King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia said Wednesday at the start of an interfaith conference that religion should not be blamed for history’s conflict, but rather extremism.
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(Photo: AP/Victor R. Caivano)King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, left, shakes hands with a catholic bishop as Abdullah Ibn Abdul, secretary general of the Muslim World League, right, looks on at the World Conference on Dialogue at the Pardo Palace in Madrid, Wednesday, July 16, 2008. King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia exhorted followers of the world's leading faiths to turn away from extremism and embrace a spirit of reconciliation, saying at the start of an interfaith conference Wednesday that history's great conflicts were not caused by religion itself but by its misinterpretation.
"My brothers, we must tell the world that differences don't need to lead to disputes," Abdullah said through a Spanish interpreter, according to The Associated Press. "The tragedies we have experienced throughout history were not the fault of religion but because of the extremism that has been adopted by some followers of all the religions, and of all political systems."
Saudi Arabia is the host of an interfaith gathering, which is being held July 16-18 in Madrid, Spain. Some find it interesting that Saudi Arabia is the host because the country practices arguably the most conservative strain of Sunni Islam in the world – Wahhabism.
This year, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended again that the State Department designate Saudi Arabia as a Country of Particular Concern – the worst religious freedom violation category – for its egregious and systematic violation of religious freedom.
It is thought that because of Saudi Arabia’s conservative Muslim culture, the interfaith conference could not be held there with the potential tension it might cause.
But Abdullah himself, who took over the kingdom after the death of his half brother in 2005, has made remarkable efforts to reach out to other faiths. He met with Pope Benedict XVI late last year – the first time a pope and a reigning Saudi king has met.
And in June, Abdullah convened a religious conference in Mecca where participants vowed to improve relations between Islam’s two major branches, Sunni and Shia. Abdullah, at the meeting, had denounced extremism, and said Muslims must show Islam’s “good message” to the world.
Besides Christians and Jews, the interfaith gathering also includes Buddhist and Hindu participants.
Prominent religious and political leaders attending the event include evangelist Franklin Graham, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, former Vice President Al Gore, American civil rights leader and ex-presidential candidate the Rev. Jesse Jackson, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Rabbi David Rosen.
The conference is said to possibly be the highest profile interfaith meeting in recorded history.
The Saudis have said the event will strictly focus on religious affairs, even though religious differences have often led to political violence in many parts of the world.
Participants will not talk about divisive issues such as the war in Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iranian nuclear aspirations, or rising oil prices, according to AP.
Other than the inaugural session, the conference is closed to the public and the media.
Spanish King Juan Carlos also greeted the interfaith gathering on Wednesday. He said he hopes the conference will be successful.
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"Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob"
I heard that NOVA will be running a program on PBS which basically says that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were actually Cannonites that were already in the land and will, in one hour, call the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faith all based on just a bunch of fiction. It was on the news at 5 on the local Christian radio.
Religious extremism "eye for an and tooth for a tooth"
mentality can be changed to " love your enemy" through
the blood of Jesus. If a man be in Christ, he or she
is a new creature. Many religious are teaching, how to
change human habit? It is like telling somebody sitting
inside the basket to life his own basket! All have
sinned and come short of the glory of God, and that
situation can be corrected by the transforming power of
Jesus. Relgious extremism is the most dangerous thing
and that spirit has infiltrated in every religion, but
it takes the power of God to change them from the spirit
of murder and bloodshed; to the mindset of a child.
Christians must preach that message and people everywhere
must hear it atleast once. Let that happen in Saudi
Arabia too, that is my prayer.
wrhalver,
You wrote:
"In the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we confess to the truth of the God of Israel, the Nation of Israel, and the Christ that was born in the Davidic"
Ok, I understand. It was a little oblique, even for me. :)
wbmoore
You have quoted....
1 John 2:22
Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist�he denies the Father and the Son.
You have answered your own question.
In the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we confess to the truth of the God of Israel, the Nation of Israel, and the Christ that was born in the Davidic line.
And yes, Daniel Paul, I am saying that many churches do not teach the bible. While I'm glad we agree, I'm saddened by the deception that it causes.
"What Christianity teaches is not always in line with what God is telling us."
What many churches teach is not in the Bible. Is that what you are saying? If so, you have no arguement from me.
wrhalver,
"wbmoore
you have said....
"Its not the line of Patriarchs that is at issue, its whether Mohammed was guided by God and Christ is risen"
The correct line to acknowledging the nation of Israel and the true God of Israel is Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Islam recognizes the line of Abraham and Ishmael. They only recognize Christ as a prophet and they deny the purpose of His crucifiction.
This is very relevant."
I'm not sure I understand what you are saying.
It is evident in Scripture that simply acknowledging god's existence is insufficient, even if you recognize the only true god being the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
1 John 2:22
Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichristâ
wbmoore
you have said....
"Its not the line of Patriarchs that is at issue, its whether Mohammed was guided by God and Christ is risen"
The correct line to acknowledging the nation of Israel and the true God of Israel is Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Islam recognizes the line of Abraham and Ishmael. They only recognize Christ as a prophet and they deny the purpose of His crucifiction.
This is very relevant.
Online4Him
You have said....
you and I both know that Christianity does not promote violence as a means to convert or punish others; I know that history demonstrates otherwise, but my point is this; the New Testament does not teach that violence can or should be used as does the Koran"
What Christianity teaches is not always in line with what God is telling us.
The fact is that God used Israel and warfare to remove sin from the land of Canaan.
To teach that the Old God of violence is now the New God of Peace and Love is a gross twist of character.
Sin is sin, and God says He hates sin and will remove it regardless of the means.
Hler,
Sounds good; thanks.
I'm sorry, Online4, but I have not looked at this column in a while. You wrote:
"Thanks for responding; You said, 'I am a Christian' - of the Catholic or Orthodox faith? I figured one of these two since you spoke of Evangelicals in a negative light, right?"
and
"You aslo said, 'I know enough to conclude that every religious person's scripture demeans the next religious person's scripture.' Care to elaborate on what you know; that is where does the bible "demeans" others?"
On the first question, I am a Presbyterian.
On the second, I will have to look for an answer. I know I don't know scripture as wwell as many of you here. There is that curse from John about adding anything to scripture, but I thought there were other places where the Bible demeans other religious practices and texts. (Maybe it's just the practices. Does anyone here know?) I'll get back to you about it.
wrhalver,
Good morning; You brought up a good point in the fact that ancient Israel was commanded to take the land of Canaan; however, you and I both know that Christianity does not promote violence as a means to convert or punish others; I know that history demonstrates otherwise, but my point is this; the New Testament does not teach that violence can or should be used as does the Koran.
wrhalver,
"If this line of Patriarchs are not recognized, then the true God of Israel is not recognized. It's that simple."
Its not the line of Patriarchs that is at issue, its whether Mohammed was guided by God and Christ is risen.
IF Mohammed was guided by God, then whether Christ is risen is irrelevant.
If Christ is risen, then both Judeaism and Islam are mistaken.
Online4Him
In your earlier comments you quoted verses from the Koran which are comparable to verses found in the Christian bible.
Just as the nation of Israel was commanded by God to overcome and remove the sin of surrounding heathen (Gentile) nations, so to the Muslims believe they are commanded to do the same.
The Saudi King is incorrect because this is not extremism, but simple faith in a true and living God.
The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
If this line of Patriarchs are not recognized, then the true God of Israel is not recognized. It's that simple.
Hler,
Thanks for responding; You said, "I am a Christian" - of the Catholic or Orthodox faith? I figured one of these two since you spoke of Evangelicals in a negative light, right?
You aslo said, "I know enough to conclude that every religious person's scripture demeans the next religious person's scripture."
Care to elaborate on what you know; that is where does the bible "demeans" others?
Online4H, I am a Christian. Did not mean to avoid your question.....
john, all I know is that Mother's cousin was there with her husband in the oil business. I think they traveled all over the country. (And she did remark with a laugh once that they never seemed to notice her necklace, a cross.) I expect if she did go to Mecca, she removed her cross out of respect for her hosts. And, of course, I know she did not get inside the holy place.
But "Let me ask, did your Mom's cousin go to Mecca or Medina? Didn't think so..." ???
What an odd way to ask me a question.
believer--
That coincides with everything published and everything I've heard. Only military bases can have Bibles, chapels, etc. Anywhere else in the country the religious police will immediately confiscate it and/or arrest you. They seize all Christian materials if you are entering the country and they see it or find it.
Mecca is much like the old Jewish Temple where only Jewish men could go into the inner court. I don't believe Muslim women can go everywhere in Mecca because they are only women....
john, while in the Air Force my last unit sent guys to Saudi quite often and yes they could bring a Bible with them but the were warned not to take them off-base or they could face some serious consequences from the Saudi government.
A link to this article has been posted on the website GoodNewsNow.com.
hlwerwin--
I don't believe you. It the policy of the government to confiscate anything Christian before it enters the country. They happily snatch Bibles and crosses if they seem them, or if they find them in luggage. No Christian material is allowed into the country unless it is on some U.S. base or something, where customs is bypassed.
Let me ask, did your Mom's cousin go to Mecca or Medina? Didn't think so...
Hler,
You said, "I know enough to conclude that every religious person's scripture demeans the next religious person's scripture."
Care to elaborate on what you know; that is where does the bible "demeans" others? Also, you did not answer my question: are you a muslim or do you profess any faith at all?
Online, you wrote: "This article is not about presidential candidates but on the interfaith conference which is being hosted by Saudi Arabia. Care to address the quotes from the Koran? Are you a Muslim?"
My remark was on a tangential topic: How it would be to live in a theocracy. Maybe that's too far off subject. Sorry. I don't know much about the Koran, really, so I can't comment. I know enough to conclude that every religious person's scripture demeans the next religious person's scripture. The Koran and the Bible are alike in this way.
john14, my mother's cousin took a Bible when she visited Saudi Arabia. She wore a cross, too. Neither was confiscated.
hlerwin--
Tell me one thing I said about the Saudis that wasn't true and I'll take what I said back.
Hler,
This article is not about presidential candidates but on the interfaith conference which is being hosted by Saudi Arabia. Care to address the quotes from the Koran? Are you a Muslim?
I hope the evangelicals never get the president THEY want for the U.S., Online4. Like Pat Robertson or Brownback or perhaps (though probably not) Huckabee... Then the rest of us American Christians who are not quite like some of you Christians would need to learn to live where a "nation suppresses religious freedom."
How can the Saudi King speak of religion when his nation suppresses religious freedom? Perhaps it is because the Koran repeatedly encourages violence against those who do not accept their faith.
Fight against such as those to whom the Scriptures were given (Jews and Christians) . . . until they pay tribute out of hand and are utterly subdued (Surah 9:27).
Believers make war on the infidels who dwell around you. Deal firmly with them (Surah 9:121).
Extremism; what a joke . . . . Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye (Matthew 7:5).
It's true. Look at the disdain closely allied people often hold for one another. Shiites for Sunnis, Yankee fans for Mets fans, liberal Christians for fundamentalist Christians. I don't know a Sunni or a Shiite that annoys me. I know quite a few literalist Christians who DO. Why do I nurse this prejudice? (Actually, most of the time I don't. This Web site just brings it out in me. Mr. Hyde meets the Rev. Jekyll?)
Now now...
If I'm not mistaken...when King Abdullah was simply a prince...he had a walk on roll on Star Trek Voyager! No, kidding. It was his idea and all he wanted for doing the walk on was to keep the uniform! (I think I've got the right King.)
There is a less agressive group within Islam which does not support all this violence. There are just way more extreamists in Islam then there are "christians" blowing up abortion clinics.
This is why there has been war within and between Islamic groups as the extremists view 'less radical' as infidels.
Different leaders of Islamic countrys are quite different ranging from a more western point of view on one side to Irans "Imanutjob" on the other side.
Keep in mind, the Koran was written within a society that hated Jews because they were from the accepted son of Abraham and they were from the son which Abraham sent into the desert. This is the root of bitterness which has gone on for thousands of years so YES...one sin can really mess things up now can't it.
"This is just a pathetic farce coming from the head of a country where no "infidel" can even enter Medina or Mecca, and where people of the Christian faith cannot build a church, hold meetings, or even bring a Bible into the country or wear a cross as a piece of jewelry."
Is this not short screed?
It's all perspective. Seems to me that more "screed" comes from the other side...
Yes, john, you are confusing me with someone else who posts here.
Looking back, though, john's post was over the top, too.
I'm sorry, john. That WAS overkill. (Not that it killed you...)
hlwrwin, your comment to john was not called for, he didn't deserve it, and I think you owe him an appology...<><...
hlerwin--
Do tell. Are we in store for another screed about homosexuality and how the Bible doesn't really say what it says and how anyone who believes the Bible says what it really says is a racist-sexist-homophobe-bigot? Or am I confusing you with someone else who posts here?
For the same reason most of us don't bother to stand up to you, john14-6. It's hardly worth the effort.
This is just a pathetic farce coming from the head of a country where no "infidel" can even enter Medina or Mecca, and where people of the Christian faith cannot build a church, hold meetings, or even bring a Bible into the country or wear a cross as a piece of jewelry.
Why isn't anyone standing up to this man, and calling him on his hypocrisy?