The non-Muslims involved in this project have no idea of how they’re being played, and would accuse anyone who tried to explain it to them of “Islamophobia.”
Here is the full statement I sent to Church Militant:
This is a deceptive project that will not lead to any good outcome. It is a manifestation of this Qur’an verse: “And do not argue with the People of the Book except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, ‘We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are Muslims to Him.” (Qur’an 29:46)
This may appear to be a generous statement of interfaith understanding, but it is actually an example of Islamic proselytizing. Muslim Brotherhood theorist Sayyid Qutb explained what is behind it: “The chasm between Islam and Jahiliyyah [the society of unbelievers] is great, and a bridge is not to be built across it so that the people on the two sides may mix with each other, but only so that the people of Jahiliyyah may come over to Islam.” Dialogue, in other words, is a means of dawah, Islamic proselytizing, not a genuine discussion or exchange. The proclamation that we all believe in the same God is a prelude to the appeal to accept Muhammad as a prophet and the Qur’an as a holy book.
Meanwhile, in this building, presumably the Gospel will be proclaimed, as well as the Qur’an. In the Qur’an, the Virgin Mary gives birth to Jesus, but it is stated that he is not the Son of God (19:35), not divine (5:17), and was not crucified (4:157), and thus could not be and is not the savior and redeemer of the world. This will be a decidedly mixed message. If past experience of “interfaith dialogue” is any guide, it will be resolved by the Christians toning down proclamation of the distinctive aspects of their faith so as to avoid offending the Muslims. This will make their proclamation closer to Islam in its character, as all will be left will be a declaration of monotheism and little else, and this will be viewed by the Muslim party as a victory of their proselytizing and sign of the submission of the Christians required in Qur’an 9:29.
Nothing will be said of Muslim persecution of Christians. Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester, Massachusetts even said explicitly a few years ago that he didn’t want to have a public discussion of Muslim persecution of Christians for fear that it would harm Muslim-Christian dialogue. That epitomizes the futility and self-defeating nature of this dialogue. It won’t save a single Christian from persecution or a single church from being destroyed. This interfaith “temple” will make the Jews and Christians feel good about their openness and generosity, and the Muslims think they’re making progress in proselytizing. It will fuel all the worst impulses in Islam for supremacism and the superseding of Judaism and Christianity.
“Berlin Builds Rome-Backed Interfaith Shrine,” by Jules Gomes, ChurchMilitant.com, May 27, 2021:
BERLIN (ChurchMilitant.com) – In a historic first Thursday, a coalition of Jews, Christians and Muslims laid the foundation stone of a 47-million-euro interfaith shrine on the ruins of the 12th century St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Berlin.
Hailed by the Vatican as a “house of prayer bringing the three world religions together under one roof,” but slammed by faithful Catholics as “gnostic” and “syncretistic,” the House of One anticipates Pope Francis’ own pet project of an Abrahamic House.
The federal and state governments are pouring 30 million euro of taxpayer cash into the edifice, besides financing several staff positions including a social media team. Private donors are supplementing the remaining costs.
However, none of the revenue from Germany’s church tax will go into building the House of One, the organizers clarified.
The Berlin archdiocese is involved in the project. “The archbishop of Berlin is not a sponsor but is linked to the project. Archbishop Heiner Koch is a member of the foundation’s board of trustees,” the Catholic Saint Hedwig Centre announced.
Singing Praise
“We consider ourselves very lucky to have our Catholic brothers and sisters from Berlin archdiocese and Archbishop Heiner Koch on our side,” House of One organizers tweeted during the inauguration.
L’Osservatore Romano, the pope’s official newspaper, praised the project as an “innovative project that creates a common space for the three great, monotheistic religions.”
Former German president (2010–2012) Christian Wulff urged critics of the House of One to read Pope Francis’ recent encyclical Fratelli Tutti.
“I think it is very helpful for the concept of the ‘House of One’ — especially the pope’s advice that God loves all people regardless of their religious affiliation,” Wulff said.
Archbishop Koch, known for his support of homosexual relationships, told Catholic critics the interfaith project would “enable a dialogue process that does not exclude the intellectually critical” and would also include nonreligious people.
Reality: Islamic Proselytizing
In comments to Church Militant, renowned Islamic historian Robert Spencer warned that the “deceptive project is actually an example of Islamic proselytizing,” and “will not lead to any good outcome.”
Spencer cited Muslim Brotherhood theorist Sayyid Qutb as saying: “The chasm between Islam and jahiliyyah [society of unbelievers] is great, and a bridge is not to be built across it so that the people on the two sides may mix with each other, but only so that the people of jahiliyyah may come over to Islam.”
“Dialogue, in other words, is a means of dawah, Islamic proselytizing, not a genuine discussion or exchange. The proclamation that we all believe in the same God is a prelude to the appeal to accept Muhammad as a prophet and the Qur’an as a holy book,” Spencer warned.
Spencer, author of over 21 books on Islam and the Middle East, elaborated:
If experience of “interfaith dialogue” is any guide, it will be resolved by the Christians toning down proclamation of the distinctive aspects of their faith to avoid offending the Muslims. This will make their proclamation closer to Islam, as all will be left will be a declaration of monotheism and little else, and this will be viewed by the Muslims as a victory of their proselytizing and sign of the submission of the Christians required in Qur’an 9:29.
Nothing will be said of Muslim persecution of Christians. It won’t save a single Christian from persecution or a single church from being destroyed. This interfaith “temple” will make the Jews and Christians feel good about their openness and generosity, and the Muslims think they’re making progress in proselytizing. It will fuel all the worst impulses in Islam for supremacism and the superseding of Judaism and Christianity.
A wooden model of the piazza has already been erected on the site and “multifaith meditations” are already being held in this provisional edifice as a marketing tool for donations.
The shrine is being built on the Petriplatz in Berlin’s oldest district of Cölln on the Spree Island on the site of the bombed-out St. Peter’s Church, which was torn down in 1964 after it suffered severe damage during World War II.
The ancient Catholic Church is mentioned in a document dating back to 1285 and was converted into a Protestant church after the Reformation….
Jillian says
It is absolutely frightening how so many people are so stupid and naive!
Eleanor says
Yes indeed. If I was a German Jew or Christian, I would not go near the place, thank you. How long will it be until the first Muslim or Muslims go on a stabbing rampage? Not too long, I bet.
mortimer says
The Jews and Christians involved in this are quite naïve and probably don’t know what Islam teaches about their respective religions.
In fact, Islam rejects over 95% of the Apostles’ Creed … showing that there is almost no commonality between Islam and Christianity.
Fred Alan Medforth says
Germany: Why does Chancellor candidate Laschet allow Islamists to influence religious education?
There is new turmoil in the CDU/CSU about the Christian Democratic Union leader and candidate for chancellor Armin Laschet (60)!
The reason is a highly controversial move by the North-Rhine Westphalia state government led by Laschet as prime minister.
The government suddenly wants to let the largest Islamist association in Germany – the so-called Ditib – have a say in religious education in North Rhine-Westphalia (including determining the tasks in school books).
The problem: Ditib is not only co-financed by the notorious Turkish religious authority (Diyanet), it is even MANDATED.
Stunned reactions in the Union. Hamburg’s CDU leader Christoph Ploß (35), who is also a member of the CDU federal executive, told the newspaper BILD: “Ditib is Erdogan’s extended arm. The association is trying to export anti-Semitic and Turkish-nationalist policies to Germany from Ankara.”
Ploß demands: “We must not accept this! I therefore say clearly: no cooperation with Ditib!”
In fact, “Dianyet Deutsch” had recently become notorious on Twitter for anti-Israeli inflammatory tweets (“The baby killer Israel must be stopped as soon as possible”).
Are such slogans now being incorporated into the curricula of North Rhine-Westphalia?
The FDP also has to put up with the question why it allows the Turkish state to sit at the school desk. After all, the FDP is in charge of the NRW school ministry, namely the minister for education, Yvonne Gebauer (54).
https://medforth.biz/why-does-chancellor-candidate-laschet-allow-islamists-to-influence-religious-education/
mortimer says
Yes, the thin edge of the wedge that leads to Islamization and dhimmification.
Tony Naim says
Islamic Sharia simulates the constitution of a country. Parts of it contains discriminatory laws against Christians and Jews. Laws that even go as far as calling for violence against Christians and Jews. The Struggle for Justice on behalf of Middle Eastern Christians and Jews- especially Israeli Jews- cannot be fruitful without addressing these laws .
The laws of blasphemy, apostasy , heresy and Dhimmitude must be abolished from Sharia.
These laws must be called by what they are:
Anti-Christian and Anti-Judaic ( not anti Semitic) There are no equivalent anti-Islamic laws in any western body politic.
Anything short of this endpoint will remain futile.
gravenimage says
Yes–this is dhimmitude.
mortimer says
Parts of Sharia law apply to everyone and parts to Muslims only, but the overall intent of Sharia is to create a SUPREMACIST MUSLIM SOCIETY and subservient DHIMMITUDE for non-Muslims.
Dhimmis don’t actually have enforceable ‘rights’ under Sharia. Dhimmis only have privileges that will be protected only by the whims of the Islamic ruler or not.
gravenimage says
Exactly.
Infidel says
What a bigoted building this is. If it’s supposed to be a shrine to just Abrahamic religions, then islam does not qualify, since they distort the story of Abraham and his descendants in such a way that it’s completely different from that of the real Abraham and his descendants
So if it’s not doing that, but they want to represent all, why are they leaving out all the other religions? Be it Scientology, Rastafarianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Daoism and so on? Make a list of all the religions and their sects that there are on earth, and have a shrine to each one of them in each one of their rooms
I condemn this monumentary exclusion
mortimer says
The theory of the ‘Abrahamic religions’ is flawed by the fact that the three faiths have a DIFFERENT ABRAHAM!
This theological theory was created so that Christians might be more protected as DHIMMIS in Muslim countries. However, most Muslims don’t buy into it, and see it merely as a bridge for non-Muslims to use to get into Islam.
This is just what Robert Spencer outlines above as the Islamic grand strategy for Islamizing non-Muslims through deceptive theology.
gravenimage says
Christianity and Judaism have the same general view of Abraham–Islam, not so much…
owensgate says
A bastion of “Three Faith’s in one”! What an astonishing vindication of the One World Religion that’s coming in prophecy, well actually HERE, but for Bible believing Christians departing soon (other “christians” will still be here) that obscure it for now. We obstacles to global “progress” are about to be “disappeared” by “Space Aliens” who have come to save the world. The explanation is being prepared, as “UFO’s” are to be soon made part of the national dialog in a positive way.
Wellington says
The Vatican has, I fear, outlived its usefulness. For centuries a stalwart defender of Western Civilization, it has now become an enabler of those “lesser elements” who would be delighted with the demise of the West.
Well, this can be expected when not only the Pope but a great many in the Catholic Church at large, including Cardinals, Bishops, priests and many lay fools have gone over to the loopy side, if not the dark side.
So glad I am no longer a Catholic. Simply don’t know how I would or could defend the Church were I still.
James Lincoln says
Wellington,
About the only thing that the Vatican has to offer today are beautiful works of art.
I had the good fortune of seeing Michelangelo’s Pietà at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair Vatican Pavilion.
My late father, a family practice physician, was in absolute awe at the detailed surface anatomy of the sculpture.
I later learned how accurate my dad’s assessment was…
gravenimage says
I would love to see the Pietà in person–one of the most beautiful works of art.
Wellington says
Like so much of Europe, James, it seems all that remains are beautiful relics. The Vatican in microcosm represents what has happened to Wester Europe, i.e., it has lost its will.
BTW, when I was in Italy long ago I did get to see the Pieta as well as the Sistine Chapel. I believe Michelangelo is just about the only person in world history who was a first-class painter, first-class sculptor and first-class architect, though his paintings do look like sculpted bodies and Michelangelo himself always saw sculpture as the art form he most loved and was devoted to. An extremely solitary man, he said he had no friends and wanted none.
gravenimage says
Michelangelo was also quite a good poet–perhaps not quite the astonishing polymath that Leonardo was, but still a Renaissance man in the true sense. He may not have been quite the solitary fellow you think, although he was not known for being gregarious, He was a friend of the poet and intellectual Vittoria Colonna, and dedicated many of his sonnets to her.
Jim says
Building this three-faith monument on the site of an historic Christian church seems to me to be like the two muslim buildings on Temple Mount. It seems to me that Islam is not part of the West, it is the enemy of the West. Why not build a monumental complex honoring fascism, communism and democracy as three historic political systems. That makes as much sense to me. It would be better to build a monument to the struggle of the world’s great religions to resist Islam. Or a monument to the affinity of Christianity and Judaism. They should forbid the building of Muslim institutions funded from abroad, the building of minarets, the construction of Islamic cultural centers, the teaching of Islam in schools. They should require that mosques only be built if Christian churches in Muslim countries are returned to Christian churches. Such as the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. Why should our enemies be able to set up their institutions when they ban ours.
somehistory says
Well, “faith” is described in the Bible as one “believing in something promised, but that is not seen…or visibly manifest…although it has been “assured” by the One Who has promised.”
As one translation quotes the Apostle Paul, “Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, although the reality is not beheld.”
That means that a person of “faith” will not be constantly trying to prove what is “hoped for” and he cannot yet see by trying to bring it about, thus attempting a fulfilling of the Promise himself.
The kind of person who is trying to force those things in which he says he has faith, doesn’t really have faith. mozlums don’t have “faith” although they use the word.
and, the ones who will be in the church part, should be reading their Bibles. This sort of “communion” is forbidden to the one who wishes to “please God well.” Having a “sharing with the demons” will not get them the Life Jesus died for and that He promised to give to those who “put faith in me (Jesus); put faith also in the Father.”
Jesus told satan, “It is written, it is Jehovah your God you must worship and it is to Him alone you must render sacred service.”
Sharing a “shrine” of this sort is a slap in God’s face, and a denial of what Jesus said we “must” do.
No good will come of it. The fact that the vatican…a building of course…run by the pope who adores mozlums, is praising it should tell everyone what’s up.
tim gallagher says
I see islam as being the complete opposite of Christianity, and as an obvious enemy of Christianity and every other non-Muslim religion. To me, these attempts to get along with evil and barbaric islam are idiotic and completely pointless. Muslims are always going to be trying to get everyone to submit and join that vile, barbaric creed, islam. To my mind, it has been 1400 years of invasion and warfare and misery since islam came along and fouled up the world. It is them or us when it comes to islam. These attempts to get along with the Muslim enemy are ridiculous and pathetically gullible. I’m sure Muslims just laugh at the gullibility of non-Muslims who try these futile efforts to get along with islam.
somehistory says
Your comment reminded me of Queen Jezebel and the “prophets” of ba’al. I believe there were hundreds of them, and she was after the True prophets of Israel to slaughter them, so there would be no one left to oppose her.
Along came Jehu and pretended that he wanted to have a sacrifice to ba’al, so all of the ‘prophets of ba’al’ were gathered inside where Jehu had said the sacrifice would take place.
When he was satisfied that none of the ba’al prophets were absent, he had the evil devil worshippers put to death. One could say it was a “sacrifice” but ba’al wasn’t pleased and neither was Jezebel.
Jezebel saw Jehu coming on his chariot…”like someone mad” (crazy, but I guess angry would fit too). She put on her heavy makeup and waited in the window for Jehu to arrive, believing she could seduce him into joining her in her evil.
Jehu asked, “Who is with me?” Some men answered him and he said, “Let her drop.”
Anyone who falls for the evil lies of mozlums is the same as any who gave in to Jezebel and worshipped ba’al. ba’al and islam have the same demon source.
tim gallagher says
Thanks for the comment and the illuminating Old Testament story, somehistory. As I said above, I do believe that Islam is the opposite of Christianity. I agree with you that islam is a religion which is evil just like the old religion dedicated to ba’al. I also put islam with religions like that long gone Aztec religion. I also think islam is about as evil as Nazism. To me, these attempts to get cosy with islam are totally wrong headed. All branches of the Christian religion should be calling out islam as the evil force that it is. These attempts to be friendly with Islam are both pointless and immoral. It makes as much sense as becoming friendly and behaving in a pleasant way with Nazism. There seem to be so many gullible people around. Such people seem, to me, to inhabit a fantasy world.
somehistory says
“As I said above, I do believe that Islam is the opposite of Christianity.”
I agree with you As much so as the God we Christians worship is the opposite of the satan mozlums worship.
It was just the way you worded your comment, I pictured Jehu and his opposition to Jezebel and the other ba’all worshippers.
tim gallagher says
somehistory, I have to say that you know the Bible incredibly well. I am a Christian but I only know a few stories from the Old Testament (mostly the stories that are read at the Catholic mass). I also mainly know the parables and other stories from the New Testament if they are read at the Mass. I know these stories because, over the years, I have heard them many times over..I am something of a hermit by nature and in recent years I merely watch the Mass on TV on Sunday morning rather than go to it. I enjoy watching it that way more than I ever did when I attended it. I figure that we all have a direct line to God and I talk to the Christian God, my way of praying, quite often. The parts of the Bible that I enjoy most are some of the passages from the letters of St Paul where he is trying to figure out and write down the significance of Jesus and what Jesus’s life and death was all about. Your knowledge of the Bible leaves my knowledge of it for dead.
James Lincoln says
tim gallagher says,
“…Islam is the opposite of Christianity.”
Yes.
“…islam is a religion which is evil…:
Yes, that should be clear to anyone who takes a factual, evidence-based approach to islam.
“All branches of the Christian religion should be calling out islam as the evil force that it is.”
Yes, unfortunately many Christians are, likely unintentionally, enabling the spread of islam.
“These attempts to be friendly with Islam are both pointless and immoral. It makes as much sense as becoming friendly and behaving in a pleasant way with Nazism.”
The Allied forces would have lost World War II had they used this approach to Nazi-ism.
Excellent post, tim. You packed in a lot of truisms.
God bless, my friend…
somehistory says
Tim,
Many thanks for your kind comment. The earliest memory I have of trying to understand the Bible is from when I was four or five and was selected to sing in the church we attended. There was a song about “washing robes in the Blood of the Lamb,” and the robes come out clean, “white as snow.”
That was a great puzzle to me. We lived on a farm where my father often killed hogs and my mother killed chickens. I couldn’t understand how a lamb’s blood would make something white. Blood is red and very sticky. I studied the Bible to find out how this could be.
It’s a great History book, and I enjoy history. It has wonderful proverbs and parables and encouragement to put faith in our Creator, to lean on Him and throw our burdens on Him, listening to Him, and learning from Him and about Him.
The “stories” or accounts in the Bible are naturally only some of what went on in the world of the Jews and their enemies. Each one tells us something we need to know about God, Jesus, and how to understand their commands to us, and to put faith in their promises.
I don’t go anywhere either. I feel most at home, at home. I have listened to many different “sermons” on tv, by many different men, some of whom understand much about the Scriptures.
No one knows or understands everything, but I have learned from each one I took the time to hear, as well as people that I used to associate with regularly.
I agree that we all have a “direct line to God,” through Jesus Christ, and any of us can “talk to God” at any time, day or night, for as long as we feel the desire, or the need and He will answer us.
Sometimes, He answers directly and sometimes that answer comes through someone else.
I was at a service many, many years ago and before I went, I had been praying very long and hard about a problem I faced that had me stressed and worried about what to do. While I was at the service, doing my best to concentrate on what was being said by the elder speaking to the congregation, he looked straight at me and said something….that was an answer to my prayers. Exactly what I needed to hear. That is just one example.
I, too, like reading Paul’s letters to the congregations. He was a Pharisee…an attorney, or lawyer as they all were once called…so he knew very well the Law and the Prophets and how to apply them to Jesus Christ…when once he had accepted that Jesus really was the Messiah that the Jews were looking for all those centuries of time.
As he said, ‘all of the promises are fulfilled in the Christ’, that the “Law was a tutor leading to Christ.”
I thank you again for your wonderful encouragement to me…to continue learning and I don’t believe for a moment that your knowledge is “dead.”
Paul wrote like the lawyer he was and some of what he wrote in his letters to the different congregations and to a few individual Christians, is difficult to understand, but I think you have a very good grasp of what he was trying to explain. I encourage you to keep reading, keep studying, keep “talking to God,” and keep your faith in Him. Life everlasting is what He has promised.
tim gallagher says
Thanks for the comments, James and somehistory. James, the thing that frustrates me is that so many people in our societies have not yet woken up to islam’s evil and barbaric nature. To my mind, it should be obvious to almost everybody by now. It amazes me that we still have so many people telling us that islam is just fine and deserves our respect. I see it as probably the greatest con job in history. I agree with you that we wouldn’t have beaten the Nazis in World War II if we had had the same foolish, sleep walking attitude that so many people have towards islam. I do see a few people I know (left wingers) gradually waking up, but it is all so slow. somehistory, I’m always glad to praise people for their knowledge and, without a doubt, you are very knowledgeable about the content of the Bible. I do have a fairly strong faith (probably I need it), so I do talk to the Christian God quite a lot. By the way, when I said that your knowledge of the Bible leaves my knowledge of it “for dead”, that is just a saying here in Australia, although, as I am 71 years old, it is likely a saying that is out of date and not used by younger people. So I wasn’t being derogatory about my knowledge and putting it down as being “dead” or useless. For example, I could also say to someone, “Your golf game leaves mine for dead”. All the best to both of you, James and somehistory.
somehistory says
Oh, “in the dust” would probably be what an American would say.
“From dust you are and to dust you will return,” so says the Bible about death.
Guess the two sayings came from that ancient Truth.
Thank you for the explanation.
gravenimage says
Good exchange, Somehistory, Tim, and James.
gravenimage says
Vatican hails Berlin interfaith shrine containing synagogue, church and mosque
………………
Potemkin villiage. This is all about Islamic supremacism.
There is an “Abrahamic House” going up in Abu Dhabi, as well. This is a place where Islam is the official religion and where Christians sharing their faith with Muslims are committing a crime. It is also a crime for a Muslim there to leave Islam–although the death penalthy has not so far been applied. Officially there are no non-Muslims there at all (although there are clearly at least a few Hindus and Christians among the foreign workers there).
So this is all just for Taqiyya purposes.
mortimer says
Out of the three faiths, only ISLAM has a teaching calling for warfare against DISBELIEVERS.
I don’t see how Judaism and Christianity can share a building with Islam.
Phil Copson says
Translation:
“We have built a mosque on the site of a 12th Century church dedicated to Saint Peter. Now the Jews and Christians will just have to suck it up and pretend they like it.
Now – somebody remind me – how much did Biden say he wanted for putting one on the site of the World Trade Centre ?”
somehistory says
Turning a church into a barracks for housing soldiers for satan, or building a barracks on the ruins of a church, is what mozlums do. They believe it shows they are supreme., stronger, more powerful…that their “god” is helping them win over their enemies.
So, you have it right, imo. There won’t be any Truth being sounded inside those walls.
gravenimage says
I’m not sure what Biden has said about the Ground Zero Mosque. I know that Obama approved of it, though–and no surprise there.
JCA Reid says
80 years from now it will be 100% Mosque. The others will be consigned to the Past & deemed never to have existed.
gravenimage says
Most likely the case…
Giacomo Latta says
Muslims have involved themselves but only with the knowledge that they are the superior religion of the three. The Pope and his followers are involved under their incredibly stupid belief that the meek shall inherit the earth and the meeker they act when facing goons the sooner the Earth will be all theirs. The Jews are there to keep their enemies close.
gravenimage says
Oh, I think a lot of Jewish people are as foolishly hopeful about Islam as are many Christians.
Andrew Blackadder says
Take note that this building is on the ruins of a Catholic Church, which must please the muslims immensely.
Some years ago in Cairo Egypt a friend sent me a link where an Iman was welcomed into a Coptic Church in order to scream allah snackbar and this friend said he was so happy to see such faith understanding between the Christians and muslims of Egypt, however I suggested to him that this understanding will only be complete once a Coptic Minister is allowed into a mosque in order to say a Prayer, this friend has now cut me out of his life, calling me a racist.. they are both Arabs, but that doenst seem to come into it, Im a racist, a bigot and of course an, islamop… you know… the thing…
I cannot understand the madness of today,
Im just glad that I am not much longer for this insane world we live in presently.