Pope prays with cleric at Turkey mosque

ISTANBUL, Turkey —

Pope Benedict XVI prayed alongside an Islamic cleric in Turkey's most famous mosque Thursday in a dramatic gesture of outreach to Muslims after outrage from the pontiff's remarks linking violence and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.

The pope bowed his head and closed his eyes for nearly a minute inside the Blue Mosque after Mustafa Cagrici, the head cleric of Istanbul, said: "Now I'm going to pray."

As the pope left the famous 17th century mosque, the pope turned to Cagrici and thanked him "for this moment of prayer," the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

"This visit will help us find together the way of peace for the good of all humanity," the pope said during only the second papal visit to a Muslim place of worship. Benedict's predecessor, John Paul II, visited a mosque in Syria in 2001.
The mosque visit was added to Benedict's schedule as a "sign of respect" during his first papal trip to a Muslim nation, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said last week.

___________________________________________

If you can stand it read more HERE.



This is insanity on so many levels it's sickening. Muslims were outraged at the Pope connecting violence to Islam..... In response the Muslims rampaged in the streets burning, ranting , acting in a non peaceful manner. History shows that Islam is full of violence. The Koran shows that Islam is full of violence. I am sure the Pope is an educated man, so how can he deny history and the direct teachings of Mohammed ?

I have an idea of what is going on. We (the Pope and everyone else that is scared to speak the truth) are trying to appease the very same people that want us dead. To text that Mohammed was a very violent man, is not hate speach, IT IS FACT ! It is not hate speach to say violence and Islam go hand in hand, IT IS FACT ! To say that violence and Islam are not connected would be like saying beheading and Islam are not connected.

WAKE UP. The books are out there, the information. Reading the Islamic teachings (Koran / Hadiths ) is not rocket science. (Although the Muslims have probably told you different.) If you are still under the impression Islam is peaceful, to be blunt, you are either ignorant, or dead.

Jeff Davis