[whataretheysaying] Mary Madigan: He says it better..

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Posted by Mary Madigan:
He says it better..
http://whataretheysaying.powerblogs.com/posts/1158683258.shtml


   The [1]Rev. John Krenson, a permanent ordained deacon of the Roman
   Catholic Church and the author of Crossfire, discusses the Pope's
   Speech *

     The question that keeps popping in my mind - after the response to
     the Danish cartoons and now after Pope Benedictâs recent comments -
     is: why are we so afraid?

     Culturally and religiously we are on the defensive in this War on
     Terror. And it makes no sense to me. We accept immoral expressions
     of outrage by Muslims across the world and yet fail to have any of
     our own justified moral indignation at their actions. Instead we
     apologize for causing their reactions. Perhaps I should apologize
     to my four year old for his little temper tantrum this morning and
     for the time he slugged his sister in the face with a toy.

     We hold the high ground - we believe in individual liberty, we
     believe in religious tolerance, we believe in womenâs rights, we
     believe in a narrow window for the just use of war - and we should
     not be afraid to stand tall and to express our outrage at the
     insane reactions we are seeing across the Muslim world. In fact
     their actions prove the point made previously in Danish cartoons
     and the quote from Pope Benedict. It is all well and good to be
     sensitive but it is quite another thing when Muslims actually
     manifest what we criticize. It is quite another thing when there is
     lack of reciprocity in Muslim treatment of Jews and Christians.
     They have yet to practice what they preach - except for the spread
     of Islam by the sword and the convert or be killed part...

     ...Pope Benedict has spoken recently of reciprocity in
     Christian-Muslim relations - which has been refreshing to hear. His
     speech last week was also refreshing to hear. Muslims seem not to
     have the slightest concern these days of provoking the West -
     Christians or Jews. And our perceived fear of them emboldens them.
     Now is the time for courage, now is the time to stand up for right
     values, and now is the time for some accountability. Our response
     to the recent church burnings and the murder of a nun should be
     "this is exactly what we are talking about when we preach against
     Muslim violence." We preach "be not afraid." Now is the time to "be
     not afraid" and to speak strongly with the courage of our
     convictions.

   * Thanks to Rev. Donald Sensing's One Hand Clapping:

References

   1. http://www.donaldsensing.com/index.php/2006/09/18/be-not-afraid/