Call to mutual respect of faith values
At a "peace seminar" organized by the bishop of Faisalabad, there was "firm condemnation for the Muhammed cartoons" but also an invitation to the Muslim community "to condemn in its turn the burning of crosses during protests".
Faisalabad (AsiaNews) "Unanimous condemnation" and "respect for the religious sentiments of our Muslim brothers", coupled with an invitation to the entire community "not to fall into the trap of politicizing the protests" and which should "condemn in its turn episodes of anti-Christian violence".
These were the main themes tackled in a "peace seminar" organized by the bishop of Faisalabad to "search for a solution to the problem of the cartoons on Muhammed". "We condemn the blasphemous sketches of Prophet Muhammad which have hurt the religious feelings of our Muslim brothers," Bishop Joseph Coutts told more than 50 Muslim and Christian clerics. "But they must channel their protests in a peaceful manner in order to convey their rightful feeling of sorrow."
The bishop added: "I don't have a ready made solution but I do know that we should think collectively and should not allow this anger to be politicized, which is what many people are trying to do.
"The deceased Pope John Paul II stressed the need of interfaith harmony and respect for others and proved his words by facts. Pope Benedict also kept continued along the same lines: he condemned the publication of the cartoons from the very first day and in his first encyclical, he reminded us that the love of God and reciprocal love are the only way to peace. In the current situation, we must show love and mutual respect, but we must do it with practical actions."
Fr Khalid Rashid, a priest from the diocese, reiterated "the Christian community's firm condemnation for this episode" in his intervention, but he also expressed the hope that "our Muslim brothers in turn condemn the attack against churches in Sukkur" and the "violent protests in which the mobs burn crosses".
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