My latest at PJ Media:
Out of India this week comes the harrowing story of T.J. Joseph, a professor at a Catholic college and member of the Syro Malabar Church, an Eastern Catholic Church in communion with Rome. Ten years ago, Joseph was accused of blasphemy, whereupon a Muslim group attacked him and severed his hand. In the ensuing years, the Syro Malabar Church, aghast not at the attack but at Joseph’s alleged “Islamophobia,” fired him from his job and excommunicated him. The day after that story came out, one Jordan Denari Duffner of Georgetown University’s Hamas-linked Bridge Initiative, published a piece in the Religion News Service (RNS) claiming that Catholics have an “Islamophobia” problem. Ask T.J. Joseph what he thinks of that, Ms. Duffner.
Duffner piece focused upon the case of the Rev. Nick VanDenBroeke, about which I wrote here at PJ Media. VanDenBroeke landed in hot water when he called Islam “the greatest threat” to Christianity and the U.S., and was subsequently forced to recant and apologize by his boss, Archbishop Bernard Hebda. “The whole incident,” says Duffner, “is reflective of a deeper problem,” which is unlikely to be something she would say about the excommunication of T.J. Joseph. No, Duffner is more worried about what she characterizes as “the discrepancy between the church’s positive official teaching on Muslims and the Islamophobia that often permeates U.S. Catholic communities and discourse.”
Duffner reminds us that “in its 1965 ‘Declaration on Non-Christian Religions,’ issued during the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church begins by declaring its high esteem and respect for Muslims.” She apparently would have us believe that VanDenBroeke, by identifying a threat from the religion that preaches warfare against and the subjugation of unbelievers, is demonstrating a lack of esteem and respect for Muslims. For “the most important aspect of the church’s statement about Muslims,” she says, “is the first line — the teaching that we are to treat Muslims with respect and hold them in high regard. In other words, as Catholics our default attitude toward Muslims is to be a positive one.”
Back in the real world, however, the real problem the Catholic Church has is not the spurious neologism “Islamophobia,” but a fantasy-based Islamophilia that denies obvious reality and is ruthlessly enforced, as the outrages the Church committed against T.J. Joseph demonstrates, and of which Duffner’s article is an example.
Duffner is either spectacularly naive or outrageously deceptive or both; in all her writings, not just this one in RNS, she completely ignores the reality of jihad violence and the violent exhortations in the Qur’an and Sunnah. She continuously writes as if Muslims were victims of widespread discrimination and harassment in the U.S., which they are not and should not be, and that any examination of the motivating ideology behind that jihad violence is tantamount to inciting violence against innocent Muslims.
In her book Finding Jesus among Muslims: How Loving Islam Makes Me a Better Catholic, Duffner even laments the “Islamophobia” of a Christian family in Jordan she stayed with as an exchange student, claiming they picked it up from Christian television channels and not from their lived experience, which she assumes would have given them a positive impression of Islam: “Despite the fact that they lived among Muslims — who are the vast majority of the population in Jordan — my Christian host family bought into these Christian TV channels’ negative portrayals of Islam.”
There is much more. Read the rest here.
Jayell says
Does the Catholic Church have an ‘islamophbia’ problem? Surely not with the current Pope! But we all known that islam has a ‘Cathlicophobia’ problem – it’s written all over their Holy Book and we read about it in the papers every week at least.
mortimer says
Pope Francis wants Europe to be a doormat. He has no understanding of the Koran’s anti-Christian agenda.
Any pope with the smallest awareness would look at the walls around the Vatican and realize that Muslims wanted to conquer Rome as the symbol of the Roman Empire. Mohammed encouraged his followers to conquer Rome.
Muslim presence in Italy dates back to the 9th century, when Sicily came under control of the Abbasid Caliphate. There was a large Muslim presence in Italy from 827AD until the 12th century. The Norman were invited to Sicily to push the Muslim pirates out leading to a gradual reduction of Islam, both due to conversions and the emigration of Muslims back to Northern Africa. A small Muslim community however survived at least until 1300 (the Muslim settlement of Lucera). Thereafter, until the 20th century, Islam was virtually non-existent in Italy.
At present, Islam is not formally recognised by the Italian state. That may soon change. The Italians should not do so.
FYI says
“He has no understanding of islam’s anti christian agenda”
How do YOU know that?
mortimer,do you know francis personally?You do not.
So you don’t know what is actual agenda is….
Tricia Stuercke says
FYI, I politely ask you to read my Post plus my Reply to Joe (& his Post, frankly)…
I’ve had the Blessed Curse to be bedridden since 40, 13yrs now, from Lupus & rare Bone Disease “Trifecta” that killed my Ballet Career overnight at 23…Intrntnl Touring Ballerina at 14, 12hrs after my best performance at 23, I woke in the hotel & crashed to the ground, unable to walk. Long/short, I’ve been completely bedridden since 40 (the Curse)…
The Blessing, God’s been alerting me daily, at times exhaustingly, to what’s going on.
I assume you’re Catholic, so please know I love our Faith! But we DO have a major problem in Francis…If you read my earlier post, you’ll see that I believe Francis to be placed for a purpose, just as Judas was chosen for a purpose. I’m open to any questions, My Christian Brother! ?
Spiro says
Mortimer probably based his judgement of the popes activities and statements
He demonstrates
a lack of understanding
J D.S says
The pope’s agenda is wide open for everyone to see. He supports islam at every turn as seen by his activity when it comes to his statements and actions…..How can any CHRISTIAN leader support a so called religion that supports satan. Museum’s writing and actions are supporting that fact.
There are those who say that this does not fit all Muslims….well until “THOSE MUSLIMS”, cry out on the streets, in the news, from their mosques and every other source available to them, that they reject everything that has taken Islam on the path That they are currently on and have been on for centuries, and take positive actions to change, then ALL MUSLIMS seem to be in one class.
,
David says
FYI, are you thinking that the Pope is aware of “islam’s anti-Christian agenda”? If he is, what on earth could be his agenda? To love everybody, regardless of the threat to non muslims, or infidels, as they like to call us?
God moves in mysterious ways. He appears to have a twisted sense of humour. What does He think of Allah? Is He one side of the same coin?
FYI says
@David and JDS
I don’t {obviously} know what goes on in the pontiff’s mind:It is not as if we can do a Vulcan Mind meld to see{..”Our Thoughts are one”…}..but it is what he is saying and doing{..and NOT doing:he is not a shepherd to his flock,he is a politician pope} whether it be unintentional or intentional {only God can know for sure what his agenda is} that is the problem and he is causing consternation and great offense amongst Catholics,certainly to those of my acquaintance.
{There IS a Catholic Prophecy from St Francis of Assisi{..whether anybody wants to believe it or not..}about a FALSE pope called ‘the destroyer’ that along with what Pope Paul VI said in 1971 {“the smoke of satan has entered the church”}suggest that something wrong is in the church hierarchy but some folk don’t like all that stuff..}
So WHY would God allow a pope to lead his flock astray?
What is the purpose of pope francis if we can see he is leading catholics seriously astray and is NOT defending Christendom as he should?
Most likely this is a test of faith :the faithful are thus revealed and the unfaithful are exposed.
{But Then Only God knows that!}
On the one hand……
There are a handful of well known Cardinals{who know francis personally}and a faithful minority of catholics in opposition to francis and what he is doing:They are the faithful ones and prove themselves loyal to Jesus.
On the other hand….
The ones that go along with francis and happily accept his errors are the blind fools,the sheeple.the “foolish bridesmaids”.They are the unfaithful and prove themselves disloyal to Jesus.
Thus francis serves a USEFUL purpose to God!
Separation of the Wheat{faithful} from the chaff{unfaithful}
william carr says
The problem with the RC church and in particular its hierarchy, is that it has a turn the other cheek problem. They believe they have to emulate JC and never offer physical resistance to anything. neither insult or injury. We are told that when the soldiers came to arrest JC he told his followers not to resist/ Fortunately in the Middle ages the Christian leaders disregarded this ideal and recognised Islam for what it is a threat to Western culture and
civilisation. and fought valiantly against it.
Jesus, or so we are lead to believe, never told his followers what to do when the ‘other cheek’ gets slapped as well. The Islamist leaders will play nice until they achieve power then it will be goodbye the Pope and all his minions
Glyn david says
I did not know until very recently that islam was behind Malcolm X’s demise…& still going strong in the USA…Ban islam
Wellington says
The only truly informed and sapient Christian position on Islam, whatever the sect of Christianity, should be one of disgust, hostility and utter rejection since Islam denies the Crucifixion (to be found Sura 4 of the Koran), has Jesus at the end of the world throwing Christians into Hell for deifying Him, accuses Christianity of polytheism because of said religion’s doctrine of the Trinity (arguably the “sine qua non doctrine” of Christianity minus that strange exception which is Unitarianism, itself a throwback to Arianism—but I digress), and expects Christians in this world to be subservient to Muslims or else (as evidenced, among so much other Islamic antipathy to Christianity, by Sura 3:110 of the Koran which refers to Muslims as “the best of peoples” and Sura 98:6 which refers to Jews and Christians as “the vilest of creatures”).
Just as Christians should despise Marxism and Nazism without necessarily hating every adherent of these warped, freedom-crushing, destructive, violence-prone and anti-Christian belief systems, so should it be the case with Islam. The fact that Nazism is practically dead and Marxism discredited throughout much of the world (but not on many college campuses in many Western nations as well as by Bernie Sanders and innumerable numbers of his supporters) in no way lessens the reason why Christians should look upon Islam with contempt, all the while looking upon most Muslims with compassion.
And such compassion should NEVER be confused with viewing Islam itself favorably. Doing so is evidence of muddled thinking to an actual suicidal degree. Again, you can hate the sin without necessarily hating the sinner. And if Islam is not the longest-lived and best disguised “sinner ideology” on the planet, I don’t know what the Hell is.
mortimer says
There are many legal reasons for not recognizing Islam as an official religion in enlightened, modern countries. Primarily, most Muslims do not recognize the principles of modern human rights, but actively or passively oppose them. Islamic governments are poor in enforcing the human rights and civil liberties of their minorities. This is because Sharia law is considered to be superior to human-made constitutions.
Wellington says
Well, mortimer, so far those legal reasons you mentioned have not dissuaded a ton of judges in a veritable plethora of Western nations.
You see, again we are functioning in high theory land with respect to Islam and what it intends for us all—and arguably just about the weakest link, though there are a hell of a lot of weak links where correctly assessing Islam is concerned—is the Western judiciary.
Just identify Islam as evil and nonetheless grant it religious status and thereafter the West will be safe. Not there yet. Not even close to being there yet.
IanB says
Superb post Wellington explaining what the Christian position on Islam SHOULD be.
carpediadem says
Note the unqualified pursuit of friendship with Muslims vs the grudging recommendation of friendship with Jews in Nostra Aetate:
“3. The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,(5) who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.
Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.
4. As the sacred synod searches into the mystery of the Church, it remembers the bond that spiritually ties the people of the New Covenant to Abraham’s stock.
Thus the Church of Christ acknowledges that, according to God’s saving design, the beginnings of her faith and her election are found already among the Patriarchs, Moses and the prophets. She professes that all who believe in Christ-Abraham’s sons according to faith (6)-are included in the same Patriarch’s call, and likewise that the salvation of the Church is mysteriously foreshadowed by the chosen people’s exodus from the land of bondage. The Church, therefore, cannot forget that she received the revelation of the Old Testament through the people with whom God in His inexpressible mercy concluded the Ancient Covenant. Nor can she forget that she draws sustenance from the root of that well-cultivated olive tree onto which have been grafted the wild shoots, the Gentiles.(7) Indeed, the Church believes that by His cross Christ, Our Peace, reconciled Jews and Gentiles. making both one in Himself.(8)
The Church keeps ever in mind the words of the Apostle about his kinsmen: “theirs is the sonship and the glory and the covenants and the law and the worship and the promises; theirs are the fathers and from them is the Christ according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:4-5), the Son of the Virgin Mary. She also recalls that the Apostles, the Church’s main-stay and pillars, as well as most of the early disciples who proclaimed Christ’s Gospel to the world, sprang from the Jewish people.
As Holy Scripture testifies, Jerusalem did not recognize the time of her visitation,(9) nor did the Jews in large number, accept the Gospel; indeed not a few opposed its spreading.(10) Nevertheless, God holds the Jews most dear for the sake of their Fathers; He does not repent of the gifts He makes or of the calls He issues-such is the witness of the Apostle.(11) In company with the Prophets and the same Apostle, the Church awaits that day, known to God alone, on which all peoples will address the Lord in a single voice and “serve him shoulder to shoulder” (Soph. 3:9).(12)
Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is thus so great, this sacred synod wants to foster and recommend that mutual understanding and respect which is the fruit, above all, of biblical and theological studies as well as of fraternal dialogues.
True, the Jewish authorities and those who followed their lead pressed for the death of Christ;(13) still, what happened in His passion cannot be charged against all the Jews, without distinction, then alive, nor against the Jews of today. Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented as rejected or accursed by God, as if this followed from the Holy Scriptures. All should see to it, then, that in catechetical work or in the preaching of the word of God they do not teach anything that does not conform to the truth of the Gospel and the spirit of Christ.”
Dapto says
No it has a Poop problem as this dik poops all over the place
Tricia Stuercke says
I’m in JUST the right mood for this at this very moment:
1) Georgetown University, who covered Our Lord’s Crucifixes before Obama spoke there, is a Liberal Hellhole, Catholic no more!
2) “Bridge Initiative”?! Bridge Initiative is a Liberal Hellhole! Anti-Catholic/Pro-Islam, as is RNS, & obviously the pompously-ignorant author! Oh yes, it’s frighteningly possible to be both pompous & ignorant…The Left does it all day, every day with great ease!
3) Franny (“pope” Francis) has opened the floodgates for this tragic “interpretation” of Islam…I’m still discerning his motive: Is he genuinely-clueless of the History of Islam as of 622AD Medina when Mo 1st used The Sword? Or, which I lean most toward, is he in fact A Judas as I’ve perceived him to be from Day 1 on that balcony? I’ve mentioned previously that he’s been Formally Chastised by his Brother Priests, Bishops & Cardinals 2x now: Both are Googleable: “Francis, The Dubia” & “Francis, Filial Correction”…bottom line, both Formal Procedures were Alerting/Questioning him, then CHARGING HIM, with outright HERESY! He’s still refused to even respond to the charges! He just continues teaching clear heresies & kissing Islam’s Tuchus! No True Shepherd would do either! Yes, I believe he’s in place for a reason, but for a Judus-like reason:
Prophecy clearly foretells a Schism in The Church, as in the 1 Church begun by Christ Himself, which was & is The Catholic Christian Church entrusted by Christ to Peter…perhaps that’s Franny’s Role:
To bring about The Schism.
Countless other End Days’ markers have unfolded, & Prophecy is CLEAR that Islamism, LGBTism, & the Collapse of the Family would be Satan’s Main Tools to bring about The Antichrist, who’s confirmed to be on Earth now.
This is getting very interesting…He can’t keep pretending Islam is Rainbows & Puppies…
1st, the LGBT’s stole God’s Rainbow, 2nd, puppies, Priests & Christian Parishoners are being GENOCIDED DAILY in Africa, especially Nigeria! He has to know this!!! Knowing this yet still feigning “all is well”…I’d call that Judas-Level Demonic Infiltration!
Tim Carlo says
Tricia, I couldn’t of said it better myself. The good people (most) don’t have a clue on whats happening in this country and how bad it really is. Read the “Red-Green Axis” it will open your eyes even more…..
Peter35 says
Right on Tricia, well said!
Peter Dale says
I would say the the Roman Catholic Church has an Islamophilia problem. In spades.
gravenimage says
Spot on, Peter.
Paul says
I am not an Islamaphobe. I am an Islam realist. I doubt an Islamaphobe exists. To fear Islam is simply a sign of a healthy survival instinct when you are aware of deadly danger.
gravenimage says
+1
James Lincoln says
Paul,
Very well put in a very succinct package!
Tim Carlo says
I don’t have any Phobias. But I do have Freedom of Speech and the right to defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; and bear true faith and allegiance to the same. And as far as Freedom of Religion, I don’t think our Fore Fathers ever thought about Islam and the hate and terrorist ways they spew across the world. If they had of, it would be outlawed.
David says
Islamophobia is a shield invented by muslims to fend off criticism of islam.
Mark Berlinger says
Islamophobia, the phony mental disorder, is what happens when a Non-Muslim learns a little too much about Islam.
somehistory says
I think there are three basic groups of people…besides moslims.
One group…which is made up of the majority of people…don’t read enough or understand enough or take things seriously enough, to see what islam is all about. They have not learned to care enough about the dangers because they don’t care enough to find out. Other things are too important. If any in this group listen at all, they listen to people of the second group and fall for the storyline. That “story” is not so scary as the one told by group three.
Group number two includes people like the pope, the writer of the article on the Catholic Church and its phobia problem, and many other people with a public platform where they speak often of the fake islam and the fake moslims…and they do this for what they think they will get out of speaking lies.
Group three is made up of people like Mr. Spencer, Ms. Geller, Mr. Ibrahim, Mr. Emerson, and also those whom we don’t really know the names, or the faces, or the works, lives, etc. All those who read these writers and understand just what they are saying about islam and its designs of conquest through waging jihad in all of its forms.They don’t have a fake ‘phobia’ about islam; they have knowledge and understanding of the evil islam presents. Many even understand the real source behind the beast.
And all of these groups have people of various backgrounds. But, if someone identifying as a Christian speaks of islam in a good way, of the virtues it does not possess, giving praise and honor to the book and the works, etc., then they will be judged, by the One they claim to follow, for speaking lies. They will be held accountable for any they mislead into believing falsehoods.
gravenimage says
Good analysis.
somehistory says
Ty, g!
James Lincoln says
somehistory says,,
Excellent analysis, my compliments.
At one time, most of us here at Jihad watch probably belong to group number “one”until they began the long and arduous process – and learned the truth about islam.
There are also many good people out there, distracted by 60 hour plus workweeks, etc., who probably fall into the first group. I was one of them, until I found Jihad Watch…
somehistory says
I believe there are many in group one who come to their senses, but the majority are caught up in the daily affairs of their own lives and until something happens to wake them, they do not notice the danger.
And the people in group two are so vocal, and the moslims are so adept at lying, it takes a lot to wake a person. And the vocal people who belong to churches…such as the pope, and many pastors and preachers we have read about who support the moslim invasion and make excuses for the ones committing the worst of offenses, the churches inviting them in to “prey” and to have “dialogue” and to have material comforts given to them, all have a great influence on the minds of people in the community. Especially those who believe there is “good in all religions” and don’t wish to think that anything could be as bad as it really is.
Many politicians belong to group two and they have a ready platform to spread the lies that islam is not a danger, that moslims are misunderstood, that moslims just want to live like the rest of us, that they are the real victims, and that we should not speak ill of their “faith.” These ones are in the news all of the time…they get voted in to make sure the rest of us are “safe,” so if they don’t see a danger, why should the average person?
And I’m glad you found out the truth about islam.
gravenimage says
Does the Catholic Church Really Have An ‘Islamophobia’ Problem?
………………….
Nope.
Carol the 1st says
Mmmmmint tea and sammiches!
Lydia Church says
Sooo….. did the Jews have a naziphobia problem as a result of the holocaust?
How dare they!!!
Just when you think they can’t get any dumber….
they sink to a new low.
IanB says
Delusion about Islam, deliberate or not, is not exclusive to the RC church but is widespread throughout the West in other Christian denominations, in politics, the media, academia, judiciary, law enforcement … anywhere you care to look except in certain Eastern European countries where common sense prevails.
The main reason is a cowardly fear of Islam reinforced through Muslim terrorism and the Islamophobia scam. The prevailing attitude is we must not upset the poor dears even though they gang rape and murder our children.
Until realism about Islam becomes inevitable, when it may be too late, the West is headed for terrible destruction at the hands of followers of a 7th Century narcissistic psychopath, creator of the most evil ideology to have spread across our planet.
The Roman Catholic church should be taking the lead in debunking Islam as a valid religion and in showing it to be the demonic cult it truly is. There is no indication at present this is likely to happen.
That is the existential tragedy of the 21st Century.
gravenimage says
Good analysis, Ian and thebigW.
libertyORdeath says
If Islam is not the greatest threat to Christianity then I don’t know what is.
David says
Buddhism? Just joking! You are of course correct. What we need is for this fact to be recognised and admitted by infidels, then we would be on the way to eliminating the curse of islam.
jca reid says
Both are Fascistic perverted organisations. simply wanting power & control over peoples’ lives for the money & status that will provide. also so they can play with smally boys & girls 7 say, “It’s God’s/Allah’s will.”
gravenimage says
jca, there is nothing in Catholicism that teaches this. There certainly is in Islam, though.
SamB says
The Catholic Church created Islam. How else does one account for the Surahs and the various ayas equivalent to Catholic dogma? The pope has a problem. He can’t reign in Islam, the only solution currently is to seek rapprochement to mollify its sensitivities. If, Fr. Alberto Rivera is correct Islam is a child of the Catholic Church. Unfortunately, this statement will not found resonance here because of the deep veneration for his deportment and the history of this Church. But, this is spurious adulation. Islam is pure evil and subversion of the truth
gravenimage says
What a load of claptrap from SamB. In fact, far from having created Islam, the Catholic Church has fought against it for centuries–having a witless Islamophile on the throne of St. Peter now does not change this. In fact, people like SamB would not be free today had it not been for the efforts of brave Catholics who fought Islam in the past.
Rivera has never offered the slightest proof for his unhinged allegations that the Catholic Church created Islam, and they have mostly been promulgated in Jack Chick’s anti-Catholic comic books.
Tricia Stuercke says
Just now saw your brilliant response to this tragic ignoramus…What kinda thought-process (or drugs) put that inanity in someone’s mind to such a degree they not only repeat it but proclaim it!?!
So grateful you jumped on that! I “function” (mentally & visually) just a couple hours a day now, which is why I’m so sporadic on here…what a Blessed Grace not only to have Jihad Watch, but to have YOU, Wellington, Mortimer & other beautiful souls stomping out the occasional dung-fueled “fire”!
You’re wonderful, & I appreciate you! ?
gravenimage says
Thank you, Tricia. I agree very much about Wellington and Mortimer and many other fine posters, as well.
And I am always glad to see you posting here.
WithPurpleAbandon says
They have a Stockholm Syndrome-induced “Islamophilia” problem at this stage. Or even better, a Submission problem. After all, that’s what Islam means in practice : submission by intimidation. Fear doesn’t equate love, but that’s just the way muslims like it, after all. You don’t have to love Islam, it’s all about fearing Allah in the end, for both muslims and non-muslims alike. And infidels have to know their place. The PC West likes to live in fear at this point, wrongly assuming somehow that the punishments this delightful ideology has meted out will subside as soon as we start behaving “appropriately”, so Allah gets what he wants: intimidation works its magic on our societies. And as a consequence, muslim minorities can live in Western Europe as if they are already living in muslim-majority countries. Which leaves both Christianity and secularized society nearly dead in the water at this point.
A job well done, so to speak.
TimothyS says
“Is the Pope Catholic” is no longer rhetorical