A Bavarian Provocation

By TARIQ ALI

Was Benedict's most recent provocation accidental or deliberate? The Bavarian is a razor-sharp reactionary cleric. A man who organises his own succession to the Papacy with a ruthless purge of potential dissidents and supervises the selection of Cardinals with great care leaves little to chance.

I think he knew what he was saying and why.

Choosing a quote from Manuel II Paleologos, not the most intelligent of the Byzantine rulers, was somewhat disingenuous, especially on the eve of a visit to Turkey. He could have found more effective quotes and closer to home. Perhaps it was his unique tribute to Oriana Fallaci.

Perhaps.

The Muslim world with two of its countries---Iraq and Afghanistan-- directly occupied by Western troops does not need to be reminded of the language of the Crusades. In a neo-liberal world suffering from environmental degradation, poverty, hunger, repression, a 'planet of slums' (in the graphic phrase of Mike Davis), the Pope chooses to insult the founder of a rival faith.

The reaction in the Muslim world was predictable, but depressingly insufficient. Islamic civilization cannot be reduced to the power of the sword. It was the vital bridge between the Ancient world and the European Renaissance. It was the Catholic Church that declared War on Islam in the Iberian Peninsula and Sicily. Mass expulsions, killings, forced conversions and a vicious Inquisition to police the cleansed Europe and the reformist Protestant enemy.

The fury against 'heretics' led to the burning of Cathar villages in Southern France. Jews and Protestants alike were granted refuge by the Ottoman Empire, a refuge they would have been denied had Istanbul remained Constantinople. 'Slaves, obey your human masters.For Christ is the real master you serve' said Paul (Colossians 3: 22-24) in establishing a collaborationist tradition which fell on its knees before wealth and power and which reached its apogee during the Second World War where the leadership of the Church collaborated with fascism and did not speak up against the judeocide or the butchery on the Eastern Front. Islam does not need pacifist lessons from this Church.

Violence was and is not the prerogative of any single religion as the continuing Israeli occupation of Palestine demonstrates. During the Cold War the Vatican, with rare exceptions, supported the imperial wars. Both sides were blessed during the First and Second World wars; the US Cardinal Spellman was a leading warrior in the battles to destroy Communism during the Korean and Vietnam wars. The Vatican later punished the liberation theologists and peasant-priests in Latin America. Some were excommunicated.

Not all Christians joined in the crusades old and new. When Pope Urban launched the crusades the Norman king of Sicily refused to send troops in which Sicilian Muslims would be compelled to fight against Muslims in the East. His son, Roger II, refused to back the Second Crusade. In doing so they showed more courage than the leaders of contemporary Italy, who are only too willing to join the imperial crusades against the Muslim world.

'To make sure of being right in all things', said the founder of the Jesuits, Ignatius Loyola, 'we ought always to hold to the principle that the white I see I should believe to be black if the hierarchical church were so to rule.'

Today most Catholic prelates in the West (including the Bavarian in the Vatican) and politicians of Centre-Left/Right worship the real Pope who lives in the White House and tells them when black is white.

Amen.

Tariq Ali is author of the recently released Street Fighting Years (new edition) and, with David Barsamian, Speaking of Empires & Resistance. He can be reached at: tariq.ali3@btinternet.com

Provides a different perspective than we get in the U.S./western media

Great article by Tariq Ali. This comment is from an sfimc article on a staged die-in at ferry building to oppose US taxpayer support of Israeli military violence against Palestinians, Lebanon, etc.., looks futher into the misinterpretations of Christian Zionists who support the increasing militarization of Israel, and their imperialist policies..

Original article @;
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/09/16/18312092.php?show_comments=1#18312369

Thanks everyone for bringing the issue of Israeli militarism/apartheid into the public view. In addition to US taxpayer dollars being misspent on Israeli militarism, the private religious sector (Christian Zionism) also siphons off money from easily misled people to support the violence of Israeli apartheid/militarism. For several decades, the Christian Zionists, led by outspoken figures like Pat Robertson, have used their cable TV (Christian Broadcasting Network, 700 Club) televangelist pulpits to encourage donations from private individuals to fund the machinations of the apartheid Israeli regime..

One recent manifestation is in the form of John Hagee, founder of Christians United For Israel (CUFI), a group of Christian Zionists who place the interest of Israeli government and the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy above all else. One could state that Christian Zionist extremists like Hagee view peace between Palestinians and Israelis as counterproductive to their goal of "Rapture" and their incorrect interpretations (as 'dispensationalists') of the Biblical Book of Revelations..

Here's Hagee's latest quote on an upcoming event at UN (in NYC)..

"
"I also encourage as many of you who can and those you lead to attend the Pro-Israel Rally in front of the United Nations building on Wednesday, September 20 at 12:00 noon."

Hagee supports a narrow nationalism, one group dominating the other, Israel having the right to occupy and control all the land - a Pax Romana rather than a Pax Christi.

So, yes, let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem. But let it be a prayer for all. Peace with justice. God demands nothing less.
"

This and other info available on database of moderate Christians oppossed to the pro-Israeli apartheid interpretations of Christian Zionists..

http://www.christianzionism.org/

summary;

"Christian Zionism is a modern theological and political movement that embraces the most extreme ideological positions of Zionism, thereby becoming detrimental to a just peace within Palestine and Israel. The Christian Zionist program provides a worldview where the Gospel is identified with the ideology of empire, colonialism and militarism. In its extreme form, it laces an emphasis on apocalyptic events leading to the end of history rather than living Christ's love and justice today.

We categorically reject Christian Zionist doctrines as false teaching that corrupts the biblical message of love, justice and reconciliation."

Atheists, agnostics and other non-religious people need to be aware of the variety of misinterpretations (dispensationalism) of these widely read religious books (Bible, Torah, etc..) that are being used to justify funding of Zionist Israeli apartheid. However, the more scholarly members of Judeo-Christianity (ie., non-Zionist Christians, preterists) find that the interpretations of Zionists are inaccurate according to their own religious doctrine/teachings. The Orthodox Rabbis of Neturei Karta are most notable as Torah scholars who recognize the very existance of the Zionist state of Israel violates teachings found in the Torah..

This from Neturei Karta;

"The State of "Israel" does not speak in the name of Jews, they have stolen the name "Israel" from the Jewish people. Jews are commanded to be loyal citizens in every country in which they reside.

Zionism and the State of "Israel", is the main cause of the exacerbation of anti Semitism universally.

The government of the illegitimate State of "Israel", continually attempts to uproot the Torah and its statutes. They persistently oppress the Torah true Jews who reside in its borders.

We pray that all misery in the Holy Land and Lebanon, shall come to an end and that Zionism, the root of the suffering, continue to fade from Jewish consciousness, to be replaced by the faith of Torah. We shall all witness soon the peaceful dismantlement of the Zionist State "Israel". May we merit seeing the day when all humanity will serve the Almighty in harmony and peace. Amen"

entire statement @;
http://www.nkusa.org/activities/Statements/2006July18.cfm

Preterists are Christians who interpret that the sacking of Jerusalem by the Roman empire in 70 AD marks the "Rapture" event that Christian Zionists believe will occur in Israel's future. Since preterists believe that Rapture already occurred, there is no justification for a religious state of Zionist Israel. Preterists have a nickname for Christian Zionists like Robertson, Hagee, etc.. who are obsessed with increasing the Israeli government's military might, saying the Zionists suffer from "dispensationalist dementia"..

from the preterist database;

"When Israel began bombing Lebanon this summer, participants of the Rapture Ready web message forum welcomed the conflagration as a sign of the apocalyptic End Times anticipated by some evangelical and fundamentalist Christians in the United States.."

more info on dispenationalist dementia @;
http://www.preteristarchive.com/Doomsday/index.html

People who follow the teachings of Judeo-Christianity need to recognize the deceit and trickery of misinterpretation being implemented by leaders Zionist Israel's policies, and distance themselves form the Israeli mass murder machine and their US supporters (Robertson, Hagee, GW Bush, et. al.)..

There are very few people who regard this as a black and white issue.

Only the rabid fundementalists on either side do- groups like AL Awda that advocates the destruction of Israel , or groups like Kach, that advocate the transfer of Arabs out of Israeli lands. These groups fortunately are the minority.

Most groups, Christian and Jewish, advocate for a peaceful two state solution, where a Palestinian state with safe and secure borders and a Jewish state with safe and secure borders, live side by side and in peace.

All that would do is institutionalize the apartheid.

To be pro-Isreal is to be anti-Palestinian because to be pro-Israel is to support the occupation of at least part of Palestine by a racist state in which Jewish Palestinians have more land, water, arms and political power than do non Jewish Palestinians.

The only just solution is a single, secular society in which it doesn't matter who your mother was or what name, if any, you use for deity.

All that would do is institutionalize the apartheid.

Yes. It is true, In the West Bank and Gaza, no Jews would be allowed, but in Israel, plurality and diversity would still be accepted. The West bank and Gaza would become an apartheid state, like the rest of the Arab world.

There is no way we will be able to force the Palestinians to accept Jews living in their midst. 99 % of the Jews in Arab lands have already been expelled. Gaza and the West Bank will be no different.

Interesting that the above two comments post info on lowered Jewish populations in Muslim lands, soon after the Israeli state's formation. What about encouraged migrations of Jews from Eastern Europe/Russia, partially funded by Christian Zionists??

This only highlights the effects that Zionism had and continues to have on Jews. Everywhere.

It looks that 1948 was a good year for Zionism and a bad year for arab Jews.
Any connection?

As if anyone but a Zionist puke would spam this repeated horse shit under someone else's nic. Goes to show us what value truth holds for your kind of low life.

Earlier posts claimed a two state solution would institutionalize apartheid. Unfortunately, this is the case. The West bank and Gaza would become an apartheid state, like the rest of the Arab world.

In the West Bank and Gaza, no Jews would be allowed, but in Israel, plurality and diversity would still be accepted. .

Historic precedent as well as current Arab rhetoric backs up this assertion. There is no way we will be able to force the Palestinians to accept Jews living in their midst. 99 % of the Jews in Arab lands have already been expelled. Gaza and the West Bank will be no different.

words are only words
"Historic precedent as well as current Arab rhetoric backs up this assertion."

It does nothing of the kind.

"In the West Bank and Gaza, no Jews would be allowed, but in Israel, plurality and diversity would still be accepted. ."

like Israeli policies towards the Palestinians show they practice what they preach.

No nation gives rights to non-citizens. Look at your own.

Look at the Israeli Arabs. They have full civil and human rights. They can vote. They have 12 seats in the Parliament. Israel's ambassador to Finland was Arab. The current deputy mayor of Tel Aviv is Arab . Oscar Abu Razaq was appointed Director General of the Ministry of Interior. Ariel Sharon's original cabinet included an Arab minister, Salah Tarif. An Arab is also a Supreme Court justice. The counsel general of San Francisco is an Israeli Arab. Would this have happened in apartheid South Africa?

From Israel's Declaration of Independence:
"it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions"

Yes. Words are cheap. But can you show me similar language in the constitutions or founding documents of any of the Arab lands?

Is Israel perfect? No. But is anyplace?

Israel is not perfect.
News to Zionist keyboard monkey.

Israel is Shoel.

After your forging and and stuck in the grove Israeli propaganda, you can complain all you want.
"Israel isn't perfect"
Is is perfect. A perfect hell of you own making.

Israel is an imposed imperial construct. With a decades long history of aggression.
Which is why Israeliphiles always point away from their own racist attitudes and instead point towards the results of this aggression as if this reaction was immaculately conceived.

why is it that everyone but Israel has to do all the forgiving while they just go on with business as usual.

these Zionists and their racist spam should be banned.
> For comparison look at the hamas charter Marcus 2006-09-18 10:06 PM

Bought to you by the religion of peace johnk 2006-09-18 10:04 PM

rightio johnk 2006-09-18 10:02 PM

Iraq al-Qaida says pope, West are doomed Marcus 2006-09-18 10:00 PM

Ethnic cleansing in Arab lands Frederic L. Rice 2006-09-18 9:58 PM

Ethnic Cleasing AND Forced Resettlement Frederic L. Rice 2006-09-18 9:56 PM<


Every two minutes. IP block?

JPost.com » Middle East » Article
Sep. 19, 2006 19:14 | Updated Sep. 19, 2006 23:40
Terror group threatens Gaza Christians
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
[Print this Article] [EMail this Article] [Subscribe] [SMS Alerts] [JPost Toolbar] [JPost ePaper]

Talkbacks for this article: 8

A previously unknown group calling itself the Huda [Guidance] Army Organization threatened on Tuesday to target all Christians living in the Gaza Strip unless Pope Benedict XVI apologized for his remarks against Islam and the Prophet Muhammad.

"We will target all Crusaders in the Gaza Strip," the group said in a leaflet, "until the pope issues an official apology." The group also threatened to attack churches and Christian-owned institutions and homes.

"All centers belonging to Crusaders, including churches and institutions, will from now on be targeted," it said. "We will even attack the Crusaders as they sit intoxicated in their homes." The group said preparations had been completed "to strike at every Crusader and infidel on the purified land of Palestine."

It also threatened "to strike with an iron fist anyone who dares to defend the Crusaders." The latest threat is the second of its kind against Christians in the Gaza Strip over the past few days.

Earlier, another anonymous group calling itself the Army of the Sword of the Right also threatened to attack Christians and churches in the Gaza Strip in response to the pope's remarks. The group also claimed responsibility for an attack on a church in Gaza City. At least seven churches in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been torched or shot up in recent days.

At least 4,500 Christians live in the Gaza Strip among more than 1.3 million Muslims. A Christian leader in Gaza City told The Jerusalem Post that his community was taking the latest threats very seriously.

"We have appealed to the Palestinian Authority for protection," he said. "Christians here are keeping a very low profile and many of them would like to leave the area out of fear for their lives."

On Sunday, a number of Muslim clerics in the Gaza Strip warned the pope that he must convert to Islam if he wanted to be spared. The clerics called on all Palestinians to observe a "day of rage" against the pope next Friday by staging demonstrations in the streets and holding public rallies. They also condemned the attacks on the churches in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Why can't the Mossad come up with better invented names?
'Perviously unknown' that's for dang sure, What does anyone expect from the JPost?

When they can't win they ruin it. They sew nasty shit so no one can use it.
Just like Lebanon.

So they piss on everything.
Time to block SY

Thank G-d for Google videos! Their courtesy enables me to invite you to a Shabbat reception prayer. Join me for a Jewish, not a Zionist, prayer service! Don't forget to join me at sunset. Let the fun roll!

Fuck G-d.
Religion is for hypocritical imbeciles like SY and SJ.

What does one expect from a Zionazi?
"
I'm a hypocritical racist imbecile that condemns all religions except Islam and its Allah. But I now see the error of my way and am embracing YHWH and His message of peace. Gee, this Jewish prayer stuff beats a Muslim service hands down."
Crude but dull. Oh wait - crude AND dull.

What does one expect from a crypto-Nazi hater?

- To try and smear those who speak truth to power -- eg about the racist hypocracy of the lying Indybay editor who loves Islam but disses all other religions -- as "Zionazis". Yup, crude AND dull, hands down. But you can't expect any different from a goosestepping racist.

IMC-Binghamton Newswire is temporarily down
Monday, Sept 4, 2006. 4:22 AM.
Update Sunday Sept 10, 2006, 10:30AM.

The Binghamton IMC Newswire is temporarily down, due to an apparent Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. We brought the site back up for a while, but were forced to take it down again due to the spammers.