The Catholic church seems to be embracing an ideology similar to Islamic Fundamentalists
Last week Pope Benedict XVI authorized a wider use of the old Latin Mass known as The Tridentine Mass. Immediately Abraham Foxman, of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued a statement condemning this Papal decision saying that “we” (presumably meaning the ADL) are “extremely disappointed and deeply offended” by the reapplication of the “insulting anti-Jewish language from the Good Friday liturgy” that prays for Jews to be converted.
It seems to me that Foxman has missed the point here. The decision to once again include the prayer for the conversion of the Jews in the official Church liturgy for Good Friday is indicative of a shift in Papal thinking that affects more than just the Jews and the ADL. In fact I am less concerned about the Jews and much more concerned about the implications that this has for the Catholic Church and humanity as a whole. The language which is used in the Latin Mass on Good Friday was changed in 1965 so that it does not contain words that are directly offensive to Jews: “Let us pray also for the faithless Jews” has permanently been changed to “Let us pray for the Jewish people.”
Historically Christianity was forced upon Jews by overzealous clergymen who were supported by despotic European rulers. The fact that, nowadays, once a year Catholics want to pray for my conversion in a polite manner is, to me at least, mild and inoffensive. However, there is a deeper issue at hand. It seems that Pope John Paul II understood that in an era of globalization and weapons of mass destruction harmony between religions is vital.
Historically Christianity was forced upon Jews by overzealous clergymen who were supported by despotic European rulers. The fact that, nowadays, once a year Catholics want to pray for my conversion in a polite manner is, to me at least, mild and inoffensive. However, there is a deeper issue at hand. It seems that Pope John Paul II understood that in an era of globalization and weapons of mass destruction harmony between religions is vital.
For this to happen a new type of understanding was created by the Pope in which members of different faiths were encouraged to respect each other’s traditions and beliefs even if they personally did not believe them to be true. The fact that the other person held their beliefs as truth was to be respected.
Path towards inter-religious confrontation
Pope John Paul II realized that as long as religions maintain that their truth must be the truth for all people and everyone must ultimately take on their beliefs the abyss awaits us. Unfortunately this is the exact problem the West has with Radical Islam; they want to convert all people to their idea of religion. Tragically it seems that the Catholic Church has openly embraced a similar ideology.
Pope John Paul II realized that as long as religions maintain that their truth must be the truth for all people and everyone must ultimately take on their beliefs the abyss awaits us. Unfortunately this is the exact problem the West has with Radical Islam; they want to convert all people to their idea of religion. Tragically it seems that the Catholic Church has openly embraced a similar ideology.
Let us be clear, the idea that a person will be condemned to hell and damnation if they do not follow a different religion has elements of bigotry in it. By reintroducing this “Conversion of the Jews” prayer Pope Benedict XVI is displaying subtle bigotry not only towards the Jews but towards all other religions as well.
We live in a time where it is imperative for religious leaders to show courage and lead in a way which will take their followers to life rather than to death. The path towards life is through understanding and respect, it is achieved by religions leaving the antiquated ideas of hegemony and imposition in the past and building a new era of respect and acceptance. Anything other than this will ultimately lead to death and destruction.
By including this prayer into the official liturgy of Catholic Churches all around the world the Pope Benedict XVI is sending out an intolerant message and leading his followers along a path towards interreligious confrontation. The fact that the spiritual leader of 1.5 billion people does not seem to care about this does not bode well for the future of humanity as a whole.
We live in a time where it is imperative for religious leaders to show courage and lead in a way which will take their followers to life rather than to death. The path towards life is through understanding and respect, it is achieved by religions leaving the antiquated ideas of hegemony and imposition in the past and building a new era of respect and acceptance. Anything other than this will ultimately lead to death and destruction.
By including this prayer into the official liturgy of Catholic Churches all around the world the Pope Benedict XVI is sending out an intolerant message and leading his followers along a path towards interreligious confrontation. The fact that the spiritual leader of 1.5 billion people does not seem to care about this does not bode well for the future of humanity as a whole.
First published by Ynetnews.com