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| Reference Material |
| Durian
By Amina Rasul Pope Benedict: what were you thinking? During the 9/11 commemorative forum organized by the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy (Is the World a Safer Place ?); there was consensus on two points: First, NO! The world is not safer. Second, military operations alone will not neutralize terrorism. We need to secure peace by building bridges, thru dialogues and mutual understanding, by lessening discrimination and hatred. Human rights lawyer Nasser Marohomsalic warned that �The more radical the oppression, the more radical the movements for freedom�. While Dr. Michael Clancy of the Philippine Business Leaders Forum talked about how businessmen are more concerned with the global economy rather than terrorism, Lebanon Honorary Consul Joseph Assad shared statements of individuals who were worried about a repeat of 9/11, that the world is now a more dangerous place to live in. The other speakers spoke of how to close the gap and prevent the Clash. Dr Steven Rood of The Asia Foundation said �There should be a �genuine dialogue� amongst Christians and between Muslims and Christians�. Dr. Clarita Carlos focused on the politics of language and meaning in the ongoing war against terror. She stressed the importance of semantics in any diplomatic dialogue. Dr. Carlos said that the US is defining the nature of the war against terror in its own terms (e.g., �You are with us, or against us.�). These pronouncements by the US President tend to be simplistic, and overlook the complexity of the reality of terrorism. Language has implications � �Muslims,� �Moors,� �Muslim World� � and we have to be careful how we use language. For ANC Channel head Maria Ressa, the world is caught in the grips of an ideological battle, with terror groups like the Al-Qaeda and the Jemaah Islamiyah successful in using Islam as the rallying point for their recruitment. Thus, she stressed that the moderate majority of the Islamic world ought to be heard more and reclaim the true meaning of Islam away from the violent terrorist groups. Thus, it was with alarm that I read Pope Benedict XVI�s controversial speech on September 12 at Regensburg University in Germany, quoting a14th Century Byzantine Christian Emperor regarding the issue of jihad: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." First, he quoted Emperor Manuel Paleologus II, whose father, Emperor John V, had to deal with a strong Turkish empire which had conquered Thrace and Macedonia , destroyed and conquered the Serbian Empire in 1389. Manuel, towards the end of his reign, was preoccupied dealing with a fragmented Turkish empire which continued to be a danger to the city. Why quote a Christian emperor whose lineage was associated with the Crusades and who was at war with Muslim Turks? Pope Benedict even surmised that �The emperor must have known that surah 2, 256 reads: "There is no compulsion in religion"�. Then, Pope Benedict goes on to say �According to the experts, this is one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat�. Does the Pope imply that, had the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) been strong at the time, that sura 2:256 would not have been made? Leaders of the church, please explain to us exactly what the Pope was thinking at the time. How could such a sophisticated leader (who has been photographed wearing Prada shoes) make such a statement? And please explain to us why the political/military expansion of the Turkish rulers is any different from the political/military operations of the Crusades. Pope Urban called for the First Crusade in 1095. He urged: �Men of God, men chosen and blessed among all, combine your forces! Take the road to the Holy Sepulcher assured of the imperishable glory that awaits you in God's kingdom. Let each one deny himself and take the Cross!� A red cross was their emblem. Crux is Latin for cross, thus Crusade. (From Anne W. Carroll) Muslim leaders around the world have demanded an apology from Pope Benedict. The Vatican has started damage-control, clarifying that Islam was not the focus of the speech. Coming from the Pope, and not from an obscure Scandinavian newspaper, I worry about the backlash. Pope Benedict�s controversial statement neutralizes the effort of the moderate majority to reclaim Islam from the image portrayed by Al-Qaeda. In today�s world, words are a major weapon. Words can break bones. Perhaps Dr. Clare Carlos and Maria Ressa should have a chat with the Pope. |