French Muslim Leader on Papacy: ‘A New Beginning Is Necessary’

Dalil Boubakeur is in his office at the Grand Mosque in Paris, where he has poured mint tea. The mosque is an imposing example of Muslim architecture, not far from the Seine, and was built in 1926 to recognize the colonial Muslim troops who had fought for France during World War I.

Boubakeur, who knows Latin and is as well-versed in the history of the Catholic Church as he is in the Koran, is an admirer of Germany, which he got to know after World War II. “I love its regions, its literature and its history,” Boubakeur says. He apologizes for his somewhat rusty German. “I don’t have much of an opportunity to speak it,” he said. “The last time was with Pope Benedict.”

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Your excellency, Pope Benedict XVI is stepping down on February 28. What do you wish for from the future pontiff?

Boubakeur: A reversal. Christianity under Pope Benedict XVI started becoming more doctrinaire. He was not able to understand Muslims. He had no direct experience with Islam, and he found nothing positive to say about our beliefs.

FULL ARTICLE FROM DER SPIEGEL ONLINE

Jews, Muslims and Christians Join Together to Protest Germany’s Anti Circumcision Law

European Rabbis met in Germany on Thursday to proclaim their opposition to a German court’s ruling which outlaws circumcision.  The ban has brought religious leaders of the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities together in opposition.

Pinchas Goldschmidt, President of the European Conference of Rabbis, strongly worded part of his public statement against the court’s decision, calling it “the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust”.

Approximately 120,000 Jews currently reside in Germany, and are joined by close to 4 million Muslims in their strident opposition to the banning of the religious ritual.

Rabbi Yisroel Diskin, Director of Chabad in Munich, says the ban is concerning for Germany’s Jewish population but he is optimistic that the state will overturn the ruling.

“I’m sure that the German government or Parliament will correct this issue and I hope it will be very soon,” Diskin told The Algemeiner.  “Just the message from the court, that circumcision is not allowed, is a very serious issue for Jews in Germany.”

FULL ARTICLE FROM ALGEMEINER