Thursday, December 07, 2006
A RIGHT PLACE AND A WRONG PLACE TO PRAY
Catholic World News Reports:
In response to a journalist’s question about a reciprocal gesture, Ali Bardakoglu, the government’s religion minister, said: “It is not right to expect that others will pray as the Pope did.”
The Turkish mufti said that the basis for inter-faith dialogue should be the fact that “we respect the beliefs, values, and character of others.” He declined to say that he would be willing to visit a Christian church. He said: “It is not right for an imam to have to put on a cross and pray before the Virgin Mary, or priests to pray in mosques.”
He seems to understand the problem that Benedict's prayer in a mosque raises. Today, for a moment anyway, I think I'm more Moslem than Catholic!
It is no more reasonable for an Imam to pray in a Catholic Church than it is for a Pope to pray in a mosque. Sometimes there needs to be legitimate separation maintained. We can respect another person because God made him, and respect his right to religion of his own choice, without praying to his god.
Step inside a mosque to see what is there, because secrecy breeds fear and so it is better to avoid the secrecy; but pray in your own holy place, not one dedicated to a god you don't worship.
