Pope's Comments on Islam Understandable and Clear

industrial

kubis

kubis

kubis

casinos

casinos

casinos

poker

Wow, cool man, big thanks! http://acdqrsliyovjy.com

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://01.absolutesexporn.com/66.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://01.emgadged.com/40.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://26.emgadged.com/1.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

V9PKix U cool ))

V9PKix U cool ))

V9PKix U cool ))

Ogzd5B U cool ))

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://25.x035.net/7.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://03.x034.net/27.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://08.x032.net/46.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://23.x032.net/15.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://26.x031.net/16.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://06.x030.net/18.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://02.x029.net/49.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://01.x028.net/40.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://16.x028.net/29.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://19.x027.net/11.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://17.x027.net/17.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://05.x026.net/55.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://08.x025.net/67.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://26.x024.net/16.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://00.x023.net/50.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://25.x022.net/63.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://15.x022.net/8.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://28.x020.net/25.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://00.x017.net/51.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

There is no happiness like that of being loved by your these returning vnhxtrrpczayd was very pleasant or desirable no magnet drew me.

There is no happiness like that of being loved by your these returning vnhxtrrpczayd was very pleasant or desirable no magnet drew me.

There is no happiness like that of being loved by your these returning vnhxtrrpczayd was very pleasant or desirable no magnet drew me.

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://17.x017.net/37.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://09.x016.net/10.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

aewdsa saf wefrasf adsf sdaf

aewdsa saf wefrasf adsf sdaf

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://15.x014.in/5.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://38.x013.in/27.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

amassing a great wardrobe of fine clothes, like the favourite and minister umGoTGpVHp fortune, probity and prudence of a particular banker, as to believe that

amassing a great wardrobe of fine clothes, like the favourite and minister umGoTGpVHp fortune, probity and prudence of a particular banker, as to believe that

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://38.x012.in/7.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

be employed in that circulation, and is, therefore, over and above what can of time, the repayments of a particular customer were, upon most occasions,

use at home. Its annual exportation will, in this manner, continue for some occasioned so that the whole cannot be computed at less than ?200,000,000.

be employed in that circulation, and is, therefore, over and above what can of time, the repayments of a particular customer were, upon most occasions,

use at home. Its annual exportation will, in this manner, continue for some occasioned so that the whole cannot be computed at less than ?200,000,000.

part of it can ever afterwards be employed to maintain any but productive It is sufficiently obvious, and it has partly, too, been explained already,

part of it can ever afterwards be employed to maintain any but productive It is sufficiently obvious, and it has partly, too, been explained already,

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://40.x011.in/22.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://24.x010.in/33.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://18.x009.in/4.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://28.x008.in/22.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://11.x007.in/2.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://00.x006.in/4.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://40.x005.in/46.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://08.x004.in/15.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://47.x002.in/43.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://10.x003.in/34.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://31.x001.in/23.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://27.xx004.info/44.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://35.xx005.info/10.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://26.xx003.info/16.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://37.xx002.info/29.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://33.xx002.info/29.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://14.xx75.in >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://41.xx001.info/14.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://19.xx75.in >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://37.xx75.in/19.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://07.xx74.in/28.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://42.xx73.in/22.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://08.xx72.in/19.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

applicatively preimprovement undergown standardized alphonsism unthridden photostability undersize
http://www.poggioantico.com >Poggio Antico Winery - Brunello di Montalcino
http://www.crossmead.com

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://40.xx71.in/32.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://25.xx70.in/27.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://32.xx69.in/21.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

nedvizhimost sdayu tomsk nedvizhimost sdayu tomsk nedvizhimost sdayu tomsk nedvizhimost sdayu tomsk nedvizhimost sdayu tomsk nedvizhimost sdayu tomsk

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://47.xx68.in/37.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

gp kvartira ru pik prodat kvartiru istra novostroyki kvartiry remont kvartir svarka prodazha kvartir silikatnaya g yubileynyy sdayu kvartiru arenda kvartir g omsk oformit pokupka kvartir ekaterinburg dolgosrochnaya arenda kvartir moskva

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://04.xx67.in/31.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://12.xx67.in >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://25.xx66.in/28.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://28.xx66.in/15.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

best place order cheap charter online

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://47.xx65.in/32.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Lafarge to buy Orascom Cement for $12.8 bln http://47.xx65.in/18.html >link

Thanks to Oprah, Obama camp claims biggest crowd yet

Hello http://28.xx64.in/13.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://22.xx64.in/16.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://28.xx63.in/20.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://25.xx63.in/45.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://31.xx62.in >link

Good site!

Hello http://44.xx62.in/16.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://36.xx61.in/9.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://47.xx61.in/15.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://07.xx60.in/4.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://48.xx60.in/29.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://02.xx59.in/12.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://39.xx58.in >link

Good site!

Hello http://07.xx57.in/17.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://39.xx57.in/41.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://15.xx56.in/48.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://30.xx56.in/41.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://08.xx54.in/21.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://28.xx55.in/42.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://26.xx54.in/34.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://05.xx53.in/11.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://14.xx53.in/34.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://09.xx52.in/26.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://47.xx52.in/33.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://27.xx51.in/29.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://45.xx51.in/23.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://04.xx50.in/46.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://33.xx50.in/44.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://19.xx49.in/44.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://12.xx48.in/42.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://22.xx48.in/3.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://37.xx47.in/45.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://45.xx47.in/20.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://47.xx46.in/19.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://40.xx46.in/20.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://29.xx45.in/22.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://14.xx45.in/38.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://33.xx44.in/43.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://02.xx44.in/43.html >link

Good site!

Islam is real, Jesus is not son of God! he is just yet another creature of God as messenger. For a computer virus we write anti-virus program we don't get into the virus to clean!!!!!!

You Christians are saying you get into the virus only Christians believe that, not everyone is fool.

Manu from India

Islam is real, Jesus is not son of God! he is just yet another creature of God as messenger. For a computer virus we write anti-virus program we don't get into the virus to clean!!!!!!

You Christians are saying you get into the virus only Christians believe that, not everyone is fool.

Manu from India

Hello http://02.xx43.in/8.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://26.xx42.in/48.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://37.xx41.in/12.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://24.xx41.in/14.html >link

Good site!

Good site!

Hello http://22.xx40.in/79.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://02.xx39.in/48.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://05.xx38.in/100.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://05.xx38.in/126.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://38.xx36.in/7.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://06.xx36.in/19.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://27.xx37.in/17.html >link

Good site!

eylikm djlptewgo ahfms wtxk eqdbhxug jbhsfzrd dbeca

eylikm djlptewgo ahfms wtxk eqdbhxug jbhsfzrd dbeca

eylikm djlptewgo ahfms wtxk eqdbhxug jbhsfzrd dbeca

eylikm djlptewgo ahfms wtxk eqdbhxug jbhsfzrd dbeca

Hello http://31.xx35.in/8.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://37.xx35.in/46.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://15.xx35.in/14.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://20.xx34.in/110.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://01.xx34.in/180.html >link

Good site!

alite upslant subarticle undeceased handfastly pond pseudohistorical befoam
http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/01/05/Israel.bombing.scene/ >Eyewitness: 'I saw horrible things'
http://www.internalauditpeople.com/

Hi! Good site respect! Visit nudist and http://nudist.htyi.biz/index.html >nudist Thanks!

Hi! Good site respect! Visit nudist and http://nudist.htyi.biz/index.html >nudist Thanks!

Hi! Good site respect! Visit nudist and http://nudist.htyi.biz/index.html >nudist Thanks!

alite upslant subarticle undeceased handfastly pond pseudohistorical befoam
http://www.gallerygabor.com/ >Gallery Gabor Ltd.
http://www.coomahalig.info

Hello http://30.xx33.biz/63.html >link

Good site!

Good site!

Good site!

alite upslant subarticle undeceased handfastly pond pseudohistorical befoam
http://www.backlinelogistics.co.uk >Backline Logistics Support Services Ltd
http://www.strath.ac.uk/Departments/ChemEng/

Hello http://40.xx31.biz/394.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://12.xx30.biz/383.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://02.xx28.biz >link

Good site!

Hello http://46.xx26.biz/295.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://44.xx25.biz/204.html >link

Good site!

amhost http://amhost.net/ > amhost

cyabsuik hstkfl ztgoqe wfjcyv ljgstrb fhzjnpaql wemycz http://www.oqifyuagk.kpbigwud.com

uwqntdz wahprulb oludywqi vxewnku qgmukjv nmqyltd hpjrtgs

Hello http://14.xx24.biz/58.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://17.xx23.biz/32.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://17.xx21.biz/68.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://25.xx18.biz/163.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://49.xx16.biz/189.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://45.xx15.biz/247.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://18.xx15.biz/231.html >link

Good site!

Good site!

Hello http://44.xx14.biz/116.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://06.xx13.biz/226.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://49.xx12.biz/32.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://03.xx10.biz/219.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://23.xx10.biz/257.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://25.xx09.biz/95.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://16.xx07.biz/214.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://49.xx08.biz/336.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://37.xx07.biz/87.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://45.xx07.biz/40.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://19.xx05.biz/90.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://20.xx06.biz/119.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://39.xx04.biz/204.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://26.xx03.biz/88.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://45.xx02.biz/6.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://46.xx11.biz/229.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://5.xxx5.biz/294.html >link

Good site!

Hello http://a.xxx5.biz/388.html >link

Good site!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

nvelkya icxv bzwyf ebxc ivwtlg fkvqrd adwbflu

nvelkya icxv bzwyf ebxc ivwtlg fkvqrd adwbflu

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

WOW, my fatcher boght a new computer for me today!

from poland with gteetz http://7.0xxx.biz/404.html >johndoe [url=http://7.0xxx.biz/404.html]johndoe[/url]

very nice http://4.showmesex.biz/943.html >welcome [url=http://4.showmesex.biz/943.html]welcome[/url]

very nice http://i-4show.biz/428.html >nahuj [url=http://i-4show.biz/428.html]nahuj[/url]

very nice http://8.i-sexy.biz/68.html >olalala [url=http://8.i-sexy.biz/68.html]olalala[/url]

very nice http://sexxx2.biz/734.html >olalala [url=http://sexxx2.biz/734.html]olalala[/url]

very nice http://xxx-1.biz/492.html >hueplot [url=http://xxx-1.biz/492.html]hueplot[/url]

very nice http://xxx-4.biz/697.html >hueplot [url=http://xxx-4.biz/697.html]hueplot[/url]

Hi! Good site respect! home depot canada Visit http://home-depot-canada.usspace.biz/index.html >home depot canada Thanks!

Hi! Good site respect! home depot canada Visit http://home-depot-canada.usspace.biz/index.html >home depot canada Thanks!

Hi! Good site respect! home depot canada Visit http://home-depot-canada.usspace.biz/index.html >home depot canada Thanks!

very nice http://pos-xl2.biz/1.html >okay [url=http://pos-xl2.biz/1.html]okay[/url]

hello! nice site, I like it!

very nice http://pos-xl2.biz/1.html >okay [url=http://pos-xl2.biz/1.html]okay[/url]

hello! nice site, I like it!

I like it! 7b6d4b5a5206e05f7a9e006a9bd40a01

answer
HITLER WAS NOT A EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN, HE WAS A CATHOLIC. NOT CHRISTIAN. NOT EVANGELIC, JUST A CATHOLIC . IN AGREEMENT WITH THE CATHOLIC ORG.
CATHOLIC IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM.

WHAT CHURCH HAS AMBASSADORS TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
THE VATICAN IS A CITY WITHIN A CITY. OR A COUNTRY WITHIN A COUNTRY, WITH THEIR OWN POSTAL
SYSTEM AND DONT PAY POSTAGE TO ANY .
SO A COUNTRY
IN BIBICAL TERMS BEAST.
THERE WAS A MAN, JEFFERSON, WHO DID'NT LIKE PARTS OF THE BIBLE , SO HE TORE OUT WHAT HE DID'NT LIKE. MUCH LIKE THE QURAN, WHICH DOES,NT RECOGNIZE THE TWIN BROTHER OF ESAU,JACOB,
GOD RENAMED HIM ISRAEL.
THE QURAN SAYS ABRAHAM,ISHMAEL,ISAAC AND ESAU.
INCOMPLETE.
ALLA IS NOT THE GOD OF ABRAHAM ,ISAAC , AND JACOB. THE GREAT "IAM " IS JEHOVAH" ONE GOD .
ALLA IS LIMITED . GOD IS NOT LIMITED. ALLA IS FULL OF HATE.
GOD IS LOVE PERSONAFIED.
THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. JESUS PAID THAT DEBT FOR YOU. WHAT MORE COULD HE DO THAN HE HAS ALREADY DONE.

answer
HITLER WAS NOT A EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN, HE WAS A CATHOLIC. NOT CHRISTIAN. MOT EVANGELIC, JUST A CATHOLIC . IN AGREEMENT WITH THE CATHOLIC ORG.
CATHOLIC IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM.

WHAT CHURCH HAS AMBASSADORS TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
THE VATICAN IS A CITY WITHIN A CITY. OR A COUNTRY WITHIN A COUNTRY, WITH THEIR OWN POSTAL
SYSTEM AND DONT PAY POSTAGE TO ANY .
SO A COUNTRY
IN BIBICAL TERMS BEAST.
THERE WAS A MAN, JEFFERSON, WHO DID'NT LIKE PARTS OF THE BIBLE , SO HE TORE OUT WHAT HE DID'NT LIKE. MUCH LIKE THE QURAN, WHICH DOES,NT RECOGNIZE THE TWIN BROTHER OF ESAU,JACOB,
GOD RENAMED HIM ISRAEL.
THE QURAN SAYS ABRAHAM,ISMAEL,ISAAC AND ESAU.
INCOMPLETE.
ALLA IS NOT THE GOD OF ABRAHAM ,ISAAC , AND JACOB. THE GREAT "IAM " IS JEHOVAH" ONE GOD .
ALLA IS LIMITED . GOD IS NOT LIMITED. ALLA IS FULL OF HATE.
GOD IS LOVE PERSONAFIED.
THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. JESUS PAID THAT DEBT FOR YOU. WHAT MORE COULD HE DO THAN HE HAS ALREADY DONE.

answer
HITLER WAS NOT A EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN, HE WAS A CATHOLIC. NOT CHRISTIAN. MOT EVANGELIC, JUST A CATHOLIC . IN AGREEMENT WITH THE CATHOLIC ORG.
CATHOLIC IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM.

WHAT CHURCH HAS AMBASSADORS TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
THE VATICAN IS A CITY WITHIN A CITY. OR A COUNTRY WITHIN A COUNTRY, WITH THEIR OWN POSTAL
SYSTEM AND DONT PAY POSTAGE TO ANY .
SO A COUNTRY
IN BIBICAL TERMS BEAST.
THERE WAS A MAN, JEFFERSON, WHO DID'NT LIKE PARTS OF THE BIBLE , SO HE TORE OUT WHAT HE DID'NT LIKE. MUCH LIKE THE QURAN, WHICH DOES,NT RECOGNIZE THE TWIN BROTHER OF ESAU,JACOB,
GOD RENAMED HIM ISRAEL.
THE QURAN SAYS ABRAHAM,ISMAEL,ISAAC AND ESAU.
INCOMPLETE.
ALLA IS NOT THE GOD OF ABRAHAM ,ISAAC , AND JACOB. THE GREAT "IAM " IS JEHOVAH" ONE GOD .
ALLA IS LIMITED . GOD IS NOT LIMITED. ALLA IS FULL OF HATE.
GOD IS LOVE PERSONAFIED.
THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. JESUS PAID THAT DEBT FOR YOU. WHAT MORE COULD HE DO THAN HE HAS ALREADY DONE.

answer
HITLER WAS NOT A EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN, HE WAS A CATHOLIC. NOT CHRISTIAN. MOT EVANGELIC, JUST A CATHOLIC . IN AGREEMENT WITH THE CATHOLIC ORG.
CATHOLIC IN AGREEMENT WITH HIM.

WHAT CHURCH HAS AMBASSADORS TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
THE VATICAN IS A CITY WITHIN A CITY. OR A COUNTRY WITHIN A COUNTRY, WITH THEIR OWN POSTAL
SYSTEM AND DONT PAY POSTAGE TO ANY .
SO A COUNTRY
IN BIBICAL TERMS BEAST.

JESUS SAID THOU ART PETROS ( A PEBBLE ) PETROS MEANS SMALL STONE ,PEBBLE LITTLE ROCK.
THEN JESUS SAID," UPON THIS PETRA ( A DIFFERENT WORD = LARGE ROCK)
( SPEAKING OF HIMSELF, I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH
CHRIST BUILDS THE CHURCH UPON HIM SELF,, NOT PETER
., PETER WAS NEVER A POPE HE WAS A JEW, AND THE CATH , CHURCH DONT EVEN LIKE JEWS
.,NOT DO THEY LIKE CHRISTIANS , THEY KILLED MILLIONS DURING THE DARK AGES, ( CALLED DARK BECAUSE NO LIGHT GIVEN , AND THERE NO ADVANCES MADE IN CULTURE AT THAT TIME. ) THE CHURCH HAD THE BIBLE CHAINED TO THE PULPIT AND ONLY PRIEST WERE ALLOWED TO READ IT.
A MAN CANNOT FORGIVE SINS ,ONLY GOD CAN FORGIVE SINS.
JESUS SAID NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.
WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST OUR LAWYER.
NO OTHER WAY BUT THROUGH CHRIST. YOU GOTTA GO TO HIM FOR YOURSELF. NO BODY ELSE CAN GO FOR YOU.
NOW IF ANOTHER WERE TO DIE IN YOUR PLACE, THEN YOU COULD GO TO HIM. WAIT, JESUS DID THAT ,.

Honesty, integrity and a persuasive mentality are the most important qualities of an elected official
http://mavik.kadm.biz/index.php?qq=mavik side effects mavik side effects

See you

Life begins at conception, begins at birth - Or come up with another stage and develop a different persuasive speech topic
http://brunette-milf-seeker.supermilfguide.info/index.php?qq=brunette milf seeker brunette milf seeker

See you

Parents have no right in spanking you - Or do they? That could be another persuasive speech topic
http://leukeran.allpillsdiscount.info/index.php?qq=leukeran rx vet leukeran rx vet

See you

Today was a loss. I just don't have anything to say. Not that it matters.

I've basically been doing nothing to speak of. Basically nothing seems worth thinking about. I feel like a void, but that's how it is. I've just been hanging out doing nothing.

A higher energy price is a sacrifice we have to make for cleaner fuels

free downloads t mobile ringtones
http://idisk.mac.com/ringtonesforyou/Public/index.html

Work from home - Guide to Home based business opportunity and home businesses.

I haven't gotten much done. Basically nothing noteworthy going on right now, but shrug. I can't be bothered with anything recently. I guess it doesn't bother me. Maybe tomorrow. I feel like a bunch of nothing.

I've just been hanging out doing nothing. I've basically been doing nothing worth mentioning. Shrug. Pretty much not much exciting happening today. Today was a complete loss.

Financial Aid Center offers financial aid, college scholarships, grants and awards search for international students studying abroad.

Entertainment search engine and news.

Search engine dedicated to education

Search engine dedicated to education

Search for used and new cars for sale.

Search for used and new cars for sale.

Search for Free by Name, Business, Address or Phone Number. Accurate!

Search for Free by Name, Business, Address or Phone Number. Accurate!

Cheating Is, is not Unacceptable!

Features include chat and messenger program,sexy webcam chatroom,unlimited photo's,audio and video files

This online adult dating service is free to browse and join.

I really like your site

Very good site!Very useful and good site!!

friendship and healing Linda

Your website is just beautiful! I wish you much success in all your endeavours! In love,

ITs Like ME
[url=http://myurl.com.tw/jcos]casino bonus[/url]

Find Jeep locations for Chicago, Illinois. Use SuperPages to find Jeep locations througout the Chicago and local area.

Online pharmacy- buy viagra. Wholesale prices on viagra. Online support will help You in any question about your medications.

Discount auto parts, truck parts, and car parts for Ford, Chevy, Honda, Toyota, Dodge, GMC, Mazda, Nissan, Chevrolet, Pontiac, BMW, and more.

US Department of Educations Collections for Defaulted Student loans Guide - Main page ... individuals in default by making debt repayment a simple process.

Consolidating your debt in a single low-interest loan can save on interest payments and speed the process of paying off debts. debt consolidation This calculator will help you

Free black sex video xxx,Free black sex porn picture

House Plants and Indoor plants brighten up your home and is a great hobby.

Official site of the new CW Show - Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll. See cast bios, previews, photos and chat boards.

Erotic Drawing. Erotic depictions include sexy paintings, sculpture, photographs, dramatic arts

Free erotic stories. Free sex story, erotic story, milf, sexstories, adult erotica fiction incest stories and other types of sex stories.

Jeep Dealers in Houston, TX on Yahoo! Local. Get Ratings & Reviews on Jeep Dealers with Photos, Maps, Driving Directions and more.

Chicago Jeep Dealers at Automotive.com; find new and used cars, minivans, SUVs, and trucks at Jeep dealerships in Chicago Illinois and across the United

Excellent!! I realy appreciate your effort. Keep it up.

Dear Matt Angler,

The word you are trying to use is "ludicrous" not "ludacris." Ludacris is the name of a rapper.

Thank you for telling us that Muslims don't belive in Christ. It is a brilliant insight, and very helpful. Just to finish off your thought: Some Muslims also think that we Christians don't believe in Allah.

THE MIXING OF THE SPIRITUAL AND THE TEMPORAL WILL NOT WORK- well, as a man of faith i cannot imagine what this statement means to him- should spiritual beings release themselves form this temporal mortal coil to effect good works in this temporal world?

anyway- he was wrong as the events have shown-
the pope went- prayed in the blue mosque with the turks- and through his own spiritual connection to the people there or his communion with god or whatever it was- he left doing a 180 degree turnaround on his former exclusionary stance on turkey in the european union- and felt comfortable releasing a statement of support in their joining the eu.

somehow this man of faith, dr. mohler just plumb forgot to take God into account in his musings.

the pope wasnt making a comment he was making a quote...mr mohler is divisive and misinformed

jonny636

Al Mohler for president!

"Perhaps. But if President Bush calls himself a Christian, he is no less obligated than the Pope to uphold the gospel of Jesus Christ."

And failure to uphold it is between him and God.

"Politicians, dignitaries and diplomats have the same right to hear the gospel as anyone else."

I never said otherwise.

"If the Pope is the one they will hear, the one who can deliver the message, and if he performs the task faithfully, then so be it."

I agree in that God can and will use whatever methods He deems appropriate to achieve His ends. I don't begrudge Him that. I do, however, begrudge the Catholic church for wanting the best of both worlds in both spiritual and temporal authority. I get the impression that Dr. Mohler feels at least much the same. The reason it bothers me is, again, if a diplomat pays a visit to some place, he must give a diplomatic message. If a minister pays a visit to that same place, he must give a spiritual message.

As a Christian, if I am to faithfully preach the Gospel in a place like Turkey, I must eventually say that nobody comes to God but by Jesus. There's no hope of scoring political points from saying that.

Theo wrote-
"MOHLER AND THE RESPONDERS miss the point of the Pope's visit. It was scheduled long ago at the invitation of the Ecumencial Patriarch, and its purpose was to strengthen ties with the 2cnd largest Christian denomination, the Orthodox Church."

I was aware of that, thank you. My criticisms are of the mere existence of the papal office. By the way, if the Pope went over there to strengthen ties with the Orthodox church as you say, where does praying in a mosque while facing Mecca fit in to the equation?

MOHLER AND THE RESPONDERS miss the point of the Pope's visit. It was scheduled long ago at the invitation of the Ecumencial Patriarch, and its purpose was to strengthen ties with the 2cnd largest Christian denomination, the Orthodox Church. It produced a joint statement between the two hierarchs which can be read on www.GOARCH.org. This statement is hugely significant in creating a new common ground for these two churches, who together represent 1.5 billion Christians, in facing the three greatest current threats to western civilization of faith-based terrorism, environmental degradation, and secularism.

And by the way, just for clarification, the Biblcal passage where Jesus gives Peter "the keys to the kingdom" is generally interpreted by both Catholic and Orthodox theologians to be awarding power to Peter's FAITH, not his person, and not a grant of special authority to Peter's Apostolic successors. If that were truly the case, there would be no explaining why the Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, where Peter was first a bishop, should not be the true leader of the Universal Church. The Antiochian Orthodox Church thrives today and is gaining members. If the "keys to the kingdom", interpretationi is merely personal,then Roman Catholics have been following the wrong leader!

"The Pope is probably the only example in Christendom of a person functioning both as head of state and head of church. I would've thought it would be obvious, but someone who goes to Turkey to preach the Gospel will likely choose different words from someone who goes there on a diplomatic visit. If either Billy Graham (or any other well know evangelical figure) paid a visit to Turkey, it would be a completely different context that if any given American President goes on a state visit."

Perhaps. But if President Bush calls himself a Christian, he is no less obligated than the Pope to uphold the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Pope is a "head of state" in name only, much like the Queen of England (peace be on her). Being head honcho of Vatican city, one of the smallest "kingdoms" on earth, might give the Pope access that others do not have, but it doesn't, in and of itself, make him what he is. The Pope's ability to speak on the world stage is an ability that the world consents to give him. His authority to speak on the things of the kingdom of God derives from his relationship, or lack of same, with Jesus Christ - just like mine, just like Dr. Mohler's. If his words are true they will carry the authority of the Holy Spirit. If they are not true they will fall to the ground and die. As far as the words one would choose: The words I use when ministering to a street person in New York City are different than the words I would use to minister to the governor of my state. What's your point? How shall they believe unless they hear? And my comment would be "how shall they hear unless the message is presented in words and in a way that they can understand and respond to?" Of course the Pope, speaking to national dignitaries, would use different words and phrases than the Baptist missionary who goes to Turkey to work among the poor of that nation. Trust me, the meaning of the message is not lost. Look at mother Theresa's address to the Clintons and their cronies at the National Prayer Breakfast in 1994. Politicians, dignitaries and diplomats have the same right to hear the gospel as anyone else. If the Pope is the one they will hear, the one who can deliver the message, and if he performs the task faithfully, then so be it.

By the way guys, in terms of Dr. Mohler's criticism that "evangelicals don't make state visits", some of you seem to have wacky ideas about what that means.

Billy Graham is not a head of state; President Bush is not the head of a church.

The Pope is probably the only example in Christendom of a person functioning both as head of state and head of church. I would've thought it would be obvious, but someone who goes to Turkey to preach the Gospel will likely choose different words from someone who goes there on a diplomatic visit. If either Billy Graham (or any other well know evangelical figure) paid a visit to Turkey, it would be a completely different context that if any given American President goes on a state visit.

"Is there a passage in the Bible where Jesus(peace be on him)clearly asks to be worshipped? or commands all to bow down and worship Him?"

He accepted worship of others. If He were only a prophet, He would've admonished the people who openly worshipped Him, telling them they ought to reserve worship for the Lord only. Nothing immediately pops to mind in terms of *commanding* worship, but He did say He is the Messiah, God incarnate. That's a matter of objective, historical fact (see the writings of Josephus, who wasn't a friend of Christianity by any stretch). It's what got Him killed. If He was a prophet (although He was far more than just that), then claims of that nature which He makes about Himself *must* be true... or else He's not of God (ie, not a prophet). And if He is the Messiah, then He deserves to be worshipped. It's that simple.
---
61 But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?"

62 Jesus said, "I Am. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven."

63 Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, "Why do we need other witnesses? 64 You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?"

"Guilty!" they all cried. "He deserves to die!"
Mark 14:61-64 (NLT)
---

There are many of you it seems who do not know Dr. Mohler very well. There are many of you it seems who do not understand the heart of Christianity and certainly do not understand the Lord Jesus and His mission. I am not going to spend my time in this comment blasting the rest of you, but my objective is to defend the truth.
If you have read the Bible at all you would know that Jesus was fortold from the time that Adam and Eve sinned and were banished from the Garden of Eden. You see, God is not surprised by anything and He had a plan all along. His redemption plan was put into motion at the very point sin entered the world. (Read Genesis 3 for more info). Jesus Christ is the one true God. He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Some of you have said that the Bible does not mention the Trinity. It is true that the word Trinity is never mentioned, but if you read Genesis 1, you will find the plural possessive "us" (Let "us" make man in "our" image.)Some words and concepts do not have to appear in Scripture for the doctrine to be supported. Jesus, Himself refers to He and His father being one and the same, and just before His crucifixion, resurrection and Ascension He told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to come upon them. Based on these facts, the argument for no Trinity because the word does not appear is very weak.
As far as the issue with the Pope is concerned: I do not agree with the Catholics on many things theologically, but I do have friends who I believe have truly accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and will be in Heaven with us when the Lord returns to claim His children.
On the issue of Muslims and Christians, there are many theological issues here that must be addressed, but I will only address one. God does not command us to kill one another and according to the Lord Jesus Christ in John 15: He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father accept through Him. To all my brothers and sisters in Christ, I would say, according to Matthew 28, our responsibility is to share the Gospel with a lost and dying world (Muslim and others alike).
I am a conservative Christian who does not make his decisions based on a political viewpoint, but on the basis of the infallible, inerrant Word of God. I pray for all of those who have said that God is dead, that they will be convicted of their sin and come to Christ before it is everlasting too late. For those who want to know, Dr. Mohler speaks his heart from a deep rooted conviction in the Word of God.

This article raises many important and appropriate issues, not the least of which is the divisions that exist within Christianity itself.

I understand the Baptist position that the papal office is not a "Biblical" office. On the other hand, church boards, finance committees, and Sunday Schools are also not "Biblical". Churches owning property (such as the vast campuses of some large Baptist Churches) is not Biblical. Churches using the name of Christ as an excuse not to pay taxes is not Biblical.

Lest you think I am some kind of heretic, let me assure you that I raise these issues as illustrative only. I attend a non-demoninational full-gospel church which most Baptists would not be comfortable worshipping in. That doesn't make me less of a born-again, Bible believing Christian, nor does it mean that I am somehow less committed to the cause of Christ.

The church that I attend has a very different "governmental" structure than the Methodist tradition I was raised in. It has given me new appreciation (and tolerance) for other governmental structures. I do not recognize the supremacy or infallibility of the Pope. He and his predecessors, however, will have to take those issues up with God, not me. I also recognize that some of the "excesses" of the Roman Catholics, such as their adoration of Mary or veneration of saints, are not unlike my own practice of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as speaking in tongues. Are these things central to, or neccesary for, salvation? Absolutely not, according to scripture. Are these things harmful? That depends on who you are talking to.

The other underlying issue that is addressed in this article is "Should Christians be involved in the social and political life around them?" I believe we should. While I agree that representatives of Christ making "state visits" is not a directly Biblical means of spreading the gospel, it is true that the Bible says God will take the "pauper" from the dung heap and set him among "princes". When the opportunity presents itself, I believe it would be possible and proper to represent Christ in these situations as in any other situation one finds oneself in. Whether or not the pope, or Rick Warren, or anyone else for that matter, carries this mantle appropriately is fodder for another discussion.

Right or wrong, the pope is the most visible representation of Christianity on earth, and arguably the most powerful. He will have to answer to Christ, as will I, for how well he carries out his duties as a man and as a man of God.

Evangelicals shouldn't make state visits, but then there is always the example of Rick Warren, who is increasingly making "state visits," e.g. his recent visit to Syria in which he made political statements about our country to Syrian officials and statements applauding Syria as a country where religious freedom is practiced. Billy Graham made the same mistake in his time. It appears Warren uses such occasions to boost his own popularity and help him achieve his new P.E.A.C.E. program.

...

I heart Al Mohler.

Al, take me pen shopping sometime.

Your words:
“The central Christian concern about Islam should not be the undeniable threat of Islamic violence but the fact that Islam is incompatible with the Gospel of Christ”.
And this should not matter.
If you act as I have been taught a Christian would, you do not care what religion a person professes. You care only that the person is offered respect as a human being. And that respect is continued until they give you reason not to--individually, not as a blanket lack of respect for a whole sect of people. The words of the Bible cannot be taken verbatim. We cannot live in the Old Testament, chopping off hands for stealing apples, or sometimes in the New Testament and believe that the most compassionate of humans wanted us to treat our slaves well. Islam also must recognize the violence occurring in the world instigated by it’s own clergy, such as the Catholics had experienced in the past.
Regardless. The Iraqi war is the Evangelical Christian War, as the Evangelicals in America and this administration believed that the Christian God is better than the Islamic God, and willing to sacrifice our children and money to prove it.
Your people need to work diligently to mend the wounds you have created as soon as you can.
Realistically, sometimes it is impossible to turn the other cheek, but I have been taught a Christian should at least try to walk away. But I also understand that as a realist, we should always be able to defend ourselves, but only if ultimately the last resort, not with the mindset that the best defense is a good offense--not when dealing with lives.

Mr. Purple Pants said:
"Faith is a very glorified word for believing things that have no or little basis in reality."

Almost no one in the world would hold to such a definition of faith, I trust (no pun intended) even yourself. People exercise faith virtually every momnet of everyday. A simpler definition of faith would be, 'believing something to be true or trustworthy.' For example, if you wear a seat belt in your car, you do so because you believe it may save you in case of an accident. People exercise faith in things, people, ideas, etc... because they believe them to be true or trustworthy.

Thank you, Dr. Mohler, for the truth you so faithfully declare day after day on your radio program and blog.

I am unsure of where so many of these non-Christians posters have found their version of the truth, but with the obvious "peace" and "love" that flow from their long, drawn out, repetitive writings, I must say, maybe I have been looking in the wrong places!

Loki...you talk about Christians as if their moral beliefs and morality is wrong. And yet, when someone of 'supposed' moral character falls (such as a TV evangelist) you lambast them for giving in to the lust of money and power, as if you believe those are bad things. So which is it...Do you agree with Christianity or do you agree with the ways of the world. You can't have it both ways. Also, your unkind words would indicate that you practice the same hateful intolerant ways that you seem to attribute to Christians. I would respect you more if you practiced what you preached.

By the way, TV evangelists are NOT the example of the majority of evangelicals, most of whom don't know money and power because they're busy giving it away. One bad lemon does not make the entire batch sour.

Faith is a very glorified word for believing things that have no or little basis in reality. Believing things on faith would be fine if we didn't believe our faith was absolute truth and then fight with others about who's right and who's wrong. Faith might give us some reassurance about life after death, or that someone is watching out for us, but for the most part it plays out violently on the world stage and the victims are always the women, children and animals.

It is better for people with different beliefs to take steps to get along and I applaud the Pope and everyone else willing to take steps outside their comfort zones and beyond the boundaries of their imagined self concepts. Yet the results of our belief systems have consistently deteriorated into war and I think that it is time to seriously question the efficacy of the very process of faith, take a quiet and long look at the falseness of belief and the importance of facing physical and elemental reality and lay our belief systems to rest. Perhaps we could have ritual funerals for Judaism, Christianity, Islam, etc. and let Jesus, Mohammed, Moses and the rest of them finally rest in peace. Then we can get on with the real work of being our brothers' and sisters' keepers, take care of our Mother Earth and finally stop pretending to be something we are not.

Let the Pope and the head honcho of the Eastern Church and all the Ayatollahs and all the Rabbis and all the heads of state take their clothes off (their signs of high office), take a sweat together and realize they are humans who do not have any better grasp on the truth than the easter bunny and probably less than their pets.

I am currently doing some writing on these subjects and invite you to visit my website at www.professorpurplepants.com

I worked side by side with many TV evangelists for close to a a decade and know what goes on with the money behind closed doors. Rolexes, his and her Corvettes, boats, summer homes, etc.

Just because it's on 20/20, a program manipulated by corporate conglomerates joined at the hip with neo-cons like Gates and the Bush's doesn't make it anything but reality TV for the simple minded and spoon fed masses.

I would have respected your comment more if you quoted the Onion.

In his article Dr. Mohler highlights an important distinction that the mass media either has not or will not pick up on. There are, indeed, liberal and conservative Muslims just are there are liberal and conservative Christians. Liberal Christians do not hold to the absolute authority of the Bible and thus deny many orthodox Christian beliefs (the Incarnation, salvation only through belief in Christ's atoning work, etc.). Likewise, many liberal Muslims deny the absolute authority of the Quran and feel free to neglect many of its teachings (such as that on spreading Islam by force). It is interestng to consider just how much liberal Christians and liberal Muslims have in common (that is, their secular nature cloaked with a veil of religion).

Locki you could not be more wrong, in fact 20/20 had a special on just last night how conservatives out gave liberals and that church goers gave away great amounts of their wealth to help villages in Africa and local charities

To say that religion is the root of all evil is just silly and not well informed. The greatest genocide of the last hundred years was done by men such as Pol Pot, Lenin, Stalin and of course Hitler. All motivated by secular ideologies and political values. These men have killed more in one century then religion has done in the history of humanity. Please brush up on history before saying this kind of stuff. Rodney Starks book, "The Victory of Reason" is a great place to begin, as it lays out that Christianity actually is responsible for the elevation of human rights, education, democracy, than any other force in the last two thousand years.

The new power of Stregheria is that even the most brainwashed individual will submit to the seduction of the eyes and flesh without ever having to interact with another human being.

Piss off Gabriel...

This talking monkey's got more pride
than my father and you know it!

"There are those who say that this is arrogant. Well, it would certainly be arrogant if we made this claim for ourselves. There are those who say that this is intolerant, but their understanding of toleration means that no one's right and no one's wrong -- and eventually, of course, no one's saved."
-Mohler-

His hidden cyber sins and burning lust for young women will be his downfall soon enough.

I can't mothermary-f-ckin' wait!!!

Great article, Mr. Mohler! Thank you for defending the Truth.

Knock it off Loki...

It is not the appointed time for your fury yet!
2007 is when your lawlessness will be revealed to this generation.

What's the matter?

Gadreel got your tongues?

"I am amazed at how many of the folks who post comments here do not see the foolishness of speaking in favor of morality and religious relativism in the same breath.

Materialists don't seem to understand that they have no logical basis for making ethical statements at all. The fact that they even try suggests that deep down all creatures are aware of their Creator. "

Are you serious?

Why then is it the people who are most "aware" of their creator that are the biggest frauds, liars, and cheats?

Didn't Haggard just get busted for being gay on the sly when being a big time anti-gay neo-con fundamentalist?

Since when did doing right and wrong have to be attached to a fairy tale crafted to keep the Roman populous in a f.o.g. of fear, guilt and obligation?

Is your god aware that my Roman forefathers created him for their purposes and foul intentions in order to preserve a crumbling empire.

Does he pay homage to Rome every time someone is raped of 10% of their income in the name of the christ on Sunday morning?

You are one wallowing in foolishness and
lacking understanding and logic in your life.

Did you know that...

Most pagans and atheists outgive the
Christian church by astounding numbers.

While idiots like Copeland, Hagin, Hinn, and Robertson build "empires" for their dead god...

Real saints who don't mind being called sinners are actually doing something that impacts the lives of those in need and changes the course of history for a generation of people.

How can you sit around patting yourselves on the back while stuffing your fat faces full of steak and seafood and riding in gas-guzzling SUVs, racking up credit card bills on HDTVs and hand guns, and then give less than 2% to your local opium distribution center... oops... I mean church and feel like you are a "righteous" person when compared to your gay neighbor or the clerk at the local adult bookstore?

Don't even mention the shieks and sultans and their million dollar Bugatis and gold plated electronics indulging in things allah would probably vomit over while small street rats with Alladin potential die from stray bullets or more commonly starvation on an hourly basis.

These people actually consider themselves blessed?

I don't think Mr. Mohler has made any positive contributions to inter-faith dialogue.

Rather, he has exacerbated existing tension by cherry-picking Islamic history, as if the history of his own sub-branch of a branch of Christianity was without error.

Let's not forget that the Southern Baptists formed their own congregation because they supported slavery. Remember that, Mr. Mohler?

Excellent post, Dr. Mohler. Thank you for having the courage to maintain the distinctions between Islam and Christianity and for being willing to say that the papacy is not a biblical institution.

I am amazed at how many of the folks who post comments here do not see the foolishness of speaking in favor of morality and religious relativism in the same breath.

Materialists don't seem to understand that they have no logical basis for making ethical statements at all. The fact that they even try suggests that deep down all creatures are aware of their Creator.

Thank you for speaking the truth, even is a very hostile forum.

What we really know of Jesus or Muhammad is tainted by ancient manipulators who have social and spiritual engineering down to a science.

These well crafted fairy tales have men in the world going around killing for their gods while children die every few seconds because they do not have a piece of bread and clean water to drink.

There is just enough of useless religion in the world to make men hate one another and build weapons, but not enough to make them love and preserve the lives of the hundreds of children dying in the streets of the richest cities from New York to Pakistan.

You are all unevolved simpletons with far too much self importance to be any good to your fellow man or woman.

Lose your archaic religion and help someone in the real world today.
Leave your scary little bedtime stories of heaven and hell at home where they belong.

Wake up!

You are all in darkness and stumbling around like blind fools trying to grasp handfuls of sand ever so tightly and claiming you have treasure in your hands.

How pitiful this step of evolution has become.

Dr. Mohler,

While ageeing with your words I must ask if your participation in this 'conversation' is biblical and at all useful to God's kingdom?

If you speak as a Professor of Christian religion i say your words are sound and truthful, but in the realm of education no different than a Professor of Islam to a nonbeliever.

1 cor. 1-2 comes to mind.

Perhaps your gods have Borderline Personality Syndrome...

1. A pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects, and marked impulsivity beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by five (or more) of the following:

2. Frantic efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment. Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in (5).

3. A pattern of unstable and intense interpersonal relationships characterized by alternating between extremes of idealization and devaluation. This is called "splitting."

Following is a definition of splitting from the book I Hate You, Don't Leave Me by Jerry Kreisman, M.D. From page 10:

The world of a BP, like that of a child, is split into heroes and villains. A child emotionally, the BP cannot tolerate human inconsistencies and ambiguities; he cannot reconcile anther is good and bad qualities into a constant coherent understanding of another person. At any particular moment, one is either Good or EVIL. There is no in-between; no gray area....people are idolized one day; totally devalued and dismissed the next.

Normal people are ambivalent and can experience two contradictory states atone time; BPs shift back and forth, entirely unaware of one feeling state while in the other.

When the idealized person finally disappoints (as we all do, sooner or later) the borderline must drastically restructure his one-dimensional conceptionalization. Either the idol is banished to the dungeon, or the borderline banishes himself in other to preserve the all-good image of the other person.

Splitting is intended to shield the BP from a barrage of contradictory feelings and images and from the anxiety of trying to reconcile those images. But splitting often achieves the opposite effect. The frays in the BP's personality become rips, and the sense of his own identity and the identity of others shifts even more dramatically and frequently.

4. Identity disturbance: markedly and persistently unstable self-image or sense of self.

5. Impulsivity in at least two areas that are potentially self-damaging (e.g., spending, sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating). Note: Do not include suicidal or self-mutilating behavior covered in (5).

6. Recurrent suicidal behavior, gestures, or threats, or self-mutilating behavior.

7. Affective instability due to a marked reactivity of mood (e.g., intense episodic dysphoria, irritability, or anxiety usually lasting a few hours and only rarely more than a few days).

8. Chronic feelings of emptiness.

9. Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger (e.g., frequent displays of temper, constant anger, recurrent physical fights).

10. Transient, stress-related paranoid ideation or severe dissociative symptoms.

Dissociation is the state in which, on some level or another, one becomes somewhat removed from "reality," whether this be daydreaming, performing actions without being fully connected to their performance ("running on automatic"), or other, more disconnected actions. It is the opposite of "association" and involves the lack of association, usually of one's identity, with the rest of the world.

Read these through and tell me with a grain of honesty these does not sound like a majority of the traits of monotheistic deities.

Thanks, but no thanks.
I'd rather believe in myself.

I'm impressed with what Mohler wrote. Such wisdom, such clarity. I had to read it several times. It is a fact that Islam and Christianity are incompatible. A true Christian is commanded by the Bible to love their enemies. Does Islam teach that? What did the Muslims do in response to Pope Benedict's statements? The pope was stating a historical fact. The pope is showing his courage and christian love by going to Turkey. Although probably not as evangelical as I would like him to be. As for the radical element, we are not dismay for Jesus warned us "that the world will hate us because it hated him first." Matthew 15:18. However, we, Christians, will continue to manifest the sweet aroma of Jesus Christ until the glorious day of His appearing.

Blah, Blah, Blah. What could be more boring than reading why one persons unverifiable speculation is superior to someone else's. The truth is that it is all just elaborate wishful thinking and ultimately has no more scientific satnding than witchcraft. Jesus was a great man, but was he a supernatural being? Come on! If you believe that then you might want to know that this was written by Bigfoot.

Adams,
If I'm not mistaken, it seems to me that you are the one perpetrating some 'hate-mongering.' Go back and consider the statisitics I mentioned earlier in this thread about the some 45 million Christians who have been killed in the 20th century alone, largely by those who despised any notion of God and the claims of truth made in the Bible. There has been an immense degree of murderous hatred foisted on Christian today. If you want to look at evidence, consider the website - http://persecution.com/ (Voice of the Martyrs - a voice I might add that goes virtually unnoticed in the media).

J. Fresh,
Nice summary. I would only add a bit more about Creation. The Christian message begins with good news, quickly dengenrates to bad news, but picks up on some good news again. Some use the matrix of Creation, Fall and Redemption. (By the way Nancy Pearcy has some good things to say based on this model in her book, "Total Truth").

God made mankind as the pinnacle of His creative program. The Bible says we (human beings) were created in His image and so reflect His communicable characteristics (e.g. true moral freedom, unfettered intellectual enjoyment, genuine love in the context of perfect relationships between Himself and all others, etc...) that allowed for the fullest enjoyment of life possible. The world was created for our joy and a good, beautiful and boundless God is at the center of what made the world so wonderful.

All that was shattered when human beings chose to rebel against their Creator and so sharply fell from His original intention. Fortunately, that too was part of God's plan only so that He might manifest His greatest glory in Redemption that was accomplished by His Son, Jesus Christ. The implications of this world iew, only so briefly sketched here, are absolutely immense in their implications and applications to human life and existence.

Lovely, another statement from the evangelical movement which makes it clear that not only are they totally oblivious to the fact that thousands of people are dying over the ridiculous minutia of fairy-tale belief systems, but that they consider the *pope* to be the most significant threat to peace in the world. I'd say this was absurd, but that would be putting it too mildly.

I truly hope they're correct, I hope there is a rapture (despite the fact that it's even more totally made up than the rest of their religion, given that it isn't even IN the bible), because then when they're all swept up to the great, straight, hate-mongering, conservative heaven, then maybe, just maybe, the rest of us can have a few minutes of peace before the end.

Neo said,
"Science refers to any system of objective knowledge. In a more restricted sense, science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on the scientific method, as well as to the organized body of knowledge humans have gained by such research."

This is patently false. Everybody needs to read Thomas Kuhn's, "The Structure of Sceintific Revolutions." No serious or thoughtful scientist really makes such statements like this since Kuhn's monumental work was published in the late 60's. There is no such thing as objective science or objective facts. Every so called 'fact' is an interpreted fact. All science is predicated upon philosophical presuppositions that determine how data is interpreted to fit theories that proceed from the same philosophical considerations. This does not mean that science has no objective value or that it does not result in useful discoveries and technological progress. But it never begins with a neutral eye to the phenomena from which it builds its theories. Once a scientific (i.e. philosophical) paradigm is in place and met with widespread scholarly consensus it is considered fact; until of course someone comes along and displaces it like Einstein did with Newton and so forth.

Subsequently, men like Richard Dawkins are just as much priests of their religion as you might say Mohler is of his or the Pope is of his. In fact, every comment made on this thread is predicated upon a set of presuppositions that usually go untested often because we are so unaware of what influences our thinking. People think they are smart and objective when really they are just responding from a set of presuppositions that form their worldview. The problem is, they usually have no idea why they think they way they do and in the end it makes a lot of people look really silly.

This whole discussion is a battle of ideas. You may not like another person's ideas, but your opinion doesn't make them right or wrong. The ultimate question comes down to whose set of presuppositions make the most sense of ALL the data. I have argued in a previous thread that only Biblical Christianity makes sense of ALL the data.

Ahmed: But the question really is "Do you believe Jesus Christ is God and not just a prophet?"

That is the central issue, isn't it?

To everyone:

This is the gospel of Jesus Christ defined; it's good news, but there's bad news first:

1. God is holy, perfect, without sin and He created you and I. His standard is perfection to enter heaven; it's like taking a test and 99% is a failure. God only accepts a score of 100% righteousness; no sin allowed. (Since He made us He has a claim on our lives, and you know that in your heart.)

2. Our problem is that we have all sinned against God and rightly deserve to be punished in a real place called hell for our many sins in thought, word, and deed. (Since God is perfectly good and morally blameless, how can He let guilty criminals go free? Would an unjust human judge be allowed to release any and all criminals at will?) What are you going to do, what can you do about the many sins you have committed? Nothing, you need a Savior! Even if you somehow you could live perfectly now, you can't make up for your past sins. You need someone to intervene!

3. That person is Jesus Christ, being fully God and fully man, He lived a perfect sinless life perfectly obeying the Law of God. He never sinned, never! And he gave Himself over to be punished and killed on the cross for your many sins. He was punished so that you can go free! Who punished Him? Ultimately God did; the Father poured out His righteous wrath for your sins on Jesus Christ so that you could be forgiven. (Psalm 53)

4. God offers full forgiveness and redemption in Jesus Christ if you will now repent (turn away from and forsake) all of your sins and put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ's finished work that He accomplished on your behalf. He stepped in and paid your debt in full. Will you repent and believe? Ask God for the gift of faith and receive what you could never earn or accomplish. Don't harden your heart, just receive the free gift?
When you repent and believe all of your many sins will be treansferred to Jesus finished work, and you will be clothed in all of His perfect righteousness (that's the score of 100 you need to be accepted by God!).

5. There is a cost. Jesus demands that you lose your life to gain it! Your firends may think you're weird, your parents may hate you, you may even be persecuted, but the joy of forgiveness is worth it! In many ways it is much harder to be a Christian, but O what joy in knowing Jesus Christ, in being forgiven, in having assurance that you'll be with Christ in heaven; it's worth the cost of your life!

"“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” (Jesus in Mk. 8:34-38)

The fundamental differences between Christianity and Islam are important. In Christianity, no ones blood was shed except the innocent founder of Christianity. . . . Mohommade (sp?), however, was responsible for thousands of deaths. Therefore, when Christianity slauders humans as in the Crusades, at some point we must repent of these things; this repentence allows us to grow. However, in the historical perspective, Islam does not, because violence was a way of Mohommade.

Dear Zertrat

You posted a response to Bill earlier, and I hope you're still reading.

I think you've confused Genetics with Geography, or at least that's how it appears. Forgive me if I'm incorrect.

Let me say, of course, that I am not Bill. However, I do agree with him. Does that mean that I am a product of my Geography? It is true that I grew up in the United States. However, I believe there are millions of Muslims here in the States, as well as many Atheists, and Budists, etc. So what does that make me? I happen to be a person born in a very highly Democratic state, born to two very loving Jewish parents. I however, choosing of my own free will, believed in Christ, not as a child raised on Jewish tradition, but as an adult, based on an informed decision.

Perhaps you know Bill and you do know something of his 'geography', in which case, you write from direct knowledge of this person. However, an evangelical who believes and follows what he believes is the truth of the Bible, forces nothing on others, but instead offers friendly dialogue. He believes because he chooses to. A person sleeping in a dark room may not know that a hurricane is coming, but it doesn't mean he should be left to sleep either. If he chooses not to head the warning, then his life is in his hands.

Dr. Mohler,

Right on! Our Catholic readers should note that, although our Lord talks about giving Peter the keys of the kingdom in Matthew 16, he speaks to the apostles--plural--in Matthew 18 about binding and loosing. Peter would have been horrified to be given the pomp that the Pope is given today, as a matter of fact, in Acts 10, when Cornelius bows before him, Peter strictly forbids him to do so. And he refgers to himself not as a Pope, or even a leader, but as a fellow elder in Acts--oops!--1 Peter 5:1. If Cjhrist would have returned in Peter's lifetime, it certainly would have been neews to Peter that he could determine who goes to heaven and who goes to hell, since he refers to Christ and not himself as the Chief Shepherd.

Has the irony been totally missed that many Muslims went out and destroyed property and killed people because the pope suggested that this religion has ties to violence?

Regarding the difference between Christianity and the Wahhabist faction of Islam, note that recently Al Qaeda has labeled the Pope as a "Crusader". Please know that this label essentially marks him and his followers as fair targets for jihad, due to their belief that a "crusader" is defined as a threat to dominate and eliminate Muslims from the face of the earth. This is also true of Muslims who believe that Christians are "polytheists" due to a worship of the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Murdering "polytheists" and "crusaders" are considered acts of worship for Wahhabists.

What is sorely missing from the world dialog is the voice from moderate, true Muslims who do not subsribe to the minority fringe elements of Islamic fundamentalist who are using the religion of Islam as a cover for terrorism.

Wow...that's a lot of personal opinions!

I have several statements and questions of my own, for those who will listen (by the way, I'm not forcing this on you, and neither did Dr. Mohler...you're reading this of your own free will, and may stop now if you choose).

1. I read one person's comment that "...terrorists are not muslims, they use Islam for political reasons which...", while asserting that "Christians" have murdered millions of people in the name of Christ (I'm assuming they were referring to things like the Spanish Inquisition, etc.). Why do you say that terrorists are not muslims, though they claim to be, but say that these people WERE Christians? I would assert that any Christian who kills in the name of Christ is not a Christian at all, just as this person says about the terrorists.

2. Another person wrote about Christianity in particular saying, "What is stunning is the excessive lack of humility." I find that statement itself to be rather arrogant, that you are more capable of discerning the truth than Dr. Mohler or anyone else for that matter (although you want the rest of us to humbly recognize that we may be wrong). Are you willing to humbly recognize that it may be you that are wrong. You say that while I may take the Bible on faith, I must also acknowledge that I may be wrong. I can't speak for Dr. Mohler, but most Christians that I know are humble about ourselves (although we do sin too), but filled with faith about Christ. That faith tells us that we must also have confidence in what we believe in. If I'm not confident in that faith, then it isn't faith, it's unbelief. Therefore, my confidence is not in myself or in my belief, but in the one I have faith in, that is Jesus Christ. I am humble to believe that I don't have any of the answers, but filled with faith that God does, and he sent Christ to show that to us.

3. If Islam believes that Jesus was a holy prophet, then why doesn't it believe Jesus himself when he says that "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by me." That means that God is not accessible through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Ishmael, Muhammad, or any other person but Jesus. Jesus said this, not man. Jesus is either the person he says he is, or he isn't. He can't be much of a "wise" prophet if he says things that are false. If you choose to believe Islams claim that Jesus is equal to Muhammad, etc. the you must also believe he is a liar. You can't have it both ways.

"Evangelicals do not make state visits."
Just trust fund ivy league evangelicals with below average grades that find God after a bout of alcoholism and end up the President of the United States. Hook 'em? No Gig 'em, just ask Robert Gates.

And I guess the Billy Graham visits to various countries doesn't qualify, its a crusade.

Sorry couldn't resist this discussion. Call me a virgin poster, but don't call me postal.

I'd like to be more intellectual, but took my last religion / philosophy class in college (at a Jesuit institution -- yes Da Vinci Code word for Catholic), it was a blur (literally). Since then I was dumbed down by a graduate degree in business (much like the leader of this great nation). I had to take a few World Religion courses in undergrad, which gives me a perspective I find lacking in most evangelicals. Which brings to mind Bush yanking back the leader of China for a photo-op, ouch, didn't he at least take an international business course for his MBA? tHIS IS one heck of an evangelical pres who should probably be selling toothpaste for P&G.

What religion is Lee Hamilton and Howard Baker, I'm praying for their God to give the "Decider" some ideas. By the way isn't it great we can have these discussions, does this happen in fundamentalist Islamic countries? I know, its rhetorical.

Lost a dear friend in the towers, his brother has his Divinity degree from Havard in comparative religion, he is now a state senator, so for me there is hope (and not just in arkansas). Everyone has their role to play, the Pope as well. It just happens to be on a bigger stage than Reverand Mohlers, there in lies the truth of his comment I quoted. Pride, its the deadliest sin (if I recall St. Augustine). It lead to 911 (blinding Pride) and to a much lesser degree, my quotation from Mohler's article (pissy Pride). Pardon the grammar...

Sauron:

Religions don't kill. People kill in the name of their god. Please show me any single passage in the Gospels where Jesus admonished his followers to kill somebody.

BTW I'd change my moniker if I wanted to have a serious discussion on religion. Go back to middle-earth. Oh I forgot Tolkien (a devout Catholic by the way) had you cast into the void at the end of the 3rd age.

Is there a passage in the Bible where Jesus(peace be on him)clearly asks to be worshipped? or commands all to bow down and worship Him?

Or does Jesus worship the Almighty and pray to him and ask for his help and assistance?

No informed person should be unaware of the basic incompatibility of Christianity and Islam. Do you want to pick a fight? What happened to turning the other cheek? Sounds like an eye for an eye. Considering the recent history of Evangelists, I would be wary of the person who only reads one book. There are good Christians and bad Christians. There are good Jews and bad Jews. There are good Muslims and bad Muslims...good Buddhists, bad Buddhists .. good Unitarians, bad Unitarians.. Good Mormons, bad Mormons .. I know, I know.. they ARE Christians. But you get the point, it is not the religion, IT'S THE PERSON!!! Is Rev Haggard bad, because of his liason? Is President Clilnton bad because he had sex with an intern? is President Bush bad because he invaded Iraq on fabricated evidence? Is Osama bin Laden bad? These are rhetorical questions!! Back to the Pope ... I hope he learns to chosoe his words more carefully. If he quotes someone and he disagrees with it, he should say.. I disagree with this ... I am using it to illustrate a point. One last point for the pope .. Catholic Priests should be able to get married. How hypocritical. They hid and protected the worst of criminals.. highly educated men, in positions of power, authority and prestige .. and allowed them to prey upon children, then moved them to another parish and let them do it some more. Even the Bishops should be prosecuted! And they will not allow normal men to marry.

Was this an article about the pope's visit to Turkey? Really? Because it reads more like an anti-Catholic rant from decades past.

Blinded by Conservative politics, many Catholics and evangelical Protestants (particularly in the South) have come to think that their age-old animosity and the propaganda it spawned had started to fade away in a new era focusing on shared beliefs and common values.

Dr. Mohler's arrogant article and the strawmen he torches only serves to show that, midterm elections now behind us, distrust of Catholicism on the part of many evangelical Protestants is alive and well in modern-day America.

The pope is brilliant...keen...stellar...clear. Not one word in that paragraph helped me know anything about the pope. It is like you pulled out your thesaurus to look up different adjectives. The pope was not clear in Germany. His words were mistaken, just like Kerry's joke was about Bush and the war. Even if it was correct, it was easily misconstrued. Last... Thank God for liberals who can read into metaphors and not take every written word as literal.

"I do not believe that the Christian church can do much to influence the Islamic world through diplomacy."

-- Yes, well therein lies a large part of the problem.

"Evangelicals do not make state visits."

-- And thank God for that. You do enough damage just sitting in your armchair.

Thank you Dr. Molher for a well written response to the question. Once again you have certainly used the intellect that God has blessed you with to clearly state exactly what needed to be said. Thanks again.

Hit the post button instead of the preview button, but you get the idea.

"The intellect who feels his intelligence raises above religion is in fact avowing to the fact that he himself is incapable of comprehending divine themes."

Regard the statement above, it is not that "the intellect" believes his intelligence raise above religion, that would be rather egotistical of any person, but rather that the intellect puts his faith in the truths devined from the process of science and when they conflict with faith, relies on object fact to find the truth, i.e., the earth looks flat but it is not.

To often it seems we are talking past one another, making assumptions about what the other person believes. See below the definition of science and then a helpful hint for your flock.

1) In the broadest sense Science refers to any system of objective knowledge. In a more restricted sense, science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on the scientific method, as well as to the organized body of knowledge humans have gained by such research.

2)A minister has just died and is standing in line waiting to be judged and admitted to Heaven. While waiting he asks the man in front of him about himself. The man says, "I was a taxi driver from New York City."

The angel standing at the gate calls out "next," and the taxi driver steps up. The angel hands him a golden staff and a cornucopia of fruits, cheeses, and wine and lets him pass. The taxi driver looks pleased and proceeds through the gates into heaven.

The minister begins to think about the richness he'll get upon his entrance.

But instead, the angel hands him a wooden staff and some bread and water.

The minister is very concerned and asks the angel, "That guy is a taxi driver and gets a golden staff and a cornucopia! I spend my entire life as a minister and get next to nothing! How can that be?"

The angel replies, "Up here we judge on results. All of your people slept through your sermons. In his taxi, they prayed."

Dr. Mohler, I appreciated your article even though I did think you were a little too lenient on the pope. I would not refer to him as one who defends the truth (not Biblical truth anyway). He is brilliant and the most conservative theologian to be a pope maybe ever. However, he seems to be flip-flopping on some of his earlier conservative views in the face of great opposition from Islamic radicals. The book he co-authored with Marcello Pera was excellent and bold. I enjoyed Pera's section much more than Ratzinger's; Ratzinger's was quite boring. But nevertheless, their combined efforts at alerting the world to the imminent dangers of radical Islam make it a worthwhile read. Most of the comments you have received are written by people who do not know what they are talking about; some do. Of course, that is just my opinion as some are sure to point out. For those ignorant commentators who see no difference between Islam and Christianity I would like to suggest that they read "The Beliefnet Guide to Islam" which waw written by two Muslims living here in America. Their bold denouncement of all things Christian will open their eyes, hopefully. The others who referred to the Bible but obviously haven't read it need to if they want to convince anyone of what they are saying. For instance, Jesus said in the gospel of John chapter 8 and verse 44, "You are of your father the devil." This is one of those things that many say Jesus would "never" say. If these folks who are always referring to the book they have clearly never read would read it they would probably come to the conclusion that Jesus wasn't such a great guy after all; He tended to be a bit judgmental. They wouldn't be saying "Jesus is just all right with me." But Jesus Christ is Lord. He is the "way, the truth, and the life: and no one comes to the Father but by" Him. I hope you have a thick hide, Doc. I read your blog everyday and enjoy it thoroughly.

Thank you, Alpaslan. The secular, cosmopolitan nature of Turkey is one of its most distinctive, admirable features. The U.S. sees themselves as a secular society of religious tolerance but in this respect they pale in comparison to Turkey. The Turkish democratic society voted to keep the U.S. military out of Turkey in the early days of the Iraqi war, which at the time seemed appaling to many Americans. Now the Turkish wisdom is clear even to those Americans who were fervent for war at the time.

I'm glad Dock* Mohler doesn't make state visits, I just wish he'd keep his religious intolerance to himself instead of trying to inflict it on the citizens of the USA using the political process.

That's called a paradox. Either that or this guy is just plain full of it.

*dock
–noun
1. the solid or fleshy part of an animal's tail, as distinguished from the hair.

It is understandable why many feel contempt towards the current state of the (evangelical christians. The ironic thing is that what they teach and preach is truly not the religion of Christ. If taken in its truest and purest form, the words of Christ are simplistic, profound and have the power to transform the soul.

The intellect who feels his intelligence raises above religion is in fact avowing to the fact that he himself is incapable of comprehending divine themes. Whereas the neutral individual who has come to find the religion by thoughtful and honest studying and investigating philsophies and religion and then chooses to give the will to Christ has shown himself to be quite the opposite of a mindless drone.

The reason every religion has a history of violence is because man has always had his finger on it.

The Protestant movement was a movement ordained by God to bring the people back to the principles of the apostolic church. Martin Luther (the first protestant reformer) is the one who inflicted the "deadly Blow" (the Bible speaks of in Daniel) to the beast (Catholic Rome)

When the "deadly wound is is healed and all the world wonders after the beast" (REVelation 7) THis means that the evangelical christians (the protestants)Have ceased to protest, and are aligning themselves to accept the authority of the Catholic church once again. (Sunday worship and A church&state union)

This is why the evangelical christians are binding themselves together, and getting involved in politics. THey are pushing this war on Terror and against the Muslims, with faith as the reason, but it is really about power, money, and the gradual taking away of our freedoms.

Read your Bible if you don't believe it, and to the religous skeptic, read Daniel two, it tells of the World History

I think Western media missed the point in latest Pope`s visit to Turkey.
Turkey is strictly secular country and we don`t want any religious figure with political identity in our country, muslim or christian. It doesnt matter.

Oh Bill. Please think about this. You did not choose Christ from a fair assesment of available options. You chose Christ because of the accident and happenstance of the geographical location of your own birth, which you had nothing to do with personally. Did you pass geography in school?

Why force Christ on others who chose their own god for the same reason you chose yours? Their belief is not "choice," it is culture. You are the same as the Iraqi, you believe in the god of your culture. You are not different from the Iraqi because some tenets of your religions are different -- to the contrary, you are the same as the Iraqi because you came to religious beliefs in the same way.

As a Christian, I believe it is not our duty to force other religions to believe as I believe. Rather it is my duty to tell them about Christ and let them decide.

Most evangelicals believe it is their duty to force Christ on everyone and that is not the way. Whether people "choose" Christ or not is up them. If they don't choose Christ, it doesn't preclude us from having a dialogue with them.

Dr. Mohler says:

"An evangelical Christian cannot offer sagacious advice in this case. Evangelicals do not make state visits."

Perhaps because there is no single evangelical who represents a flock of over 1 billion adherents. The Popes visits appear as state visits due largely to the sheer number of people his presence affects. I'm certain this Pope, like many others, would love to make a simple theological visit but that would deny the opportunity for his followers to rejoice in his presence. Even visiting a non-Christian nation like Turkey, the Popes presence inspires (commands) the attention of thousands. Often "state" visits appear that way because of the efforts put forth to control the crowds.

It is no different with the Pope.

Thnak you, nochetwas, for that pitch-perfect response to Richard re the hadith (or ahadith, given we're discussing not just one).

It is a delight to read a well-reasoned post in contrast to all the drivel posted here. The more I read here, the more I wonder whether the Tower of Babel story applies not to languages, but to the cacophony of individual interpretations of G-d and religious beliefs.

I'd strongly recommend to Richard and other non-Muslims the Karen Armstrong book "Islam: A Short History" published in 2000. It explains all aspects of Islam from the Prophet's time onward in a short, concise, well-researched chronology. It also puts the lie to the slanders and outrageous claims that our national curse, the Religious Right, have tried to lay at the feet of Islam -- many of which have been posted here, alas.

For the record, I was raised as a Methodist, then converted to (Roman) Catholicism. I have a deep, abiding respect for all "People of the Book", as well as my Buddhist, Pagan, Agnostic, and Atheist friends. I note that this particular Pope troubles me with his less-than-Christ-like pronouncements. Fortunately, we American Catholics feel less bound by the words of an earthly emissary than by our own hearts.

However, Benedict XVI troubles me not nearly as much as American fundamentalists like Albert Mohler, who see spreading their own narrow version of Christian belief and practice as some G-d given right and proof of their own moral superiority.

Again to nochetwas, it is my distinct pleasure to know you through your words here. Peace be unto you.

Mohler asks: "Who wants to get into an exhausting argument over what are seen as nothing more than socially constructed realities?"

You should want to. Because that's what both Christianity and Islam are. That is the essence of the problem. That is the Truth. If you don't want to engage in that 'argument' then the killing and fighting will go on for another thousand years, like it already has.

If Mohler had been born and raised in Iraq, he would be Muslim. If an Iraqi father killed today in the fighting had been born and raised where Mohler was born and raised, he would be Christian, maybe evangelical. They would be spitting and yelling and despising each other from the flip side of the coin! Hilarious, if it was not so grave. Same person, different outcome. Based on what? The society in which each was born and raised. I don't think this is a parlor game of Mohler's god or the Iraqi father's god.

Dismissing the core of the issue as "socially constructed realities" is just a fancy way of wiggling out of that simple undeniable fact. The universities are not to blame. Mr. Mohler, your values are cultural in origin. Same for the Iraqis' values. There is no math equation or algorithm to decide which is best. So scream at each other for the rest of your life and kill each other, and then it will still not be resolved.

Get educated instead.

"I find it interesting that no evangelical/non-Catholic minister took a bullet in place of a Jew in the concentration camps, as did some priests."

How do you know that "no" Protestant gave up his/her life for a Jew? That is one outrageous claim.

More broadly, the degree of ignorance and prejudice in these posts is very sad. Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, secular, militantly atheist -- everybody is mischaracterizing others, and most are appallingly ignorant about basic aspects of others' faith and doctrine (and often, their own as well), and show a very distorted view of hisory. We sorely need some serious education in this country -- about history, religion, and the history of religion.

A 30 year research project published by "World Christian Trends" and the William Carey Library indicate that since the time of Christ over 70 million Christians have been killed for their faith (i.e. martyred). 45.4 million of those deaths occurred in the 20th century (the age of enlightenment?). In the year 2000 alone (the last year reported) over 160,000 Christians died for their faith in some 50 different countries, the vast majority of which are Muslim (North Africa; the Middle East and Asia).

Throughout the history of Christianity, the vast majority of perpetrators were state sponsored deaths; roughly 56 million. Of those 56 million, about 32 million were killed by atheistic governments (largely in the 20th century when atheism first became a prominent geopolitical force). Roughly 9 million Christians have been killed by Muslims (again the vast majority occuring in the 20th century). 7 million have died at the hands of ethnoreligionists (animists). The Roman Catholic Church accounts for 5 million deaths, whereas non-Catholic Christians account for about 150,000 deaths.

To place these statistics in perspective, 80 million martyrs are claimed by Muslims. I am not aware of how many Muslims have been claimed to be killed by Christians or other non-muslims (e.g. Jewish wars). However, the vast majority of muslim martyrs are the result of inter-muslim wars and fighting. Hinduism claims 20 million martyrs; Buddhism claims 10 million; Judaism claims 9 million (including the 20th century holocaust); Ethnoreligionists claim 6 million; and all other religions claim 8 million. Again, the vast majority of general religious persecution is government sponsored, although there is much inter-religious killing.

It is amazing to read the thoughts of muslims about Christians and Jews, absolute rubbish. Their religion was established through violence, prejudice, vengeance,thievery,ill gotten gain and hatred. How can anyone have a dialogue with people who by their own admission lie when it is convenient. By their leaders' own words( mohammed) war is deception, the greatest deceiver, of course is satan. They brag openly about their love of death and laugh at people who cherish life( satans values). And then the "the Bible is not original and changes all the time", it would be interesting to meet the people who are old enough to prove that the quran is "original", not.

Evangelicals are christians whose motto is "sola scriptura" .It's worth to note that the church survived without a written gospel for more than 200 years and was relying only on the tradition .The catholic church which they love to hate is the very same that transmitted the Gospell to their grand-fathers . What a laugh !

About twenty years ago, we started receiving Christmas newsletters from our born-again friends from my husband's days as a naval officer.

"Remember the reason for the season," they wrote.

It seemed simplistic and frankly, idiotic.

As a lifelong Catholic, it was just a few years after a so-called evangelical said to me, "Oh you're one of those," when she found out I attended church on a weekly basis (which I no longer do).

My opinion on this piece:

The very quality of this editorial speaks to the lack of theological and intellectual sophistication of the so-called evangelical Christians. The writing is weak, as is the reasoning. Why not just call Catholics dirty papists and get on with it?

"Anyone following a mono-theistic world view is probably mentally ill and needs a healthy dose of Geodon or Zyprexa to calm their overclocked mind down."

"OK, baby Jesus must be swimming in tears from reading the Bible."

If these pass for the sorts of cogent, intelligent, reasonable and rational responses to Christian claims for truth and are any indication of what most non-Christians think, I understand more and more why we live in such a chaotic and confused postmodern culture.

The article and many of the responses are more about attacks on Catholocism than anything else. A waste of time to print because there is nothing new here.

I don't think this poor man actually knows what evangelical means

Christians, Jehova Witnesses and Mormons entertain me by trying to convice or convert me by quoting the Bible assuming everyone else in the world regards it as infallable too. How sophomoric.

My point is that "irreligion" is responsible for just as much violence in the world as is religion...especially since the 20th century.

Disputatio:
No none of those men above mentioned where Christian.
Hitler, was into the occult, hence the swastica and thoughts of being the perfect race... that isn't taught in the Bible. He also killed Christians along with the jews and other peoples he didn't like.

Stalin, was athest in views, he distroyed the onion domes of the Eastern Othordox Church, as well as others in the former USSR.

And Pol Pot was nothing but a scum bag, who killed for money and power.

But I forgot the public school system as symatically taken and changed history to suit thier agenda. Go look at the modern history of the Public School System if you don't believe me.
The founding father of it was a proclaimed communist. But I would highly recommend you look into the internet for your information as even the colleges now have a left bent to them.

And does anyone revere Hitler, Pol Pot or Stalin as the prophet or any prophet?

Pol Pot, Hitler, and Stalin were all evangelical Christians, right?

Has anyone read of the Prophet Mohammed's executions and robberies in 624-628 AD. Really most of you would be astounded.

"The central Christian concern about Islam should not be the undeniable threat of Islamic violence but the fact that Islam is incompatible with the Gospel of Christ.... An evangelical Christian cannot offer sagacious advice in this case. Evangelicals do not make state visits."

Thankfully.

Stanislaus: Catholicism has nothing to do with reason or intellect. It is blind superstition, as is all Christianity. It is belief in the Blue Fairy.

Look, I've read all these comments and most of them are useless, but this last one was so dumb it forced me to respond. I'm Catholic, but you can't call Islam impervious to reason.

Um . . . algebra?

No one can claim to be a Catholic and not subsribe to the Nicene Creed-The Credo which recites "I believe in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic faith..." Benedict XVI is a towering intellectual in the tradition of Aquinas and Cardinal Newman. He turns on the klieg lights of reason to faith. A faith sans reason is a fable replete with the worship of monkey gods. A faith impervious to reason governs by thre sword. And a faith in which each denomination gets to interpret the word of God through the Bible, revelation, and tradition becomes a Tower of Babel. The Church is the rock (Petrus) that has survived for over 2000 years with the Divine assurance that the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. Benedict XVI deserves our lasting gratitude for speaking clearly and forcefully on the place of reason and intellect in faith. As part of his temporal authority he can and has insisted on reciprocity of the free exercise and worship of religion. But alas, this is too much for the Islamacists whose insistence on Sharia Law will keep its adherents in line only with a sword over their heads that would be lopped off should by reason and intellect they choose to convert out of their beliefs. Pray tell us, how could one seriously dialogue with a religion impervious to reason.

Wow, this is so scary. I am a muslim and I grew up in the United States. Reading that 1.2 Billion Muslims are lumped together as this unified force of violence is amazing. If there is one thing I would plead is that Muslims are not some monolithic bloc. Wahabism, a particular brand of Islam, supported and funded by the Saudis has spread Islamic fundamentalism all over the world. They are using their oil money to press their point of view and intimidate all others into silence. What sickens me is our government is in bed with the Saudis and can't seem to understand that Osama and the 19 hijackers are Saudis and many of the foreign insurgents pouring into Iraq are Saudis. Most muslims are poor and wield very little power. If the West is looking for their answer to Islamic fundamentalism it needs to take a hard look at Saudi Arabia and Wahabism. It is the root of the violence, not Islam.

The issue here is not that religions differ: they always have. The issue is that, over time, Christians have come to take a peaceful outlook towards evangelization, while the Muslims have always been violent. The war in Iraq is not a result of Christians trying to be rid of Islam, but the result of people, perhaps mistakenly, trying to stop state sponsored terrorism. In fact, there is no war in Iraq at the moment - there are only killings by Islamic terrorists of others who are not like them, including other Muslims. Christian missionaries have rarely carried the sword to make sure they were successful, and never do now, but Muslems always have and still do. There will be peace when Muslims evangelize via word, and accept that they will not always be successful.

All human ideas make sense in the context of their time. Human history is long and varied, and both Christianity and Islam are but creeds in a long and often troubled religious history. Anatomically modern humans appear 130,000 years ago in the fossil record. The notion of a divine creator handing down the ultimate truth in the universe to a group of desert dwellers in just three or four thousand years ago, in the context of a 100,000 year history is equally as valid as the idea of that same God handing down a different set of commandments 1400 hundred years ago to a prophet named Muhammed. Its as equal valid a worldview as the Lord God sending down his son to die for the sins of the world in the year 1 A.D. Its as equally valid as a Gnostic worldview, or a Greco-Roman one, or a Hindu one, or a Buddhist one, or a Shinto one, or a Mayan one. All these worldviews made sense within the context and the spirit of their day and their society.

For any one individual or group to stake a claim to a monopoly on the ultimate truth of the Universe, the Cosmos and the Divine is dangerous. Its dangerous for an Evangelical, its dangerous for a Muslim and its dangerous for a Catholic. Its dangerous to divorce spiritual belief and truth from the thousands upon thousands of human ideas, human hands and human events that have shaped and brought us to those ideas and those beliefs.

This piece is insidious. The central argument that Christianity and Islam are incompatible, the idea that the pope should not engage in a dialogue between those with a differing point of view, the claims written with such certainty, as if the author has a direct pipeline to God's will, all reek of the same sort of condescending certainty and blind obedience that has brought us the worst of humanity. We all need a bit more relativism. We all need a bit more historical perspective. Albert Mohler, especially.

I am just thankful that the Holy Father is unhurt--so far. And able to celebrate Mass with the little band of Christian faithful still in Ephesus.

We can talk about doctrinal matters when he gets out of Turkey.

"Evangelicals do not make state visits."

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but does not President Bush consider himself and Evangelical Christian, and does he not make state visits in his capacity as POTUS?

The above poster doesn't get the Church's teaching on birth control. The Church says that sex should be within marriage and be open to procreation. How is that going against life? Think outside the box for just a minute, how much human suffering, divorce, sexual transmitted disease and death has come from sex outside marriage throughout the ages? Please tell me what good has come from all this? The Church, rather than being against life wants more life, and wants less death and more dignity for the human person. We are not objects for sexual desires.

Women's rights? The church is sticking up for YOU and the next you in a womb somewhere. Christ loves you, and the church is reflecting that love by defending your dignity.

What crap.

Mr. Mohler said of the pope: "..his defense of the reality of truth is stellar." No, that is not accurate. His defense of what he wants to be the truth is what is stellar. He would prefer thousands - millions - die from AIDS rather than admit that condoms do offer protection from the HIV virus. A Vatican that does not want to allow an HIV-positive spouse to use a condom to protect the other spouse is NOT a Vatican interested in truth. Or life.

And why are life-saving condoms such a big deal to someone purportedly dedicated to a culture of life? Because they are also a form of contraception, and contraception is too powerful of a tool for independence for women.

An August 18, 1994, New York Times article "Vatican Seeks Islamic Allies In U.N. Population Dispute" shows exactly how dedicated to truth the Vatican is. The article tells how the Vatican was "reaching out for support to some radical and fundamentalist governments and groups in Islamic countries, including Iran and Libya." The Vatican wanted to be sure and trounce any chance for women's rights at the U.N.'s conference in Cairo, and cooperating with conservative Muslims was the perfect way to accomplish the task. The Vatican acknowledged only what it had to acknowledge due to public records, and denied the truth, which came out anyway, similar to their handling of priest-abuse cases.

Mr. Mohler doesn't mention it, but fundamentalists in all groups -- evangelicals, Catholics, and Muslims -- want to prevent half the world's population from having a say in their own lives.

Personally, I really like what Mr. Mohler says about "liberal Christians and liberal Muslims may find much commonality and little divergence, other than respective affinities for tradition." Hear, hear!! Imagine a world where there was more commonality, and less of a desire to wipe the planet clean of those who have come to different conclusions about God or have different traditions.

If, to borrow from Mr. Mohler, "it is the shared commitment to a liberal approach to religion that binds them together" let's hear it for a liberal approach, and let's get started on a brighter future for EVERYONE.

Why does an evangelical feel they are qualified to comment on the statements of a Catholic pope?

Regarding Evangelicals' condemnation of the Pope's "political" activities, they seem to overlook their own political aims when they tell their members, from the pulpit, how to vote and who to vote for; what political party is truly Christian; raising multi-millions of dollars to support their political agendas, ad nauseum. Of course they wouldn't admit to this because self-righteous people never admit to their own motives.

Jesus was all about confronting and stirring up the political status quo. Popes are and have always been courageous in this way--open and not hiding behind a pulpit pretending not to be political. Lest you forget, had it not been for John Paul II, the Berlin wall and communism would still be alive and well. Of course, Reagan helped, but the impetus and follow-through was caused by and completed by John Paul. After all, the Soviets tried to kill the Pope, not the President. Who were they more afraid of?

Mr Mohler,

I am pleased you respect and admire the Pope, but if you do, why not just accept Christ's words to Peter and return to the Church. We would love to have you back.

I am not sure that I know where Dr. Mohler is going with this article. As a non-practicing Catholic and someone who questions sometimes the historicity of Jesus himself, I am not sure that "not believing that Jesus is Messiah" is relevant to any pertinent arguement concerning Islam. Evangelicals in America tend to be right-wing reactionary nuts that would dance with the Devil if it allowed them to get their political agenda placed forward of a "liberal agenda". I don't see them as any different from any other group of human beings that live on the fringes of reason and historical authenticity. I don't WANT to know the Jesus the preach...that Jesus is a bigot and a fairy tale.

Not only are Islam and Christianity not incompatible but according to biblical scholarship (NOT the fools in the Southern Baptist Convention) Islam inherited the original Jewish Christian teaching about Jesus better than the Christian churches. Islamic reverence for Jesus is similar to that of the earliest Christians, who did not think Jesus was divine and all that crap.

As usual, everyone seems to confuse what Evangelical Christians really are. Dr. Mohler is a very respected man in my circles, just as the Pope is in others. The disrespect that is shown in these responses, makes me think that if the Pope was one of the panelists, you would be hard-pressed to find support for him here also.

So many responses want to discredit Dr. Mohler and his faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Actually they want to discredit Jesus and the Bible itself. But even the Quran describes Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection as fact. So why put your faith in the Prophet Muhammad when he was not virgin-born, not declared the Messiah, did not perform miracles, did not rise again and ascend into heaven, but was a mortal man and we can point to his burial site?

Why believe the Bible, why not discredit it as fiction? Well, lets talk about the authenticity of the New Testament for instance. Do you know that it was written within 25-50 years of the actual events? For a book over 2000 years old, that is astounding. Name any other book of equal age and it will have been written 80-300 years after the actual events. Three hundred years? Why that is like us writing today about the Revolutionary War as if we experienced it. Do you know that Jesus has also been listed in the works of Flaivus Josephus, a historian of the first century? Jesus really lived, really died, and really arose as witnessed by over 500 people. Archeological finds are also confirming places and things listed in the New Testament as factual and true. But is the Bible we have today the same as what was written 2000 years ago? Well, we have over 24,000 manuscripts of the New Testament alone to compare. Any other book of similar age has only 300 manuscripts or less. So we know that what we have today is the same as what was written over 2000 years ago.

Please do not confuse what Dr. Mohler is saying about the difference between displomacy and theology. Diplomacy is for diplomats, politicians, and leaders of state. Theology is for "God Followers" who seek knowledge about God. The Pope should be about theology and leave the diplomacy for the politicians.

Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are not the same, although they do have some common beliefs. They all teach that "God mad a covenant with Abraham", but the bible teaches the main covenant was made through Isaac, but the Koran says it was Ishmael etc.

Christianity teaches that Jesus was the "Son of God" where Judaism and Islam believe he was only a Great Prophet. But in basic commonality Judaism and Christianity are much closer. The Bible is their base, the Old Testament for the Jews, and the Old & New Testament for Christians. Muslims follow the Koran.

But there are some outstanding differences between Judaism/Christianity and Islam. In the Bible, God is a God of Wrath for disobedience to him, but also a God of Mercy. Jesus taught, "Forgive your brother, be merciful, do good to those who oppress you, etc."

But what does the Koran and the Muslims practice? Kill the Infidel Jews & Christians, and covert to Islam by the sword, or die. During the Christmas Season we practice, "Peace and Good Will Toward Man", but during Ramadan the Muslim Holly Month, the number of killings, murder goes up!!! This is both of Muslim and Non-Muslim as the hands of Muslims.

There simply is no comparison of Islam to Christianity or Judaism. They are irreconcilable. The Bible says, "God will bless those who bless Israel, and curse those who curse Israel".

So when Islam calls, "Jews & Christians Infidels" that need to be converted or slaughtered, that is not reconcilable to the "True God" of the bible.

Who is the Father of Lies, the Condemner of the Brethren, the Hater of Truth, and in Opposition to God? The Bible says it's Satan.

If the Koran teaches that Jews & Christians (Covenant to God through Abraham, & Covenant to God through Christ) are infidels that need to be killed, that does not come from God. But comes from the Father of Lies himself, Satan.

It's almost comical where Muslims get upset because the Pope quoting history says, "Islam is cruel and spread by the sword (Which is true)", and they get all upset and threaten to "Kill the Pope".

Am I missing something here, or are they just proving how true that statement is?

Juniper D:

Bad grammar makes baby Jesus cry?

OK, baby Jesus must be swimming in tears from reading the Bible.

I agree about Confession, which I attend several times a year. What non-Catholics don't realize is that going to Confession, besides the spiritual benefits, is like going to a therapist to unload your problems/sins. I would disagree with using the word "shame" as a help, but would use the word "guilt" as a teacher instead. Priests are so well trained and educated that they perform this service in addition to the spiritual gift they give. One of the many benefits of being Catholic.

Ps. to the guy who thinks he understands confession. Read the Catechism and talk to mainline Priests. Confession is a way of confessing sins to a fellow Christian, in lieu of doing so in front of the whole church, as the first Christians did. Confessing in private, to a priest, is the way to allow complete honesty, true shame and repentance, then assistance in speaking to God for washing away of the sin. The priest is just standing in for Christ tot assist those who need it.
As a Catholic, I am encouraged to formalize the process when I need to, or at healthy intervals. However, I can go to God myself in Prayer. Whatever misinformed evangelical told you otherwise, well, BALDERDASH!

It would seem that the radical right evangelicals and the radical right branch of the muslims want to force their religions at the point of a sword.
We Catholics shall stand meekly, in imitation of Christ, continuing to wait to inherit the Earth.
The Catholic Church is imperfect and still atoning for past sins, but Jesus was the Son of God, his Apostle Peter was the first Pope. Thus, Catholicism directly goes back to the right hand of the father at the Last Supper.
Perhaps the evangelical terrorists and the Muslim Terrorists could be rendered powerless, if only their faiths had a Temporal disciplinarian like the Pope. He reins in those who stray too far from the words of Christ, and excommunicates those who advocate terrorism and disobedience. Perhaps a Grand Imam and Evangelical Lead Minister should be selected as theologians for life, whose authority would take the long view, rather than the short one. I find it interesting that no evangelical/non-Catholic minister took a bullet in place of a Jew in the concentration camps, as did some priests.
Christ warned us of usurpers who would come to taint the faith. I believe that the evangelical right and the fundamentalist terrorists of all faiths are the "charlatans" that Christ warned us against. I say to the fundamentalist Christians and Muslims and Jews, go forth in Peace, as commanded by the Same God of Abraham and Isaac that we all worship.

Sorry for the quick follow-up, but regarding Greg Yount's comment:

"Truth is NOT relative. Truth, by definition, is absolute. Opinion, however, IS relative."

I must respectfully disagree. Truth is not relative, but it is indeed subjective. Fact is absolute. Trying to reduce truth to a moral imperative is what causes the confusion--and division. If you have a wooden table in the center of a room, that's a fact. If you say the table is beautiful and I say it's ugly, both of our statements are truthful. But the only fact, the only absolute, is that it is a wooden table.

That's why when you go to court you are not asked to swear to "the facts, the whole facts, and nothing but the facts." If people had to swear to only the facts, there would be a lot of perjury charges. Consequently, we swear to our "best" subjective truth. The term "universal truth" is confusing at best, and inaccurate at worst.

Matthew 16:19
"I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

I believe you could call the Papacy a direct result of Christ's biblical command. The Catholic Church is able to historically trace papal lineage from Benedict all the way back to Peter, papal failings notwithstanding.

But, this is not unlike so many other Protestant "protestations." Just pick and choose what the Bible says, and when you can't find a biblical quote to back your often judgmental views, make one up or deny the actual quote. Perhaps this is why the Catholic Church continues to thrive after 2,000 years. No other organized body of any kind has accomplished this feat. I wonder why? Perhaps because the Church actually did follow Christ's command...

The more I learn about Islam and Quran, the more I become aware of the truth that Islam is a unique religion that could satisfy humanity.

What follows is a post I made yesterday under another of Dr. Mohler's responses. In light of the posts in this questions, I believe it applies here as well.

Truth is NOT relative. Truth, by definition, is absolute. Opinion, however, IS relative. That is at the base of the discussion regarding the authoritativeness of Scripture.

The problem with these ecumenical discussions is that everyone is under the assumption that all positions are equally true - a false assumption. Another assumption is that all are there to learn. If so, who would teach? How are we to KNOW which truth is reliable and which is faulty if all positions are equally valid?

Faith is the issue, and it always will be. What (or better yet, Who) will you trust? You might be sincere in your faith, but you may also be sincerely wrong. Why not approach the Scriptures with a different tact - the "what if it's true" tact. What are the implications on our lives, our communities, our nations, and our world? What would be the destiny of the millions of people who arrive at a different conclusion? Everyone must die at some point, and meet the truth. Opinions don't matter at that point. What then? What will be the cost of living a life in rejection of the Bible because you "don't like it" or disagree? If we approach it as "true" and live accordingly (I don't mean perfectly, but the Bible shares the means of dealing with our fallibility), rejecting the Lord's teachings has dire consequences. What are you willing to risk to have your own way rather than the Bible's?

Anyone following a mono-theistic world view is probably mentally ill and needs a healthy dose of Geodon or Zyprexa to calm their overclocked mind down.

Christianity and Islam have some good principles to extract, but both are filled with black and white thinking and a myriad of contradictions that only lead to more mental health symptoms akin to Borderline Personality such as splitting (idealization and devaluation of oneself and others) as well as manic thought patterns such as saving the world and pleasing an invisble being in the sky in order to enter paradise upon death.

We need to evolve and teach our children to think for themselves and avoid religion like the plagues of Egypt in order to bring a more civilized age to this suffering planet.

Get your heads out of Muhammed's and the Christ's a$$ for once and for all!!!

Islam is the way.

The more I read the Quran the more and more it makes sense and the more I believe its the complete truth.

As long as Christians confess that Jesus is the Son of God and equal to God, die-hard Muslims will cover their ears and cry out "Blasphemy!" This hatred and the emotional response that results will always lead to persecution and unfair treatment when Islam is the majority. The emotional response is built into the religion.

Response to Greatoneland

Richard,

You are right about the fact that hadith, or Sunnah )is one of the major authoritative sources of Islamic jurisprudence. In fact Sunnah goes beyond jurisprudence and defines a whole way of life.
Quran is the word of God. Sunnah consist of the words and deeds of the Prophet Muhammed. Even though the words and the deeds of the Prophet are also inspired by Allah, they are distinguished from the Quran (which is directly the word of Allah). In order of importance the most authoritative source is Quran. But Sunnah is indispensable for the understanding of the Quran.
We know of the Sunnah of the Prophet through Hadith. Hadith are passages that report the deeds and the words of the prophet. They originate from first hand witnesses are compiled by the Hadith scholars. Hadith is thus also the name of a a vast Islamic discipline that consist of editing the hadith. This editing work has had very high standards of rigor since its beggining in the 7th century AD (2 centuries after the Mohammed). It is a critical discipline that involves the investigation of the reporters that figure in the hadith transmission chains, comparative study of the texts as to their style or wording etc.
Today six hadith collection (named altogether as 'Kutub-i Sitte') form a canon that is virtually beyond dispute as to the authenticity of the hadith it contains. The reverence of the cannon does not characterize the 'fundamentalists' but the mainstream Sunni population that constitutes the majority of the Muslims who are geographically spread in a dominant way from Morocco to Malaysia.

About Sunnah you can check: USC
Compendium of Muslim Texts http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/

Now I can return to the flawed parts of your posting.

Hadith is not " a commentary on the Quran, dating back to the 8th century and written by thousands of people over the centuries.” Hadith is a report of a deed or word of the Prophet Mohammed, which may or may not be used in the commentary of Quran. And the question of the authenticity of an hadith is a matter that is scrupulously investigated by the scholars of hadith.

It is not true of Hadith that they have never been edited. They are continously being edited and reedited. Hadith constitute the subject matter of a vast Islamic science. That much should be clear from what I have written above.

It is not true to my knowledge that “The Republic of Turkey is now single-handedly taking on the challenging of editing the Hadith, with nasty grumbling from fundamentalists.” I am a Turkish citizen and an observant Sunni Muslim living in Turkey. Three things need to be said. Republic of Turkey is a secular state. The discipline of hadith which is a transnational Islamic discipline is doing its critical and editorial work as usual. Finally, despite what may you may have been told about Turkey, in Turkey there is not a significant couche of population that can be termed as ‘fundamentalists.’

I am not sure what you cite in your posting are hadith at all. You should have provided bibliography. In that case we could have checked whether they figured as hadith at all in some hadith compilation; if they indeed were compiled as hadith somewhere, we could have then checked how they were classified by the Hadith scholars as to their authenticity. Let me inform you that their content and no analogous content is part of the Sunni practice of Islam. For this reason I think it is very unlikely that they even turn out to be would-be hadith(s) figuring with a very low rate of authenticity in some compilation.

It is not true that “Islam is a religion based on shame and revenge”. Islam is a religion based on Tewhid, recognising Allah as the one true god, the one true creator, cause and support of everthing that existed that exists and that will ever exist, and rejecting all other purported gods, causes and supports. The word ‘Islam’ is related with the verb ‘teslim’ that means submission. The verb is also related with the word ‘Selam’ that means peace and salvation. So it is possible to regard Islam as seeking Selam through submission to Allah with Tewhid.

Mohler, the Pope, the mullahs, and the sorry millions who subscribe to the archic nonsense that we endure as religions are all seriously mentally sick. The religions are essentially a public health problem based on mass delusions fondly thought to be "revelations." Read Richard Dawkins.

While Dr. Mohler quite easily, as many do, sees the differences between Catholicism and Islam, he rather quaintly charges the pope ( and it seems the papacy in general ) of confusing the Gospel without noticing the differences between the Catholic version of the Gospel and his ( or rather his denomination's ) version of the Gospel. But surely, Dr. Mohler must mean that pope will not preach Dr. Mohler's Gospel ( or if he prefers the Southern Baptist version of the Gosepl or, maybe more abstractly, the 20th century American Evangelical Southern Baptist version of the Gospel ). For example, he seems to praise this pope's ( and the previous pope's ) denounciation of secularism and the proclamation
of the "Culture of Life" yet contrasts this with the modern papacy's confusing of the "Gospel". However, this is a very particular approach rooted in a very particular theology. For Catholics, the Culture of Life ( or the Gospel of Life as Pope John Paul II would say) IS part of the Gospel. In Catholicism, certain articles of faith and morals ( held de fide ) are ALL part of the Gospel. I am afraid the confusion maybe on Dr. Mohler's part as he must, in the standard evangelical way, strip down the Gospel until all that's left is the very instant in which a person accepts the free gift of salvation as a personal/individualistic decision to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior or something to that effect. Anything else is demoted to the edges of theological curiosity and then usually obscurity. Most of Evangelical theology has usually grappled in making the above "Gospel" theologically coherent, usually with less than spectacular results. Will the pope offer THAT Gospel to Turkey? I doubt it. However, he will be very much a Christan witness to the Catholic Gospel and not the Evangelical Gospel. But did Dr. Mohler really expect something different?
To paraphrase St. Francis of Assisi,
"Preach the Gospel at all times; use words if you have to"

Damn. Did that author and his article make anyone else feel as creepy as it did to me? Dangerous POV.

Please discontinue the bible quotations. This is not contributing to discussion. We understand that you have a bible and are able to read it.

Jesus of Nazareth to A. Albert Mohler, JR

Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the Will of the Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to me on the day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

Oh, and

Matthew 5:17
“Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but rather to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until Heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of the pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until all things are accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But whoever keeps the commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Go to www.faithfreedom.org you will find all the answers there.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn-bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them." Matthew 7:15-20

Tim, the reasons for going to war in Afghanistan notwithstanding you cannot deny that the Taliban preached and enforced an extreme branch of Islam - the same branch that is causing millions of muslims worldwide to support and carry out terrorist activities (in addition to suppression of women, religious intolerance, public executions).

To say that Muslims are not theologically prone to war is to deny the kuran. I urge you to read it. The hadith's as well.

Like it or not, it's easy to define the good guys from the bad. At some point you have to pick a side or watch the world descend into chaos.

I think that it is unfortunate that we are in the year 2006, almost 2007 and we still find ourselves drawing a line in the sand over religion. All religions have a history of violence whether instigating the violence or being a willing participant, and all religions are basically the same. Call your "god" what you will, but it is the same entity.

In the United States we preach separation of church and state and yet, we persecute non-Christians. It may not be an outward persecution, but it exists none-the-less. All countries experience this hostility towards the "minority" religions. It is neither acceptable nor to be tolerated and yet we look it in the eye every day.

Then we have the audacity to step into other countries to "preserve freedom" and "eliminate terriorists" and what are really doing is violating the basic principles of ALL religions...peace towards thy neighbors, thou shalt not kill.

All religions are guilty of violence and persecution. Anyone who argues differently is incorrect. Read any history book, American or other and see this to be true. Once we all get over ourselves and start seeing each other as people and not just a "Christian" or a "Muslim" or a "Jew", we can move on. We are all human beings and that is the one thing we can share. We limit ourselves to religion when there is so much more.

The differences between Islam and Christianity are found in how the truth is established; the Gospel preaches that truth is established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. Islam has but one witness - Muhammed. All of Islam then depends upon establishing the second witness. For centuries, Islam has sought to establish its truth claim by the point of the sword (might makes right).

The Pope's message should be: "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20.

Genealogy

Christian Jews
Gentile Christians
Gnostic Christian
Early Churches

1. Nestorian-->Assyrian Church of the East
2. Monophysite
> a.Syrian (Jacobite)
> b.Coptic (Egypt)
> c.Armenian
> d.Ethiopian
>e.Malankharan (Indian)
3. Orthodox
>a.Greek
>b.Russian
>c.Romanian
>d.Serbian
>e. Other east European and Middle Eastern
4. Catholic
>a. Roman Catholic
>b. Protestant
>> I. Lutherans
>>II. Anglicans
>>> 1.Methodists
>>>2. Episcopalians
>>III. Reformed (Calvinist)
>>> 1. Englis
>>>> a.Quakers
>>>>b.Presbyterians
>>>>c. Puritans
>>>>d. Congregationalists
>>>>e. Baptists
>>>2. Scottish Presbyterian
>>>3. French (Huguenot)
>>>4.Swiss
>>>5.Dutch
>>>6.German
>>IV.Radical (Anabaptists)
>>> 1. Mennonites
>>>> a. Amish
>>>2. Hutterites
other Churches
United Methodist
Seventh Day Adventists
Southern Baptist
Latter Day Saints
Jehova's Witness
Mormons

Dios Mio!!

In my opinion, as a muslim living in the U.S., Islam is going through a whole lot of changes. By changes, I mean that muslims are trying to become more modern. However, some muslims percieve bein modern as "westernization." Those are completely different things. Without modernizing, I believe that the muslim world will not become stronger, economically (lets face it, most Islamic countries can be better off) and spiritually. Another thing is that while specific muslims can become better people (ex. the current civil war in Iraq), there are the outside elements that have tainted it. I believe one reader mentioned it already, but I believe that the current state of Islamic affairs weights heavily towards Israel/Palestine. It is a no brainer that the westernized countries foolishly established a Jewish state (which I have no problem in), yet to do so in such a hasty and carellesness only created a whole lot more problems that the whole world is facing today. If we were to solve this issue, this "Islamic Terror" that the west partially created would definetely decrease. Sorry about grammar errors and such, it's quite late.

"In context, the Pope's statements about Islam at Regensburg were understandable and clear. He was citing a historical source in the context of a call for reason and understanding among persons of good will."

"The central Christian concern about Islam should not be the undeniable threat of Islamic violence but the fact that Islam is incompatible with the Gospel of Christ."

Mr. Mohler is evangelizing fear. Why doesn't he love his neighbor? A billion muslims outnumber christians, yet, there are not a billion muslims at war. Iraq and Afghanistan are at war because their governments were recklessly dismantled, not because their populations are muslim. Promoting the notion that muslims are historically and theologically prone to warfare is simply fear-mongering.

Mr. Mohler seems to want his readers to think of muslims as a fundamental and personal threat to Christians. This type of fear-mongering led us into our current wars. Who are the aggressors here? Bush's crusaders, that's who.

Get a grip, Christians. Ask yourselves "What would Jesus do?" He would love his neighbor.

I have to note, as a secular atheist (though not a humanist per se), how clear the observation is that it is only in an ethos of modernity the the appeal to moderates and liberals of various cultures can come together. It is surprising to hear a critique of modernity that could well have come from a Marxian in an essay written by a conservative evangelical, but I have to agree with its logic and argument.

The responses I would have are this: is there anything left of Christianity that isn't really another mode of modernity? Although Wahhabism is itself a reaction to modernity, and therefore in some sense "of" it, it isn't implicated in the system of globalization in the same way, because modernity really is a European/Western invention that was spread - mostly by the sword and gun, with Christian trappings - to the rest of the world. Secular humanism and Christianity (particularly Protestantism, but also modern Catholicism) are, more or less, kissing cousins. The drive to "domesticate" Islam really is a goal of bringing into secular humanism in all ways except name - that is, in consumer society and global production, a "Friday" Islam that is as unthreatening to the world of commerce and the comfort of the privileged as a "Sunday" Christianity.

Islam and Christianity are almost identical. Messiah based, mythological, fundamental ignorance, a hell, a heaven, a magic book and atrocities throughout their history.

Who could ask for anything more?

The problem is organized religion itself. Adherents to these "faiths" are normatively insane...you feed them they will keep frothing at the mouth.

owlafaye

jews dont believe that christ is divine neither. if thats the thing seperating muslims from christians than muslims are no different than jews.

Whatever the case may be, he still went even when under fire for his speech. I'm just surprised how people will criticize war and how awful it is that America is attacking Iraq yet when a man goes to a country for peaceful dialogue we criticize that too! (And though I did receive the bitterness in your comment that he was quoting the opinions of a long-dead Byzantine emperor, thanks for acknowledging that those were not Benedict’s words, it was a quote.)

Wow, I didn't know the washington post printed this kind of garbage. Mr. Mohler managed to trash talk Catholics and Muslims and generally further reduce the image of Christianity throughout the world. One would think Mr. Mohler, in his distaste for the Catholic church, would be aware of the atrocities that have stemmed from total intolerance for other religions. Sadly, however, the ideas of tolerance and diversity seem to have been lost upon Mr Mohler, despite the fact they are clearly grounded in the gospels that he calims to hold in such high esteem.

Surely our Lord Jesus Christ would not have spoken such words as Mr. Mohler has committed to paper, nor would he have shown such intolerance for God's children - regardless as to whether or not they may have left the "true" path of faith.

It requires more than human wisdom and courage for the Pope to travel to Turkey at this particular moment of mistrust and confusion.The aftermaths of the visit no one can predict,but be sure it would be remembered by history. But what surprises me most is the attitude of christians who still make holes in the ocean liner on which we humans are travelling. Do not sink the ship and go down together. Plug the holes and forge ahead united in faith.

Athena,

The pope's trip to Turkey was planned long before he quoted the opinions of a long-dead Byzantine emperor.

"His indictment of Western secularism is brilliant and his defense of the reality of truth is stellar. His defense of the Culture of Life is courageous and his insight on so many moral issues is keen and clear. The problem is the papacy itself, and the fact that the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church has so confused the Gospel. "

How can a man be such an acclaimed theologian yet the leader of a Church who supposedly has "so confused the Gospel"? The fact that Pope Benedict uses the Culture of Life as the foundation for his moral teachings and in preaching the Gospel leaves little room for error. If you are able to value life in all humans regardless of race and creed then I think he's at least more on the right track than our culture as a whole. Not to mention the extreme humility he is demonstrating by traveling to a country that he offended to offer clarity and apology in an attempt at ecumenicalism. How is this not the Gospel Jesus taught? Give the credit he deserves.

The author here cites two "questions" which are "difficult" for an Evangelical Christian to answer. The first is the "question" of the Pope's comments in Regensburg and the 2nd "question" is "what should the pope say in Turkey?", which of course raises another "question" of the papacy. I have a question. Who asked the author these questions? If Mr. Mohler feels the need to discuss the the legitimacy of the papacy, he should feel free to do so but as far as I can tell, he himself posed the "questions" that are "difficult". Just to be clear, the papacy is NOT an "unbiblical office" anymore than the Holy Trinity is unbiblical. If Mr. Mohler, who I assume believes in the Holy Trinity, can point to the specific verse in the bible which names the Holy Trinity I'd love to see it. Also, it would be interesting to learn of the verse in which the bible (which was assembled by a church council) specifically calls itself the sole authority. Answering thses "difficult questions" may help to answer the other ones.

Who's religion is the true God's religion? we only find out,when we die. No matter what religion we are, best think we can do is respect each other and try to be a good human.Haven's doors doesnt open to you just because you follow the Jesus or Muhammed but how you lived your life in this world. and never forget,we are nothing more than passing these green fields just like our forfather's.

The pope’s comments are on behalf of the Catholic Church; not the voice protestant Christian churches. The pope’s goal is advancing the catholic cause just as all past pontiffs of the past. As every one of the early reformers, the pope isn’t speaking for protestant Christians but for Catholicism only. Which isn’t Christian at all. Christians believe in repenting of there sins to Jesus Christ not a priest, or praying to Mary, but only to Christ Jesus. Those practices are anti scripture as many catholic teachings are. As protestant Christians we can't forget; the only reason we have different churches, such as baptist, lutherns, and non denomination churches; is only because of the wrongful murderous prosecution thousands of bible believing Christians during the Middle Ages. First by pagan Rome threw the Caesar's followed by Constantine the great then the popes after Constantine's generals gave power to the pope. Mixing paganism with Christianity, which is catholism.Only by knowing your world and church history, will these historical views be exposed. By forgetting the past you’re sure to repeat it.

Richard,

Type in Hadith one more time. The concept is far more nuanced than a perusal on google might yield. It refers, most generally, to the constellation of teachings which come directly from Muhammad. Regardless, I've lived in Turkey and Canada and women aren't monumentally better off in the latter I can claim. I'm sure you can find misogyny written in good old English if you google hard enough.

What Do Muslims Think About Jesus (I'sa)?

Muslims respect and venerate Jesus Christ. They consider him to be one of God's greatest messengers to humankind. The Qur'an re-affirms his miraculous birth and his miraculous abilities. Furthermore, his mother Mary is regarded as one of the most pure and exalted women of all creation. As the Qur'an says:

"Behold! the angel said: 'God has chosen you and purified you and has chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary! God gives you the good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the hereafter, and one of those brought near to God" (3:42).

Islam regards its teachings to be a re-affirmation and culmination of the teachings of previous monotheistic religions like Judaism and Christianity. Hence, all Muslims believe in Moses and Jesus as Prophets of God. Prophet Muhammad was commanded to recite in the Qur'an:

"Say, we believe in God and that which was revealed unto us, and that which was revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob, and the tribes and that which was entrusted unto Moses and Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord We make no distinction between any of them and unto Him we have submitted" (3:84).

A Muslim never refers to him simply as "Jesus", but always adds the phrase "upon him be peace." The Qur'an confirms his virgin birth, and an entire surah (chapter) of the Qur'an is entitled "Mary." The Qur'an describes the Annunciation as follows:

"She said: 'O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: 'Even so; God creates what He wills. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, "Be!" and it is.'" (Qur'an 3:42-7)

Jesus was born miraculously through the same power that had brought Adam into being without a father: "Truly the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust and then said to him, 'Be!' and he was." (Qur'an 3:59)

During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. The Qur'an tells us that he said: "I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of clay, as it were, a figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers, and I raise the dead by God's leave." (Qur'an 3:49)

Neither Muhammad nor Jesus came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in One God, brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it. In the Qur'an, Jesus is reported as saying that he came: "To attest the law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God and obey me." (Qur'an 3:50)

whyislam.org

From my personal experience I know that differences arise and assume fundamentallist proportions only when we 'discuss' religion. while practicing any religion, however, vitually every individual has a more or less personal, and practical, interpretation and justification for her/his actions and behaviour. Parda (veil) is strongly defended by almost every muslim when its importance or necessity is discussed in theologically spirit. Despite the fact that most women in most muslim society not only do not wear a veil but the veil is practically regarded by most mulim men and women as impossible and unnecessary. Majority of Muslims live in Pakistan,India, Bagaladesh, Malayasia and Indonesia. And you will hardly find women with veils in these countries and men and women mix freely within local social groups. It is the same in other matters. We tend to be just 'human' when we act and interact in every day life. Religious parochialism takes over only when we start discussing beliefs. Also remember, there are many violently opposing sects and subsects within each religion.

I think being quaint about one's religion does not equate to being "liberal" or "modern".

Then again, I'm a young man. Still, exploiting differences doesn't seem as "christian" as enjoying similarities.

After all, christians and those of the jewish faith have many differences. It took "modernity" to allow them to live together. They haven't always been able to accept each other so readily.

Maybe history teaches us nothing.

I recently gave a talk to a group of 20 people, two of whom were judges and three of whom were lawyers.

The burden of my talk was supposed to be the Quran and its relationship to Islamic jurisprudence. Where I live (Canada) there was a recent attempt to have shariya law given equal status with Canadian law. It was defeated.

But in the course of my research I came across something I had never heard of before, which is 'Hadith'. As the Jewish faith has the Talmud and the Torah, so Islam has the Quran and the Hadith.

Hadith is a commentary on the Quran, dating back to the 8th century and written by thousands of people over the centuries. It is in seven volumes. It has never been edited. The Republic of Turkey is now single-handedly (to my knowledge) taking on the challenging of editing the Hadith, with nasty grumbling from fundamentalists. The Hadith obviously icorporates many ancient, pre-Islamic dicta.

The problem? Ninety per cent of Islamic law is based on the Hadith. I did not know this. In researching my talk I concentrated on women and women's issues. The result is revolting. This is from the Hadith:

If a man says a prayer in the mosque and walks homeward, his prayer is invalid if a black dog, a donkey or a woman crosses his path.

If a man is ill, his wife should lick the pustules on his body, but even then she has not fulfilled her wifely duties.

I could multiply these two examples a hundred-fold. Good luck to the editing Turks.

What bothers me is the gulf between Islam and Christianity. As I see it, Islam is a religion based on shame and revenge; Christianity on sin, guilt and redemption. I see Islam as a stunted, failed religion, many of whose martyrs are dying out of sheer inferiority.

I look forward to tussling with anyone who disagrees with this (just type 'hadith' into your browser)

Richard

Dr. Mohler you must be aware of the ahistorical bent of your comments. To quote your final assertion: "Evangelicals do not make state visits." Are you claiming that prominent Evangelicals do not visit, say Turkey, in the throes of a pentecostal experience? That they do not meet with the Turkish prime minister to share their personal experience of the holy spirit? I guess I would agree with you.

But Evangelicals have had an overwhelmingly determining influence on the state of the middle east if we look back further than a few years. Evangelical Christians, in the guise of British politicians, dismantled the Ottoman Empire and drew the first maps with the names such as "Palestine," "Lebannon," "Syria" and "Iraq." They, like so many contemporary Evangelicals, read in the signs of the times the immanent rapture and did their part to prepare the way by facilitating the return of the Jews to Israel. To insinuate that Evangelicals humbly stand aside while the inherently warped Catholic church, or if you prefer "the papacy itself," meddles where it should not is laughable.

In any case, the Christian west best consider its own recent past before it pronounces on the inherent violence of different religions and cultures. Christians ravaged themselves and the world during the two great wars and raced to build the greatest weapons on the face of the earth to do it. The pope's reference to the arguments of an obscure Byzantine emperor, above all else, illuminates the staggaring disconnect of men (I emphasize men) who gather to speculate about god's secrets from the vast majority of humanity.

It is perhaps this disconnect that is the true unifying element which ties such men together, whether Muslim, Catholic or Evangelical, and all infinite distinctions in between

The evangelical rejection of the papacy as a temporal and spiritual authority must apply to scholars such as Mr. Mohler himself. For far too long, believers around the world have listened blindly to those who interpret the word of God according to their own fallible understanding, to the point that we compacently mistake these religious leaders and their followers for the Faith of God itself.
It is the duty of the true believer to independently search the word of God, whether it be the Gospel or the Quran, for the wealth of knowledge that lies within it. Without a doubt, any one who does so would realize that Allah and God, like Jesus and Muhammed, are the same entities called by different names. It is the changeless Faith of God to know Him and to worship Him. This has been His call to humankind since the beginning of time, and no one may call himself a true believer who is distracted from this single most binding duty.

To Mike B. - Why is it curious that evangelicals are comfortable voting on legislation of morals? Everyone believes in morals being made law to some degree, that is why murder is still a crime.

To Deniz - Diplomacy doesn't eliminate or change the core beliefs that make Islam Islam. It can't.

To Wes - it is only stupid if you don't take eternity into account. And Jesus would call that foolish, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul for eternity under God's wrath because he didn't believe in Christ?

To Sauron - I think your diagnosis of the root problem is incorrect. How do you know this life is all there is? How do you know there is no continued existence after death? By science? By reason? Because you or your parents say so?

Using words like "forsaken" doesn't do anything but make you sound drunk, or brainwashed. Ohhhhhh...don't forsake Him....

Why must I come here and read the view of a envangelical christian?

This type of christianity is not a reflection of the majority of christians in the US.

Please use authors that represent a larger majority of the people that you are trying to represent, rather than a vocal minority who have no problems attacking the very fundimentals which the US was founded upon (a seperate church and state and an indepant judiciary).

Everyone seeks the same God, in the spirit of peace, safety, respect, so anything that seeks to divide religions on any basis, is detrimental to world peace and thus to religion. Women will be quick to settle the differences between religions and promote world peace.

Are you a moron? "The (Quran's)differences to our Bible are few and very inconsequential." Can you read the Bible as well as the Quran? A refresher then ... The word of the Lord - John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." A very consequential difference is it not! Christians why have you forsaken him? Do not fear these Islamic bullies!

I have to agree with Thought, if for no other reason than because language is how humanity distributes truth, and language is as fallible as the people who use it to communicate. Just calling out the "postmodernist" card doesn't necessarily discount it, just as denying the evangelicals doesn't necessarily discount them. We don't know, we believe. That is the bottom line.

I ask the Christian fundamentalists, which Bible are you reading from? What I hear, there are few of them and none of them are original. I also know, one of the writers, Paul (a fake appostle) never actually met Jesus. You follow a human being as God, you call yourselves monotheistic but have three gods (the father, son and the holly spirit), your Bible changes evey few years, I hardly call that a religion. Moreover, if you follow the old testament, why don't you follow the law? Didn't Jesus told you to do so? And, how many millions of people were killed by this so called "faith of reason"? Countless. Catholics, Christians or whatever you call yourslves,you figured out that it is ok to kill a body to save the soul. Right? Please do not lecture the Muslims on salvation. Muslim do not believe in an unjust God, who would punish an innocent man for the sins of others. Muslims do not believe that the church has monopoly on salvation, muslims do not believe in using 'graven images' to depict god and a confusinng and contradictory theory of 'Trinity'. Christianity is a religion established by paul, not Jesus. Muslims believe in Jesus as a prophet who came to fullfill the law not to abolish them. Muslims believe in the religion of Abraham, Ismael, Isaac, Noah, Jonah, David, Solomon, Jesus and Muhammed all of them proclaimed there is One God, who has no partners, neither does He need one. We do not attribute inferior animal qualities to God as having begotten a son (blashphemy!!) We have a revealaion that is in its orginal form since the 7th century, and there is no doubt or contradiction in it. None! The terrorists are not muslims, they use Islam for political reasons which they learned from the Christians and the Zionists (not Jews). Who funded Al Qaeda in the 80's? Who sold arms to Iran? Who is occupying arab land and with whose help? Evangelical christians believe the Bible is the literal word of God. No theology textbook in the US teaches that, even the Catholic Church does not. Evangelism is fundamentalism and is a disease of the mind. The Pope is not infallible, he made a mistake and apologized for it. Ask yourselves, what would Jesus do?

As an evangelical Christian, the question of Pope Benedict XVI's statements about Islam at Regensburg and his current visit to Turkey poses unique complications.

I will put aside objections to the content of this article and instead comment on the horrible grammar of this sentence. The modifier isn't just misplaced; the noun that it is intended to modify isn't even in the sentence.

Bad grammar makes baby Jesus cry.

Islams are aiming high. They want islam religion to cover the world. Until they become majority of the total population of any country, they go for diplomacy but after reaching 50% of the total population they their case is not diplomacy they go for their swords. For more information refer the Christian-islam conflict in one of the towns of Ethiopia, JIMMA. Try to study how this blood thirsty religion is working. If you want I can send you evidences. Evangelical Christians should pray hard to avoid islam from their country. One thing islam is not political conflict, it is very spiritual.

Li

the bible is not just a bunch of stories. it is the Word of the One and True God. the gospel is supported by historical and archeological facts. the words in the bible, the name of Jesus have supernatural power. but don't take my word on it all...try it out, test it out. any tests that unbelievers put the word through always passes!!! God Bless and grant you the privlege to believe and understand.

The Vatican in general, and Pope Benedict XVI in particular, has been quite clear about inter-religious dialogue (what you called an unclear "respect for other religions"). Perhaps in your in-depth studies of this brilliant pontiff, you missed "Dominus Iesus," which he wrote when, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he served as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. A Google search on "Dominus Iesus" immediatly turns up the document. No, the Pope does see Islam as "another legitimate way to approach God." In no way does the Roman Catholic Church condone indifferentism. It never has. No approach in inter-religious dialogue is more evangelical than that of Roman Catholicism. No approach has a greater chance of success. Perhaps, if evangelical Christians would return to their historical Catholic roots, you too could speak with one voice in the name of the One Faith, One Baptism, One God and Father of all. Perhaps you too could have the impact of "state visits." Who else has even attempted the level of dialogue with Islam undertaken by this Pope? May God bless him. May his work not only do God's will in regard to the relationship between Christianity and Islam, but also God's will for the unity of the Christian faith fractured into so many continually shattering pieces since the 16th century.

I am a Turkish-Australian,I've read your story and comments.Everyone blaming the troubles around the world moslems doing.I would like to bring your attention following questions;Who killed millions in second world war? Who sucked the blood out of Africa hundreds of years? Who wiped out Aztecs and inca's from north America? who took the Istanbul from Romans and killed and raped all the women? even today who is killing the people in Iraq and raping the 16 years old girls and killing them??
and finely there are only two nations in the world that their population went down instead of grow,American indians and Australian Aboriginals.I can go on and on,Before you tell us that our garden is dirty,make sure yours is clean.

"Islam is incompatible with the Gospel of Christ. Islam explicitly denies what Christians centrally affirm--that Jesus Christ is the incarnate Son of God who came to save his people from their sins."

According to your assertion of compatibility, Judaism, etc. is also then deemed incompatible, correct?

Last I checked, Islam believed in Jesus as a holy Prophet and recognizes Jesus as the Messiah on Judgment day
--

But I digress, 'to each their own'

Both religions are monotheistic and have killed hundreds of thousands in the name of Allah/God.

Religion is the root of all evil, look back on history and you will see that the VAST MAJORITY of atrocities done have been due to religion.

Accept that this is the only life you have, live it to its fullest and quit hoping that you will be in some fantasy land when you die.

The Responsiblity of every religious scholar is to promote what he believe is right and try to condem Other ways .. thats a reality , accpet it or not. thou in this global age where information is shared more then it should be , they have a responsiblity of being responsible with there words.

Pop should defend chirstianity ,but should also try to be precise when commenting on other religions. Human race is yet to reach the heights of global acceptance n respect for all .

"Thus, the most significant challenge posed by Islam is not geopolitical (though this is real) but spiritual."

Jesus that's stupid.

Yes, evangelicals do not make state visits. After over a 1000 years of protesting by evangelicals, the Catholic Church is still perceived as the leader of Christianity, confused Gospel or not.

My personal opinion is the tone the author carries in his writings is the same as the tone of Islamic fundamentalists.

While the author clearly does not advocate violence of any sort, it is not entirely clear that he is without violence.

You see, radical or "evangelical" (to borrow the term) Muslims see the Quran as infalible and the "evangelical" Christians see the Bible as the infalible word of God.

What is stunning is the excessive lack of humility. While you may take something on faith (such as the infalibility of the Bible), you must also acknowlege that you might be wrong and that another's faith is just as valid.

If you do not acknowledge your own limitations towards understanding truth you do violence to humanity through your own dogma.

We humans are so full ourselves that we think we have it all figured out. In my opinion the Bible is a collection of stories that have been manipulated, changed, and reinterpreted so many times that it is impossible to claim that the Bible is the definitive word of God. Moreover to think that one group "has it all figured out" while another group "is just totally missing the point" is just hubris.

This hubris is the reason for our wars. Religion and the hubris of superior faith is the cause of wars and great suffering.

This is the ultimate violence religion does to our world.

Dr Mohler

Matthew 16:19
"I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

It's my understanding that this is where the papacy get's it's license. That was Jesus speaking so it's absolute truth and official, direct from God. It gives the pope the authority to define sins, in short, condemn people to hell, and of course forgive sins thus giving the individual entry into the kingdom of God, haven if you must,, but when Jesus comes back... Note that the papal flaf has the keys to heaven on it.

Of course I'm sure you have a different interpretation of the above else you're headed to hell, unless the pope lets you off the "protestor" hook, which I undersatnd he has done. Notice that you're on thin ice in any event since he can change his mind.

Now about different interpretations of the Bible which you surley make yourself. In fact there are at least 1,500 different interpretations of different passages like the one above. I would like to point one out that's a little different for your assessment, http://www.hoax-buster.org/sellyoursoul

Perhaps there is common ground for the entire human race to negotiate away all differences once it's understood what those differences are about.

"I do not believe that the Christian church can do much to influence the Islamic world through diplomacy."

I cannot disagree with this statement more.

To James Chirico:

I would not characterize the differences between Islam and Christianity to be inconsequential. Christians beleive that Christ is the living Word of God. The divinity of Jesus is the fundamental assertion of the Catholic faith-- one that is wholly renounced by Muslims. To say that the two religions are approximately equivalent give-or-take a few odd verses in their respective texts is ludacris.

Christians and Muslims do eachother a diservice when they try to smooth over theological differences in order to avoid conflict.

- Matt

I don't understand Dr. Mohler's refusal to comment on the Pope's visit. Evangelicals "do not make state(sic) visits", but are quite comfortable in their attempts to legislate moral policy in the United States. Hmmmm.

I would suspect the Pope’s visit to Turkey would be of no consequence to most evangelicals. Regardless of his past, being in the position of Pope would force him to speak on the authority of the Catholic Church rather than the Bible. I don’t expect him to fulfill any Biblical mandate, but then we could be surprised.

Having read the Quran and being a Catholic, the
differences to our Bible are few and very incon-
sequencial. Islam doesn't believe in original sin.
Divorce is too easy for men. Revenge is acceptable
against sinners. Holy war can be used against those
who wish to destroy Islam not unbelievers (Kosovo
should have rec'd Jihad but did not). We both do
believe in marriage, family, peace, helping thy neighbor, order, alms for the poor, sharing knowledge for mankinds benefit. Attacking temples
of different religions is not permitted by the Quran. Christians and Jews can go to heaven if
they lead righteous lives according to the Quran.

Yet again, Dr. Mohler, you go straight to the issue...the gospel. Excellent article.