« Dearbornistan: Heart of 'Islamist' America | Main | F.B.I.: CAIR Death Threat 'Not Credible' »
January 8, 2007
On 'The Islamification of Europe's Cathedrals'
Pajamas Media has a very interesting article that calls attention to Muslim moves to Islamicize Europe:
During his trip to Turkey in November, Pope Benedict XVI refrained from praying or crossing himself when he visited the Hagia Sophia. Heeding the warning of Islamic protestors who hours earlier had shouted "Pope, don't make a mistake, don't wear out our patience," Benedict made every attempt to avoid hurting the feelings of sensitive Muslims who feared the Pope was attempting to reclaim the Hagia Sophia's status as a great Christian church. (Also known as the Church of Holy Wisdom, the Hagia Sophia was converted to a mosque after the conquest of Istanbul by Ottoman Turks in 1453.)From the same article comes a very appropriate comment: Perhaps the best retort to Spanish Muslims who want to transform Córdoba Cathedral is a question posted by a Spaniard on a Catholic website: "Will Christians be able to pray in the mosques of Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Iran or Kuwait?" The Pope's trip to the Hagia Sophia already provided the answer.
With this recent history in mind, Benedict must have found it ironic to be the recipient in late December of the letter from Spanish Muslims requesting the right to prostrate themselves in worship in the Córdoba Cathedral, which is also known as the Mezquita. Located on the site of the Visigoth cathedral of St. Vincent, the building was converted back into a church in the 13th century after Córdoba was conquered by Ferdinand of Castile.
As we have learned through a plethora of examples, Islamic tolerance in Muslim lands more often than not does not apply to non-Muslims. Although there are many Muslims that are indeed tolerant, far too many Islamic leaders and clerics are not.
You'll find much more on the story, with images, at Family Security Matters. With all the complaints by Cordoba's Muslims (who number no more than 1,000) that there are not enough places where they can worship, Andalusia already has 100 mosques.
Related: The Muslim Double Standard:
But perhaps Muslims cannot be blamed for expecting special treatment, as well as believing that jihad is righteous and decreed by the Almighty. The West constantly goes out of its way to confirm such convictions. By criticizing itself, apologizing and offering concessions -- all things the Islamic world has yet to do -- the West reaffirms that Islam has a privileged status in the world.
Posted by Richard at January 8, 2007 7:37 AM
