5:14?PM Sun Feb Subject: POPE JOHN PAUL*S PLANNED APOLOGY From: Hidajat Sjarif Begin forwarded message: Pope John Paul plans to issue a"COMPREHENSIVE APOLOGY" for the past errors of the Roman Catholic Church,and there was a growing backlash against it from many top clerics.Pope John Paul*s intention to apologize for such episodes as the inquisition,the Crusaders and the treatment of the Jews.The apology will include the episode of violence perpetrated by Christians.....directly contrary to the commandment of Jesus of Nazareth and therefore sinful.Christian recourse to arms during the religious wars,the St.Bartholomew*s Day massacre of the Huguenots in France in 1572,the trial of Galileo,and the failure of Catholic Church leaders to prevent the Nazi massacres of Jews in the second world war.I would agree with Pope John Paul*s plan to apologize especially on the issue of cannibalism and barbarism of the crusaders.There is certainly plenty to apologize for 40 000 Muslims and 6000 Jews were slaughtered and butchered in just 36 hours.The crusaders practised cannibalism,they developed a taste for human meat on the trek to Jerusalem.The massacre of Muslims and Jews by Christian Crusaders was most intense in the area by the Temple of Solomon.However,the blame for this cannibalism and barbarism must be put mainly on the Pope Urban the second,it was this Pope who urged Christians to "TAKE THE ROAD TO THE HOLY SEPULCHER,RESCUE THAT LAND FROM A DREADFUL RACE AND RULE OVER IT YOURSELVES".Pope John Paul*s plan to apologize is a testament to the enduring power of what happened to the Muslims and the Jews in Jerusalem 900 years ago that Catholic Church feels the need to ask forgiveness for it.Whether it will be understood in those terms is more debatable.Many of the Muslims and Jews of Jerusalem seem to think that the apology is just one more attempt to convert them to Christianity.The conversion of Jews and Muslims was,after all,one goal of the original Crusade. Hidajat Sjarif, Canada ------------------------------------------------------------------------ To Post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eGroups eLerts! It?s easy. It?s fun. Best of all, it?s free. http://click.egroups.com/1/1231/4/_/385097/_/950173124/ -- Easily schedule meetings and events using the group calendar! -- http://www.egroups.com/cal?listname=dunia-islam&m=1
