the director of the Vatican press office, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, …[Wednesday] released a message asserting that “profound respect for the beliefs, texts, outstanding figures and symbols of the various religions” is essential if people hope to coexist peacefully.
“The serious consequences of unjustified offense and provocations against the sensibilities of Muslim believers are once again evident in these days, as we see the reactions they arouse, sometimes with tragic results, which in their turn nourish tension and hatred, unleashing unacceptable violence,” the statement added.
[blockquote]”Yesterday’s events in Libya and Egypt point to what is at stake,” Cardinal Dolan said. “We need to be respectful of other religious traditions at the same time that we unequivocally proclaim that violence in the name of religion is wrong.” [/blockquote]
With all due respect, Cardinal “we” ARE “respectful of other religious traditions.” The fact the *some person(s)* *somewhere* in America made a provoking anti-Islam video says absolutely zilch about what “we” do or have done. Spend some time on the internet, Your Eminence. You can find way more scurilous stuff than this about any religion you care to name. Certainly Catholicism. “We” don’t need a lecture about what “we” do. You might, however, show the courage of His Holiness in calling a spade a spade when discussing the nature of Islam.
It’s amazing how fast American liberals throw freedom of speech under the bus when it’s speech with which they disagree or disapprove.
Wait, Dolan and the Vatican are liberals?!
Dolan is when his ox is not being gored. He was perfectly willing to support Obamacare until he found out that the Church would not get a religious exemption.
The Catholic Church does not map onto the worldview of American Protestantism. It takes some positions that left-wing Protestants would find extremely right-wing, and some positions that right-wing Protestants would find extremely left wing. Yet another thing I love about it. 🙂
I don’t really disagree with Cardinal Dolan violently on this, just that I see no reason to lecture “us” about what “we” need to be doing in this situation. Like the teacher who calls in some bully who has been beating the crap out of some kid on the playground as well as the kid getting beaten up and says “now lets agree that each of us needs to do a better job of getting along.”