“Allah will be victorious” is what the leader of a French extremist group said when he took his place in the courtroom. The 28-year-old lead 26 others in a heinous act of violence on a 23-year-old Jewish man. They held him captive and tortured him for three weeks before leaving him bound and naked near some railroad tracks in the Essonne region of France.
If you wish to read the whole article, you can find it at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,518338,00.html. But be warned, it ain’t pretty.
Although the crime is atrocious, it’s not the crime itself that hit me. It’s reading that the ring leader smiled – yes, smiled – when he sat down in court and smuggly said, “Allah will be victorious.”
If you think I’m going to launch into an anti-Muslim tyraid, don’t even go there. You can bet that I believe with all my heart that Catholicism is the one, true faith, but that’s not what this is about.
It’s about depersonalization. How can anyone from any religion negate the humanity of another person? I know, I know…jihad… But, I’m not even talking about that. I’m incredulous that someone would believe in a god that advocates the torture, dehumanization, and killing of a person simply because of his or her beliefs (or non-beliefs). I’m incredulous, that, anyone who believes in a god – any god – as the loving creator of the universe could intentionally destroy part of that creation and be convicted that the god advocated such action. It doesn’t make sense on even the most remote level of logic.
This makes me appreciate all the more our Catholic faith and our Lord who was the supreme example for us of putting the humanity of others above all else.
1 Comment
Samy · October 2, 2015 at 5:03 am
Well, I really think it is too early to tell what kind of a pope he will be. And don’t you think we shuold give him a chance? He only took the helm a few days ago. And, as Brian Kopp commented on the Rorate Caeli post about Summorum Pontificum, the papacy can change a man. Shall we pray for him and especially pray that his humility is real, deep, and most pleasing to Our Lord who was Himself meek and humble of heart.I think the flock shuold welcome the shepherd with the presumption that he will be a good shepherd. If his actions prove otherwise, then will be the time to demur.