Pope Francis expressed his anger and disgust at the recent Quran burning incident in Stockholm, Sweden, in an interview with the Arabic daily “Al Ittihad”.
He condemned the desecration of the Muslim holy book, emphasizing that freedom of speech should never be used to disrespect others.
The Quran burning took place outside the Great Mosque of Stockholm during the global celebration of Eid al-Adha.
A man tore up and burned the Quran, claiming it was an act of freedom of speech. Sweden’s government and Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson swiftly condemned the act.
Pope Francis highlighted the importance of respecting sacred books, noting that it’s a sign of respect towards their believers.
He warned against using freedom of speech to demean others and called for condemnation of such acts.
Discussing the role of religions in promoting global harmony, the Pope emphasized reciprocity, mutual respect, and truth.
He advised people not to resort to superficial gestures of reconciliation, but to pray for one another and foster cooperation and friendship.
The Swedish Christian Council, comprising representatives from various Christian denominations, also denounced the incident.
They defended the right to practice any religion and expressed solidarity with Sweden’s Muslim believers, viewing the act as an assault on all people of faith.
Threat to churches in Pakistan
Furthermore, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an entity comprising 57 member states, has called for collective action and international law enforcement to tackle religious hatred.
The OIC stressed the need to adhere to international laws that forbid promoting religious animosity.
Meanwhile, church leaders in Pakistan are urging authorities to safeguard their places of worship following threats from an extremist Islamic group after the Quran-burning incident.
Naeem Yousaf Gill, an official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, has alerted authorities about the banned Sunni militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi’s July 1 threat.
The group claims that the desecration of the Quran in Sweden challenges the honour of Muslims and vows to make Pakistan a hostile place for Christianity.
“Neither the Church nor Christians will now remain safe in Pakistan. Inshallah [if Allah wills] Sunni youths will put their lives on the line and take revenge for the desecration of the Quran by waging suicide attacks on Christians of Pakistan,” the group stated.
The Church in Pakistan condemned the Quran desecration, emphasising their commitment to living in peace and abiding by the law as a religious minority.
Sources
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