Lebanese archbishop: The Quran imposes religion with the sword.

Middle East

Beylouni denounced the persecution of Christians.

Lebanese archbishop: The Quran imposes religion with the sword.

     The Eastern-rite Archbishop Raboula Lebanese Antoine Beylouni denounced at the Synod of Bishops for the Middle East that the Qur'an gives the Muslim the right to kill Christians for the jihad (holy war) and order "is imposed by religion force, by the sword. "

     Beylouni, Archbishop of Mardin of the Syrians, to the Curia of Antioch of the Syrians, based in Lebanon, made the harsh accusations against the Qur'an in the Vatican, in the penultimate session of the first synod to this area of the world where Christians are only 1.6 percent of the population and live among the Muslim majority and in Israel, even among the Jewish majority.

     "The Koran gives Muslims the right to try to kill Christians and the jihad (holy war) and orders imposing religion by force, by the sword. History is witness to the invasions. So Muslims do not recognize religious freedom for them or for others, "said the archbishop.

     Beylouni added that it "should not be surprised if all the Arab and Muslim countries" refuse to fully implement the "Rights of Man" created by the United Nations.

     In one of the toughest operations of the 185 bishops attending the Synod, Archbishop Lebanese referred to numerous meetings of Christian-Muslim-Jewish and said that those meetings "are difficult and often ineffective."

     According to the prelate, in those games does not discuss the dogmas, but even other matters of a "practical and affordable social are difficult when they are included in the Koran or the Sunna."

     The archbishop stressed that the Koran instills the Muslim "proud to be the only true and complete religion, the religion taught by the greatest prophet, it is the last arrived."

     "In the Koran, the Muslim part of the privileged nation and speaks the language of God, the language of paradise, the Arabic language and therefore faced with superior dialogue and security of victory."

     Beylouni reported that in the Koran there is no equality between men and women, even in marriage, where man can take several women and they can divorce at will, or inheritance where the man is entitled to double share; or in testimony before the judges where the man's voice has the same value as the voice of two women. "

     The Koran, "said the archbishop allows the Lebanese-Muslim" hiding the truth of the Christian and speak and act contrary to what he thinks or believes. "

     The archbishop stressed that the Koran contains contradictory verses and verses superseded by other, "which gives the Muslim the ability to use one or the other as suits you, and so the Christian can say that is humble, pious and faithful, as may appear wicked, apostate and idolatrous. "

     At today's meeting also involved the Bishop of Antioch of the Syrians (Lebanon), Flavien Joseph Melki, who advocated the establishment in the Islamic states a "positive secularism" that would guarantee "assured" the equality of all citizens "to recognize the beneficial role of religions. "

     Such reform would facilitate theocratic regimes, he said, "promotion of a healthy democracy."

     Melki claimed that fundamentalism every day "gets tough" in the Middle East and wondered if those countries would accept in the near future "to abandon their theocratic regimes based on the Koran and Sharia, which involves a blatant discrimination against non-Muslims" .

     "I think a utopia for the coming centuries," said the prelate, who was out to "act quickly" to reform Islamic regimes.

     Melki added that Christians in the Middle East should be helped by the Western Church and the democratic countries.

     Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio, president of the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Itinerant People, spoke on his part to the emigration of Christians from the Holy Land and said "it would be terrible" if the land where he was born, lived, died and resurrected Christ ran out of Christians and become a "museum of stone."

     The Synod concludes with the presentation of the final message and conclusions. The pope will conclude on Sunday with a solemn mass. EFE