I came across an article
that discusses the Turkish President Erdogan's comments on the current situation surrounding the Temple Mount.
It is
interesting that he refers to “freedom of religion.” He is to have said, “within the framework of freedom of religion and worship there can
be no impediment for Muslims,” continuing, “given the importance that Haram
al-Sharif carries for the whole Islamic world, the metal detectors put in place
by Israel should be removed in the shortest possible time and an end put to the
tension.”
I realize that the above statements from Erdogan have a
broader context within his thought.
However, there is also a much wider context for the so-called “framework
of freedom of religion and worship” to have a fuller meaning. Among the Hebrew and Jewish prophets there
are sayings that God’s house is meant to be a house of prayer for all peoples/nations
(Isa 56:7; Mk 11:17). Granted, the First
Jewish Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians and the Second Jewish Temple by
the Romans in 70CE. However, is it not disingenuous
to speak with the language of “freedom of religion and worship” when what is
implied in Erdogan’s statement is that 2/3 of the peoples of the world’s major
religions are excluded from such freedom on the Temple Mount. Besides, have not the terrorists last Friday turned
the Al-Aqsa Mosque into a hideout for assassins?
I would give Erdogan’s comments 3 out of 10.
May the Lord have Mercy on us and upon the whole world!
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