‘I do not like to talk about Islamic violence because every day when I skim the papers.
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Later, after he returned to the Vatican from a five-day visit in Poland, Pope Francis told reporters that the inspiration for terrorism wasn’t Islam but a world economy that worshiped the “god of money” and drove the disenfranchised to violence.
Flying back to Rome on Sunday night he was asked by reporters why he has never used the word “Islam” when denouncing terrorist attacks.
He responded that it was “not fair to identify Islam with violence and terrorism”. “This is not right and it is not true”.
Faithful wait for the arrival of Pope Francis on the occasion of a mass at conclusion of the World Youth Day inKrakow in Poland, on Sunday, July 31, 2016.
In a heartfelt reflection on violence committed by “baptised Catholics”, The Pope said the murder of priest Jacques Hamel at a church in Rouen, in Normandy, by two men pledging allegiance to the so-called Islamic State, was nothing to do with the religion in whose name the attacker claimed to act. “These are baptized Catholics”, he said.
The pope added then that the current violence was over economic and political interests rather than religion.
“I know how they think, they are looking for peace”. The pontiff admitted he has spoken to Sheik Ahmed Muhammad Al-Tayyib, the Al-Azhar University’s grand iiman, who explained the beliefs of the majority of Muslims. Also, many rejected the comparison between Catholic extremism and Muslim extremism, arguing that the former does not pose lethal threat while the latter is a global challenge.
Pope Francis celebrated mass with over 1.5 million pilgrims in a vast sun-drenched field in Poland, wrapping up an emotionally charged trip with some choice technological metaphors.
Some survivors have even said if Cardinal Pell refuses to return, they will call for buildings named in his honour at the Australian Catholic University and St Patrick’s College to be renamed.
The pope also urged Europeans to reflect on the motives of people running away to join Islamist organizations in the Middle East. The pope said no – in contrast to ISIS, he said, which he believes is a fundamentalist sect of the religion.
“Terrorism is everywhere. You think of tribal terrorism of some African countries”, he said. You have erased the magnificence of creation and placed money at the center.
He said there were various causes of terrorism.
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“In the West, many Christians have learned through friendship and inter-religious dialogue that “good Muslims” are not accidents; they are not good and holy in spite of their religion and its scriptures, but in response to them”, Ball wrote in 2014.
