Muslims Bomb Church in Italy

A report and comment on religious trends and events being covered by the media.  This week’s item is from voiceofamericanews.com, August 20, 2002 with a headline: “Muslims threaten to bomb Basilica, dateline: Rome.Police in Italy have arrested five people on suspicion of plotting to attack a church in the Northern city of Bologna.The arrests follow reports in the Italian media this summer that the Al-Qaeda terrorist network was planning to bomb the Basilica.The men, one Italian and four Moroccans were detained after being seen filming in and around the San Pietro Neal Basilica in Bologna.The church is one of Italy’s finest examples of Gothic architecture and contains a 15^th century fresco interpreted by some Muslims to be offensive.The work depicts the Prophet Muhammad being devoured by demons in hell.The men said they were tourists, but investigators say they have recordings that prove the men were discussing a possible terrorist attack on the church.Investigators have made public a transcript of the conversation in the Berber language inside the church. One of the group is reported to have said that if the painting was not removed then we will bring the whole thing down.Another voice on the recording is reported to have said, “What Bin Laden does is what needs doing here.”The men were arrested Monday by plain clothes paramilitary police after having video taped the painting and central altar of the Basilica.Investigators also said that the men had planned to return to the church early in the morning.They said the men appeared nervous and had said they should leave before being discovered.Security has been tight at the Basilica since last June when Italian investigators declared they had broken up a Milan based terror cell with links to Osama Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda network.Officials said the group was planning an attack on the church.Since September 11^th, Italy has cracked down on terrorism with a series of operations against groups allegedly related Al-Qaeda.

Tom:

Dave, this is a sad thing in the sense of here we have at least presumably another act or planned act of terrorism.On the other hand the church is kind of in a difficult position here because those who are familiar with Vatican II there are some statements, very strong statements in Vatican II with regard to recognition of Islam, a recognition of Allah as being the same God as Jehovah of the Bible and although I don’t remember it saying anything with regard to Muhammad, but if Islam and Allah are okay according to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church this is kind of an embarrassment isn’t it?

Dave:

Well they don’t go that far.Vatican II says they worship the one true God.It doesn’t vouch for everything in Islam and everything Allah supposedly said.

Tom:

But Dave, the Prophet—

Dave:

They also don’t say that he’s wrong.

Tom:

But for the Prophet to be tortured in hell by demons?

Dave:

Well it says—now I have not visited this particular church—

Tom:

Basilica, yes.

Dave:

This fresco, but it says, “Being devoured by demons in hell.”Are they eating him?I don’t know exactly what that means.But let’s point out a couple of things here.You know for example, Kenneth Hagin and Kenneth Copeland, and people like that teach that Christ did not pay the penalty for our sins on the cross, although he said, “It is finished.”But he had to sink into hell as a helpless, hopeless sinful man where he was tortured by Satan; demon dragged his emaciated spirit body up and down the corridors of hell and so forth.Now wait a minute!Satan is not the proprietor of hell. Demons don’t run hell.They’re not there yet.

Tom:

That’s the last place they want to be.

Dave:

That’s right, and when they are there, they will be tormented. They will not be tormenting anyone else.So we have a false picture in a number of ways.On the other hand, I can understand the Muslims taking offense, but what have they done?I mean, what have they done?Well, denounce Christians.They have Christians—well we’ve talked about it a lot of times.In Indonesia, in Nigeria they’re killing them by the thousands.In Sudan they’ve killed a couple of millions of them.And they are upset because a fresco depicts Muhammad being devoured by demon?It should be a two way street, shouldn’t it?

Tom:

Well even if it is a two way street, there’s hardly any balance.I mean how do you compare one with the other?It’s grievous.

Dave:

Tragically the frescoes, the beautiful stained glass windows, the paintings in the Vatican and so forth, always depict Jesus as a little baby, remember?In Mary’s arms, or as a corpse—

Tom:

A Madonna.

Dave:

Or as a corpse.Mary has the chief place in heaven and so forth.

Tom:

Or Christ is still hanging.A crucifix has him hanging there, which is very symbolic of the theology of Rome.

Dave:

So you would think that perhaps the Catholic Church would be willing to go by the Bible and maybe correct some of these false impressions which they are not willing to do. In fact, they don’t consider them to be false at all.But Tom, it brings out a point here I think.What is truth?What do we go by?Do we go by frescos?Do we go by the Catholic Church?Do we go by Muhammad?Do we go by what the pope says?

Tom:

Do we go by religious or political correctness?

Dave:

Or are we interested in truth?Jesus said, “I am the truth.Thy Word is truth.”The Word of God is truth.Then why don’t we go by the Word of God and that’s what this program is about.Search the Scriptures daily.We’re not the authority, the pope is not the authority, Billy Graham is not the authority.No pastor or preacher or religious leader of any kind is the authority.God is the only authority.He has spoken to us in his Word and if we’re not willing to take what he has said in his words—they are laid out as you said earlier.Instead of some new revelation, why don’t we pay attention to what is written?Now as you said earlier, we may have disagreements.At least we have it in writing and we can compare one scripture with another scripture.We can read through the Word of God; we can check it out.But let us bring our lives and our theology in line with God’s Word.That’s all we’re trying to do and if anyone listening out there—you feel we’re not doing this—I mean we’re trying.You feel we’re giving false interpretation, a false understanding, please write to us.We would be happy to deal with it on the program.We don’t want to lead people astray.If you can point out from the Word of God where we are wrong, you would be doing us a favor.

Tom:

Yes.