Gazans warn Pope to accept Islam

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

At a press conference in Gaza City, a number of Muslim clerics said the pope's statements were "the result of his hatred for Islam and not the result of ignorance."

One of them, Dr. Imad Hamto, called on the pope to "repent and ask for forgiveness." He added: "We want to use the words of the Prophet Muhammad and tell the pope: 'Aslim Taslam'" Aslim Taslam is a phrase that was taken from the letters sent by the Prophet Muhammad to the chiefs of tribes in his times in which he reportedly urged them to convert to Islam to spare their lives.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid...icle%2FShowFull

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

At a press conference in Gaza City, a number of Muslim clerics said the pope's statements were "the result of his hatred for Islam and not the result of ignorance."

One of them, Dr. Imad Hamto, called on the pope to "repent and ask for forgiveness." He added: "We want to use the words of the Prophet Muhammad and tell the pope: 'Aslim Taslam'" Aslim Taslam is a phrase that was taken from the letters sent by the Prophet Muhammad to the chiefs of tribes in his times in which he reportedly urged them to convert to Islam to spare their lives.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid...icle%2FShowFull

Actually, this phrase "Aslim Taslam" means literally: "Give peace and get peace (in return.)" In other words, "You get what you give." It has nothing to with "converting."

(The Jerusalem Post would print such misleading information ? I am SHOCKED I tell you... SHOCKED.)

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

There is nothing a muslim cleric could do that would surprise me at this point.

[PlatyPius 5]

How about the Islamic clerics accepting the fact that not everyone is Muslim, and just shutting the hell up for once?

Edited September 19, 2006 by PlatyPius

[Marc and Olga 0]

How about the Islamic clerics accepting the fact that not everyone is Muslim, and just shutting the hell up for once?

THAT would surprise me!

[Dr_LHA 3]

Didn't they get the memo? The pope is infallable. He doesn't need to "repent" or "ask for forgiveness" by default.

[Peter Miami 0]

How about the Islamic clerics accepting the fact that not everyone is Muslim, and just shutting the hell up for once?

I agree!

Peter Miami

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

One of them, Dr. Imad Hamto, called on the pope to "repent and ask for forgiveness."

i find that funny, telling the pope to repent and ask for forgiveness

[I'm Gone 60]

Yeah what does the Pope say, "Forgive me myself for I have sinned." LOL

[homesick_american 1]

Does it strike anyone else as mildly ridiculous that extremists are demanding that people convert to Islam or be killed? Do they think any conversion under such duress would be genuine? Are they really that stupid? I mean, c'mon; Christians learned these lessons hundreds of years ago.

I'm glad to be an atheist so I can sit on the sidelines and watch the dust fly.

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

Does it strike anyone else as mildly ridiculous that extremists are demanding that people convert to Islam or be killed? Do they think any conversion under such duress would be genuine? Are they really that stupid? I mean, c'mon; Christians learned these lessons hundreds of years ago.

I'm glad to be an atheist so I can sit on the sidelines and watch the dust fly.

i guess he's supposed to convert and then be killed

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

How about the Islamic clerics accepting the fact that not everyone is Muslim, and just shutting the hell up for once?

you got me there

[Marc and Olga 0]

Does it strike anyone else as mildly ridiculous that extremists are demanding that people convert to Islam or be killed? Do they think any conversion under such duress would be genuine? Are they really that stupid? I mean, c'mon; Christians learned these lessons hundreds of years ago.

I'm glad to be an atheist so I can sit on the sidelines and watch the dust fly.

i guess he's supposed to convert and then be killed

Well yeah and take out as many infidel's as possible so he can go to paradise!

[I'm Gone 60]

i guess he's supposed to convert and then be killed

I guess they never heard the saying "Is the Pope Catholic?" LOL

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Does it strike anyone else as mildly ridiculous that extremists are demanding that people convert to Islam or be killed? Do they think any conversion under such duress would be genuine? Are they really that stupid? I mean, c'mon; Christians learned these lessons hundreds of years ago.

I'm glad to be an atheist so I can sit on the sidelines and watch the dust fly.

The irony is that these people are denser than the fanatically-Sunni Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who had a policy of forced conversion particularly aimed against Hindus and Sikhs. Against this:

• Sikhism's 9th Guru, Tegh Bahadur filed a protest--and was martyred with several of his followers; his son Gobind Singh (10th Guru) led rebellion in Punjab till Aurangzeb's death in 1707
  
• Rajputs, Jats and especially Marathas (the last caused Aurangzeb to do an "unofficial move of capitol" from Delhi to Aurangabad in 1680's; he never returned to Delhi--I've seen his tomb, basically a place by the roadside into which one can descend)
  

Toward the end of his life, Aurangzeb actually expressed remorse that the result of this policy would be the collapse of the empire--by 1727, the Mughals had only OFFICIAL authority (but no power) over the bulk of the sub-continent.

The short list of suggested reactions by Benedict:

• "flip bird"
  
• zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz