Sunday, December 10, 2006

As Goes Lebanon So Goes the Middle East


Watching the news a moment ago my Beloved Curmudgeon noted that the newscast used and entire 3 minute segment on whether or not the United States had been wiretapping Princess Diana prior to her death in 1997. Following that segment, there was a 30 second segment on the looming crisis in Lebanon.

The crisis in Lebanon is of Biblical proportions and yet it only warrents 30 seconds of time on the evening news.

If Lebanon falls, the middle east will be rocked with even more chaos and anarchy. The jihadists are emboldened, thanks to the perceived weakness of the United States. Of course this has been helped along by the constant undermining by the main stream media, the progressives and the silly report put out by Baker and Hamilton.

Our enemies have tried to warn us repeatedly. Our allies are virtually jumping up and down, waving, trying to get our attention. Still, we sit in front of our television sets and PlayStations and ignore the Global War on Terrorism that is swirling all around us. So far, we have been relatively untouched. Not to worry, our ability to ignore the rest of the world is quickly coming to an end.

If Lebanon falls, the same process will begin in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait and Egypt. Then the process will begin in France, England and other European countries with large muslim populations. Israel will not likly be able to survive a scenerio of this magnitude. The only way the United States will be able to survive would be to garner an enormous army.

The students so comfortable in their ivy league schools, who so quickly 'protest' anyone who says something they don't like, and then return to their Mercedes to drive to their suburban homes, will have to take a stand on something that REALLY matters. They will be taken out of their comfort zones this time.

It seems that everyone, but America, understands what's at stake. Everyone. It seems that everyone is attempting to wake Americans up. They can't seem to get our attention and are becoming increasingly desperate. Everyone knows America is the only nation capable of dealing with the enormity of this problem. But America sleeps.

Even worse, America is insisting on sending out messages that we are not willing to do what has to be done to end this. We lack the will. Just like every time in the past that we've buried our heads in the sand, more people will die because of our unwillingness to sacrifice even our most meager comforts.

Pope Benedict XVI calls this a grave moment in history. He pleads with the world to pray for Lebanon and provide assistance. He calls the situation grave and urgent.

I also hope that the international community will help to identify urgent pacific and fair solutions necessary for Lebanon and the entire Middle East, while I invite all to prayer during this grave time.”

The Lebanese people are protesting against hezbollah. Following the assasinations of Christian leaders in Lebanon, the protests have intensified.

Cardinal Sfeir , the highest Christian spiritual authority warned that “wars start with words”. He cautioned that the insults and aggressive statements against government individuals are bad news for Lebanon as they spell evil for the future of this country.


Sfeir warned that no one one is thinking about the Lebanese people, whose aim is to survive with their families in harmony and away from violence. But unfortunately these continued protests are making it impossible to survive, since the economy as a result of these protests is in despair.

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah is trying to warn the world of the dire consequences should Lebanon fall.

"Our Arab region is besieged by a number of dangers, as if it was a powder keg waiting for a spark to explode," he told the rulers of the oil-rich monarchies gathered in Riyadh for a two-day meeting.


Abdullah warned that Lebanon risked sliding into renewed civil strife as a result of the current standoff between pro- and anti-government camps.


"In Lebanon, we see dark clouds threatening the unity of the homeland, which risks sliding again into... conflict among the sons of the same country," he said.


Israeli leaders are watching the situation with a clear understanding of what it means for Israel.

Israeli officials warned Sunday that the fall of the moderate Lebanese government could lead to the establishment of an Iranian proxy state on Israel's northern border and increase the probability of war between the two nations.


~snip~


"If the Saniora government falls, it means that Lebanon will be controlled by the long arm of Iran,"

Lebanon chaos is Israeli nightmare.
JERUSALEM – Israel is deeply troubled by menacing Hezbollah-led mass demonstrations in Beirut, fearing it could lead to a permanent and dominant Iranian-Syrian presence on its northern border.


~snip~


In that event, Iran again would be able to threaten Israel with massive rocket attacks from Lebanon if Israel or the US takes military action against Iran’s nuclear program. In other words, the Iranians again would be able to use their Hezbollah card to deter Israel from trying to stop Iran from going nuclear.


~snip~


“If Hezbollah gains sway in Beirut, Lebanon will become the first Iranian protectorate.”

This dire, urgent, grave, evil situation is unfolding right now and our media determines it should get 30 seconds of coverage in the evening news. The warning signs are everywhere and still America sleeps.. The longer we avoid this conflict, the more will die because of it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


Raven at And Rightly So calls these our Days of Infamy.


I got to thinking…the winds of weakness are coming over America once again. With the Lemoncrats ™ in charge of the House now, and that Iraq Study Group report upon us- have we forgotten the days of our infamy? Does December 7th and September 11th have any pull at all, anymore?

I think not.


Bernie at Planck's Constant says Bush was right, we'll have to fight them here.



crossposted at Blue Star Chronicles

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Saturday, December 02, 2006

Religious Freedom...Or Else!


Pope makes final appeal in Turkey for freedom of religion.

A final appeal? To whom?

Istanbul, Dec 02: With a flight of doves freed into the air and a final appeal for freedom of religion, Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday prepared to conclude his eventful four-day trip to Turkey, his first to a Muslim land.


"You know well that the church wishes to impose nothing on anyone, and that she merely asks to live in freedom," the Pope said in his homily during the second and final mass of his trip at the cathedral of the holy spirit here.


"The church's mission is not to preserve power or to gain wealth; her mission is to offer Christ," he said, speaking in French.


In a final reference to relations between Turkey and Europe -- one of the major topics, as it turned out, of his trip here -- Benedict XVI said: "how can we fail to think of the various events which took place here and forged our common history?"


Benedict XVI released four doves as a symbol of peace into the air at the entrance of the Cathedral and once inside, met ecumenical patriarch Bartholomew I, who hosted the Pope at a St. Andrew's Day orthodox mass here yesterday and ushered him to his pew.


Both men have made a priority of working for rapprochement between their respective churches, which have been estranged for nearly 10 centuries.


A smiling Benedict XVI was greeted at the gates of Istanbul's main catholic church by a group of children playing tambourines and chanting his name.


He was applauded several times as he walked into the Cathedral.

Warning : Average Islamic Violence

At least the Eastern Orthodox have the right attitude. My feeling is much different regarding the attitude of the Muslim's "Overlordish" approach to the Pope's visit in Turkey. Where the Pope faced Mecca with them, I won't hold my breath to see them geneuflect before an altar anytime soon.

It has to be religious freedom for the world or...it will be Sharia Law. Now, for those who worry about the religious freedoms of the flying Imams and the Muslim Congressman remember the religious freedoms that the "religion of pieces" allows and imagine what America's future will be like if we keep "bending over" for them...kind of like the guy in this clip.

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Tuesday, November 28, 2006

The Religion Of Peace Greets The Pope

click for AP video.
A Muslim tried to kill the last Pope. Now the "Turkish Street" is after this one.

When a religious figure needs to have barracades along his route to protect him from the "religion of peace", well that's saying something! Too bad Jesus didn't have that protection.

Police monitored the highway leading to Ankara from the airport, where Turkish and Vatican flags waved in a light breeze. Snipers climbed atop buildings and hilltops. In wooded areas along the route, soldiers in camouflage fatigues set up observation points and sniffer dogs passed along bridges.


Benedict's journey is extraordinarily sensitive, a closely watched pilgrimage full of symbolism that could offer hope of religious reconciliation or deepen what many say is a growing divide between the Christian and Islamic worlds.


The outcome depends partly on the words and gestures of Benedict, who triggered an outcry in September when he quoted a 14th century Christian emperor who characterized the Prophet Muhammad's teachings as "evil and inhuman."


The Vatican said the speech was an attempt to highlight the incompatibility of faith and violence, and Benedict later expressed regret for the violent Muslim backlash.


In Ankara, a small protest was held before Benedict's arrival. "You're not welcome, Pope," read a banner.


It was his first visit to a Muslim country as pontiff. The original goal of the pope's trip to Turkey was to meet Bartholomew I, leader of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians. The two major branches of Christianity represented by Bartholomew and Benedict split in 1054 over differences in opinion on the power of the papacy, and the two spiritual heads will meet in an attempt to breach the divide and reunite the churches.


Benedict leaves Ankara on Wednesday for Ephesus, where the Virgin Mary is thought to have spent her last years, and will then travel to Istanbul, a former Christian metropolis known as Constantinople until Ottoman Turks conquered it in 1453.

How can there be a bridge between the religions when one says Jesus was a "prophet of Islam" and the other says he was "the Son of God"? or when one is intolerant and the other is not? How on earth can one ever avoid "insulting Islam" while not being insulted by it?

Miss Kelly has more on the facts and fiction of the Pope's visit to Turkey.


Digg! Digg This!

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Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Challenges of Christian Converts From Islam


Answering Pope Benedict's call for Muslim/Christian dialogue? Lets get some things straight...

ROME - Converts from Islam to Christianity pose a challenge for governments to ensure freedom of religion -- and their witness is also a challenge to the Church itself.


So says Giorgio Paolucci, editor in chief of the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire. He has written a book with Lebanese journalist Camille Eid, Avvenire's Mideast correspondent, entitled "I Cristiani Venuti dall'Islam" (Christian Converts from Islam), which gathers the testimonies of Muslims residing in Italy who have converted to Christianity.


"The book seeks to bring to light an iceberg," says Paolucci. "Whereas Westerners who convert to Islam are very well known -- they go on television, are invited by the most popular programs, are presidents of the most famous Muslim associations and have no problems of visibility -- we have sought out people who, by the very nature of their experience, have problems in making known what they have experienced, though they are very happy with what has occurred."

From an interview with the author

Q: What are the conclusions you have drawn from [your] research?


Paolucci: The book throws out three challenges: It challenges Islam to recognize religious freedom; it challenges the civil authorities to guarantee that freedom; and it challenges us, "lukewarm" Christians, to rekindle love of Jesus.


As is written in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, approved in 1948, the right to religious freedom is the foundation of every civil society. It is legitimate that the Muslim communities present in our country request protection of their religious rights but, precisely because of this, they must recognize the same right to those who freely wish to convert to another religion.


From this point of view, the Italian civil authorities must guarantee the right and practice of religious freedom. It is not right that a convert from Islam must live clandestinely, go to a church that is 30 kilometers from his home because he is afraid that the Muslim community will punish him.


The third to be challenged is the Church, because those converts are part of the new springtime of Christianity, in a country in which Catholicism has often become an embellishment. During the research, [co-author] Camille Eid and I were impressed by the freshness and courage of these converts from Islam, who said to us: "You do not realize the great treasure you have -- Jesus Christ has revolutionized our life."


Please read the source article for some great conversion stories and more details on the book.

We can only hope and/or pray that Muslims will be willing to at least accept if not to meet these challenges.

***UPDATED*** How's this for a dialogue icebreaker: Cleric: Criticizing Islam threatens peace.

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Sunday, October 15, 2006

Muslim Clerics Reaching Out To The Pope

From Random Thoughts @The Religion Of Peace:

This is almost more than we can stomach. Twice now we've come across the news headline "Muslim Clerics Reach Out to the Pope" to describe an open letter by 38 Muslim scholars to Benedict XVI in response to his suggestion that Islam has a violent history. One would think that the pope is a lonely or deeply disturbed man, needing the company of others to set him straight in his ways as these scholars are so graciously doing.


In fact, the letter was sent the day after Muslims in Iraq beheaded a Priest after holding him and torturing him for two days because they were angry at the Pope's words. They not only cut off his head, but his other limbs as well. There is no mention of this in the letter. Perhaps it occurred too late for the scholars to incorporate it into their text. Fair enough.


But wait! There is no mention of the Catholic nun who was gunned down at a children's hospital by a disgruntled Muslim nearly a month earlier or the other Christians who were killed around the same time. As a matter of fact, there is no mention at all of any of the brutal acts of violence that the Islamic religion pours out on the world each and every day.


Instead, the letter is a study in narcissism, trumpeting the virtues of Islam while blatantly failing to apologize for or even acknowledge its crimes past or present.


This is the reality of the Muslim world today. It is deeply self-consumed and emotionally immature, so willing to blame anyone but itself for the smallest of problems by which it is affected, while pathologically incapable of taking responsibility for the horror that it inflicts on others.


Yes, there is a dialogue that desperately needs to take place, but it is within Islam itself.


Yes Indeed! Self-consumed and emotionally immature. So Allah and Mohammed trump all other prophets and expressions of God? Even to the condesending (and murdering) of all other religious leaders? I guess that's ok in their view. Remember this?

Anjem Choudary said, "The Muslims take their religion very seriously and non-Muslims must appreciate that and that must also understand that there may be serious consequences if you insult Islam and the prophet.


"Whoever insults the message of Mohammed is going to be subject to capital punishment."


He added: "I am here have a peaceful demonstration. But there may be people in Italy or other parts of the world who would carry that out.


"I think that warning needs to be understood by all people who want to insult Islam and want to insult the prophet of Islam."


As well as placards attacking the Pope such as "Pope go to Hell", his followers outside the country's principal Roman Catholic church also waved slogans aimed at offending the sentiments of Christians such as "Jesus is the slave of Allah".


Suppose we just say Death to the Mullahs (scopes be upon them) for insulting religion in general! They are so easily insulted that the joke is now not will they be insulted but with what?


Robert Spencer On The Muslim Veil-with added footage!




First the image of the prophet, then the message of the prophet, now the hijab of the prophet...What next, the hilal food of the prophet?

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Saturday, September 30, 2006

Newsflash: "Islam is Allah's favorite religion"

Commenting on the Pope's recent remark, Gaza preacher Sheikh Abu Saqer said:
"The day will soon come when the green flag of La Illah Illah Allah (There is no god but Allah) and Muhammad Rasul Allah (Muhammad is the prophet of Allah) will be raised upon the Vatican and all around the world and on the fortresses of those who want to destroy Islam, because they know that this religion obliges them to face the truth that Islam is Allah's favorite religion. And until they join Islam, hell is their last station."


Saqer claimed he did not condone violence. He blamed the pope for recent anti-Christian attacks in the Palestinian territories.



"We are deeply sorry for these acts that we condemn," he said. "But I am sorry that this little racist did not think of the consequences upon the Christians in the Arab world when he insulted our prophet. It is an open war – the Muslims against all the others."


I disagree. It is an open war--the freedom of religion, thought, speech and expression, against Islamofascism. How about this...we'll stop insulting their prophet when they stop insulting our intelligence...OK?

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Thursday, September 21, 2006

Pakistani Clerics Want Pope Removed

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) -- About 1,000 clerics and religious scholars at a meeting in eastern Pakistan demanded the removal of the pope for making "insulting remarks" against Islam, and warned the West of severe consequences if it didn't change its stance regarding Islam.

Pope Benedict XVI "should be removed from his position immediately for encouraging war and fanning hostility between various faiths" and "making insulting remarks" against Islam, said a joint statement issued by the clerics and scholars at the end of their one-day convention in the eastern city of Lahore.


The "Pope, and all Infidels, should know that no Muslim, under any circumstances, can tolerate an insult to the Prophet (Muhammad).... If the West does not change its stance regarding Islam, it will face severe consequences," it said.

And they call the Pope's remarks hypocritical?!

Are these clerics and scholars really that confused? I mean show me where this contradicts the position that Islam is a religion of violence, and I will eat both my and your hats!


BTW...the Pope will be removed when God removes him...I'm afraid no sooner.
Sorry to disappoint you, Allah.

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Monday, September 18, 2006

Al-Qaeda vows "We Will Smash The Cross"


AL-QAEDA in Iraq has said in response to remarks by Pope Benedict XVI linking Islam with violence that it will wage jihad until the West is defeated, in a statement posted on the Internet today.

"We say to the servant of the cross (the Pope): wait for defeat ... We say to infidels and tyrants: wait for what will afflict you.

"We continue our jihad. We will not stop until the banner of unicity flies throughout the world," said the statement attributed to the Mujahideen consultative council.

"We will smash the cross ... (you will have no choice but) Islam or death," the statement added, citing a hadith (saying of the Prophet Mohammed) promising Muslims they would "conquer Rome ... as they conquered Constantinople".

Two other armed groups in Iraq, Jaish al-Mujahideen and Asaeb al-Iraq al-Jihadiya, have already threatened the Vatican with reprisals in statements posted on Islamist websites.


The Islamist group threatened "to slit their throats, and take their money and descendants the bounty of the mujahideen."


Al-Qaeda is threatening the west with Jihad? So what is new? They are just joining the myriad voices of lunacy that are proving the Popes remarks are true beyond a reasonable doubt. No apology will do, and frankly I think none is nessecary.

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Sunday, September 17, 2006

Pope Gives Blessing With No Apology

Pope Benedict XVI gave his Angelus blessing at St. Peter's Square this morning, saying:


"I would only wish to add that I am really deeply regretful of the reactions which have been provoked by a brief speech I made… which was deemed offensive to the Islamic people," he told crowds gathered in a rainy St Peter's Square.

"I hope that this will suffice to placate the souls and to make clear the true significance of my speech which in its whole sense was an invitation to a frank and sincere dialogue with great mutual respect," he said.


I don't know if even offering his head would placate some souls. Mutual respect is a concept that I don't believe is something to hold your breath for. But it is good that the jihadis are not the only ones giving out invitations these days. For the Pope, as the Vicar Of Christ, it certainly is his job. It is not at all unreasonable for a religious leader to compare and contrast his faith to others. Jesus' words of "who do you think I am?' really depend on who's you are asking. Jihadi response to that question is more often than not one of loosing one's head-- your's... not theirs. "Convert or Else" is clearly a Muslim concept regarded more highly than "mutual respect and frank dialogue".



Reactions from the Mullah crowd:



Threats: One Iraqi insurgent group, the Mujahedeen Army, also threatened a suicide bomb attack against the Vatican in a statement posted on a website frequently used by militant movements, although the authenticity of the warning could not be immediately verified.

Uncooperation: Turkish prime minister Tayyip Erdogan has also cast doubt over whether the Pope's planned trip to the predominantly Muslim country, in November, will now take place. Asked whether the visit was still likely to go ahead, Mr Erdogan, who described the pontiff's comments as "ugly and unfortunate", replied: "I wouldn't know."

Hoohawing: Yesterday's expression of regret by the Vatican over the Pope's remarks was better received by British Muslims.

"It's certainly a welcome step that the Pope recognises the hurt that his speech caused," said Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain.

"He quoted the words of the emperor who made very derogatory remarks about the Prophet, and his inclusion has caused enormous hurt," he added.

Ok... that is to say nothing about the derogatory remarks and enormous hurt inflicted on the Christian and Western Martyrs by Islam over the centuries by people that want to throw back to the 10th Century. The Pope gave them a 14th Century example of what they are doing right now!

I think so far the best and briefest response to the "offending speech" is this short comment about what the Pope meant by French religious historian Odon Vallet :


"Benedict XVI says that the Christian revelation is not contrary to reason... while for Islam, God's revelation is superior to reason and so can do without it, which would explain the part of passions and violence in Islam," Vallet said.

"I do think that is done on purpose: this is someone who has always voiced his thoughts, sometimes brutally. He is no diplomat," Vallet said.


Benedict XVI is just being himself and saying what he thinks about the fundamentals of radical Islam. That's an example we should all follow.

***UPDATED*** Nuns Death Possibly Linked To Pope's Comments.

Ya Think?


Somalian Sheikh Abubukar Hassan Malin had commanded Friday, after Muslim prayers: "Whoever offends our Prophet Mohammed should be killed on the spot by the nearest Muslim!"


I guess someone took him at his word.


Gunmen killed Sister Leonella (right) and her bodyguard Sunday at the entrance of the hospital where she worked in Mogadishu, Somalia.


Eternal rest grant to her, 0 Lord.
And let perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace. Amen.





Linked at: Hot Air.com
and Sweet Spirits of Ammonia

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