their ongoing buddy-movie series. Whenever these two get together, they always serve up fresh steaming piles of cynical deception, Islamic proselytizing, and Leftist agitprop, and Friday’s episode was no different. In fact, it was one of the most outstanding examples yet of how Islamic leaders use interreligious dialogue to further their own ends, playing their naïve Christian counterparts for fools again and again.
At the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue, according to Church Militant, al-Tayyeb asserted that “what is said and promoted from time to time about the institution of war in Islam against the infidels is not true. Indeed, it is a real lie about Islam and the life of its prophet, even if this is affirmed by some followers of the same religion, a religion that is based on evidence and testimony, not on ambiguity and lies.” The “lie” that al-Tayyeb had in mind was the readily demonstrable proposition that Islam is the only major world religion that has a developed doctrine involving warfare against the subjugation of unbelievers. Despite statements to that effect from numerous Muslim clerics and the undeniable evidence of over 42,000 violent jihad attacks worldwide since 9/11, al-Tayyeb insisted that it was all a misunderstanding.
We have, of course, heard this song before, and al-Tayyeb was aware of that, telling the pope: “I hope you are not bored with the constant claims that Islam is a religion of peace and equality.” Pope Francis, of course, was just the opposite of bored. He can’t get enough of that sort of thing, as back in 2013 he himself declared, with imperviousness to facts and evidence that was truly breathtaking, that “authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence.”
Why is this so hard for Westerners to grasp? Well, it’s largely because it isn’t remotely true, but as far as al-Tayyeb was concerned, it was because Muslim scholars have been less than “diligent in letting Westerners know about true Islam.” He said that they should “continue to highlight what Islam encompasses in terms of lofty ideals, human brotherhood and cooperation, and other commonalities that the West and East agree on and welcome.” Yeah, good idea. Maybe he can explain where exactly the Qur’an calls for “human brotherhood and cooperation” with non-Muslims, whom the Islamic holy book calls “the most vile of created beings” (98:6).
Al-Tayyeb didn’t get close to dealing with that Qur’an verse and others like it. He was too busy playing to his audience, knowing that a doctrinaire Leftist such as Pope Francis would be thrilled to hear about how the Big Bad West could learn from the wise, benign, serene East: “Western culture should not be represented as the only civilized society and as the standard for judging other cultures. Any interference with other cultures is an abuse of power. The West needs the wisdom of the East, its religious and moral values upon which its people were raised, as well as its balanced view of man, the universe, and our Creator,” so as “not to be blinded by putting the ephemeral before the eternal.”
Church Militant notes that “while Pope Francis did not make any explicit reference to the Triune God or the Holy Bible, the highest-ranking cleric in the Sunni-Muslim world introduced and ended his address with an Islamic blessing and unapologetically quoted the Quran several times in his text.” At one point, al-Tayyeb asked: “What is the relationship between people according to the philosophy of the Qur’an? The only way to make this relationship work is knowledge, which is how Allah has established the interactions and relationships between people. The Qur’an says it clearly: ‘O humanity! Indeed, we created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may get to know one another. Surely, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware,’ (Qur’an 49:13).”
Gee, that sounds great, but unfortunately, it is not even close to being the Qur’an’s last or only word on such matters. As I told Church Militant, Al-Tayyeb’s statements demonstrated yet again that for all too many Islamic leaders, if not all, interreligious dialogue is a vehicle for dawah, Islamic proselytizing, not genuine give-and-take. His copious quotations from the Qur’an, while Francis fastidiously refrained from quoting the Bible, show once again how one-sided this “dialogue” really is: the self-abnegation and deference are all on the Christian side, while the Muslim side retains a resolute self-awareness and doesn’t move toward the other side even an inch.
Meanwhile, al-Tayyeb’s exposition of Islam was highly inaccurate and misleading; among the many salient Qur’an passages he did not quote are “Fight them until there is no more persecution and religion is all for Allah” (8:39), which is an open-ended declaration of war against unbelievers, and “Muhammad is the apostle of Allah. Those who follow him are ruthless to unbelievers, merciful to one another” (48:29), which belies claims he made about Islam teaching that “peace and knowledge” should guide relationships between people. Even if he knew how deceptive al-Tayyeb was being, which he almost certainly did not, Francis wouldn’t have dreamed of contradicting him publicly or asking him any pointed questions. He willingly and happily played the useful idiot and dhimmi.
That’s the state of interfaith dialogue in this enlightened year 2022.
The sooner this foolish pope, a true wolf in sheep’s clothing, leaves the scene, the better. How these Muslim clerics must be sniggering at the man’s naivete and gullibility. One can only hope that the next pope will be made of sterner stuff, upholding the time-honoured values and traditions of the Catholic Church and will have no truck with these enemies of Christianity. I’m not holding my breath, though, given the currently liberal-packed Sacred College of Cardinals, many appointed by Bergoglio.
When you are an unreconstructed Communist, as Red Francis is, it is easy to understand why he would come out with such pablum as “authentic Islam and the proper reading of the Koran are opposed to every form of violence.”
Obviously, the actual human adherents to Islam are not opposed to every form of violence. Red Frances is Islam’s mole and stooge in the Catholic Church.
This article reveals that this “grand imam” might really be able to have Pope Francis play the part of his “useful Idiot.”
It might also be worth mentioning that only a few years ago on Conservative talk radio some guest scholars had been speculating on a theory that higher up Roman Catholic clerics at the Vatican had started to take into consideration that Pope Benedict XVI was too strong when it came to the subject of Islam. So those Vatican knowing how very violent with bombs and other deadly devises might become offend by some of the statements thta Pope Benedict had had said , So they began to worry that some jihadists might start bombing churches, cathedrals monasteries and shrines of the Roman Catholic Church.
Therefore, they pressured Benedict to resign and then they replaced him with a pope who is very favorable towards Islam. That man is Pope Francis.
Didn’t Jesus say “I am the truth, the way and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
That was 600 years before Mo entered the scene; does Francis not see the contradiction that Islam presents?
As a Roman Catholic,I have to say our Pope has nothing to be ashamed of,and is as much an exceptional example of a leader,secular or religious,as we see today.While a Pope is obligated to Church Dogma,more or less,Pope Francis has made statements that somewhat bridge Catholic doctrine and shows empathy to communities who feel a lesser part of the Church.
Pope Francis does need to take an Anti-Zionist,anti-Apartheid position,rather than kowtow to the Jewish community.
No matter what we think about Islam,.and we should not hold back on it’s readily apparent flaws,it is a Faith that has millions of followers,most whom are good,decent people,no different than Jews.Again,our Pope should not hesitate to point out the crimes, sins,and flaws committed by Apartheid Jews and followers of Fundamentalist Islam,especially when these crimes,and sins are committed against fellow Christians. Just sayin’. Quote me.Please.
Ron, I thought this important so, I have to write it in multiple parts.
I’m not sure if you are aware, but Pope Francis has advocated for a new world order and one world religion for several years. There are numerous articles on-line where you can read his statements.
If he is a Christian, then he is supposed to be pointing people to Jesus, not leading them astray by saying all religions are equal or simply different ways to God.
He should adhere to the Bible, which is clear.
In John 14:6 . “Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Jesus also commanded that Christians go into all the world and preach the Gospel. (Mark 16:1)
(Continued)
(Part Two)
The Gospel isn’t about diplomacy. It’s about giving people the life saving message, that we are all sinners who have fallen short of God’s glory
(Rom. 3:23)
That the wages of our sin is death, which is eternal separation from God, in a place called hell.
But, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord
(Rom. 6:23).
The Bible tells us, “God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
(Rom 5:8).
Also, in Romans 10:9, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
And Ephesians 2:8-9, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast”
(Continued in Part 3)
(Part 3)
That’s the Gospel. It is the good news to humanity, that through a personal faith in Christ, we can be forgiven, justified, sanctified and no longer under condemnation for our sins.
The Bible also makes it clear about those who preach a false Gospel, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8)
Why are they under God’s curse?
Because they are lying about God’s redemptive plan for humanity, thereby leading people to hell.
Pope Francis is not an example of an exceptional leader. He preaches a false gospel; that all religions lead to God.
He is an apostate.
We can take it from God’s own Word.
May God bless you.
The Violin has broken Strings and is way out of Tune
An ever-growing number of Catholics know that Francis is a fraud and a curse upon the Church. Yet for millions, his corrupting influence remains staggering.
YUK 🤢. That picture says a thousand words.