Pope is trying to repair the damage
ACCORDING to Robert de Neef (The Mercury, May 2), “Pope Francis’s Egypt visit was ill-conceived”. In fact Francis is keen on building close ties with the Abrahamic faith followers, i.e. Jews, Muslims and Christians.
The pope was trying to repair the damage of his predecessor, Pope Benedict’s ill-founded nasty comments against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, which he later regretted and apologised for.
Francis recognises that the presence of 10 million Christians in Egypt, who have lived peacefully and in harmony with Muslims for 14 centuries, has only been disturbed by recent anti-Muslim events after the creation of Israel (supported by Christians), invasion of Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen by the West (Christians) etc. Muslims regard Christians as people of the Book and therefore after 1400 years of Islam in a 90% Muslim country, Christianity thrived by virtue of the tolerance of Islam towards Christianity. Historically, for 14 centuries, Egypt was a great example of a multi-cultural, multifaith country. Christians, Jews, Muslims lived side by side in an Islamic state.
There is no recorded persecution of Jews or Christians until the catastrophic creation of Israel, wholly supported by the Christians and the West. This was the game changer. Regrettably, like most Christians in the world, Egyptian Christians supported the creation of Israel.
In the wake of 9/11 and the growing attacks on Muslims in the West, the invasion of Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Yemen and Iraq, followed by the disastrous anti-Islamic pronouncements, this has collated a hatred for the West throughout the Muslim world.
The pope understands the carnage caused by the invasions of Muslim countries which are now coming back to haunt those they consider caused such destruction in Muslim lands. Unlike Robert De Neef who does not see the bigger picture, Pope Francis is clear about the harm done to Muslims and should be commended for taking brave steps to do the healing. EM JADWAT
Briardene