Pope's Top Advisor Slams Obama

Fr. Samir Khali Samir, S.J., one of Pope Benedict's top advisers on Islam and author of 111 Questions on Islam, has many positive things to say about President Obama's June 4th speech in Cairo. But, in this June 5th piece for Asia News, he also expresses some serious concerns, especially about Obama's approach to tolerance and religious freedom:

The fifth point is religious freedom. Here Obama goes a little beyond historic truth and uses mythical concepts to justify his position. He maintains that Islam has always been a tolerant religion. But this is ambiguous: religious freedom is not only a question of tolerance. Tolerance means allowing others to exist, it does not mean freedom of speech, freedom to preach or convert.

Then he falls into the trap of myths when he uses the Caliphate of Andalusia and Cordoba a san example of this tolerance, placing it in direct contrast to the Inquisition. This is completely exaggerated myth.

First of all the Inquisition was historically after the caliphate, but the affirmation is also wrong in its contents. There was a lot of persecution under the Andalusia Caliphate, of Christians, Jews and even Muslims: Averroè was forced to flee from Cordoba; the same fate for the Hebrew Philosopher Maimonide.

He then points to Indonesia where he lived during his childhood. And here there is little to argue about. However the Indonesia of today is less tolerant than it was in the past. Despite this he seems conscious of the fact that steps need to be taken to ensure reciprocal respect. Among situations of difficulty he lists (a little out of place) the Maronites in Lebanon and (with no small measure of courage given that he is in Egypt) the Copts in Egypt.

Finally he also cites conflicts between Sunni and Shiites to show that tolerance is needed also among Muslims themselves and not only with Christians.He then gives some examples of tolerance “American” style. He speaks for example of the zakat, the juridical religious tax in support of other Muslims. But this is a private fact that no-one can impede, and yet he points to it as an important sign of tolerance.

Twice or three times he calls in cause the issue of the veil and women’s’ clothing, to say that they have the right to dress as they desire, but this argument seems more aimed at satisfying Muslims, because it is not real issue of religious freedom. Instead the right to believe or not to believe, to be homosexual or not, to convert to another religion, are not addressed. He points to Saudi Arabia as an example of collaboration between religions, but says nothing of the lack of religious freedom in that country.

In concluding, Fr. Samir compares Obama's message in Egypt to the message presented by Pope Benedict XVI during his recent trip to the Middle East:

Comparing his message to that of the Pope during his trip to the Holy Land, it seems to me, that with regards the Palestinians, the pope was far less ambiguous. Both defended the right of Israel to exist, both condemned the violence, but Benedict XVI spoke in precise terms of the Two States; he even said that the security barrier is unacceptable and that Jerusalem has to be the capital of both States. Obama instead only spoke of Jerusalem as the “spiritual capital” of the three Abrahamic religions.

The pope also spoke of the “indestructible bonds” between Jews and Christians, but did not justify these bonds with a weak historic motivation.

It must also be said that the pope’s situation was far more delicate, because Benedict XVI went into the eye of the storm, among the Israelis and Palestinians. Instead this speech by Obama only served to please Islam.

Also see a May 14, 2009, column by Fr. Samir, "The Pope, Arabic Islam and the West".

And speaking of religious tolerance, this interview with Coptic Orthodox priest Fr. Zakaria Botros (labeled "one of the most wanted infidels in the world" by al Qaeda) offers a harrowing glimpse into the daunting (and sometimes deadly) situations faced by many Christians living in the Middle East.

Finally, Tom Hoopes of National Catholic Register points out "3 Things Obama Didn't Say" in the Cairo speech, including his failure to promote LGBT lifestyles as he has in the United States by declaring June to be "LGBT Pride Month".

If you are interested in purchasing Father Samir's book, click here.

Samir Khalil Samir is a Jesuit priest of Egyptian descent who now teaches in Beirut at St. Joseph University and is considered one of the world’s foremost authorities on Islam. He has been a visiting professor at many universities, including the University of Cairo, Georgetown, University and the University of Bethlehem (Palestine). He is the founder of CEDRAC, the Center of Arabic Christian Documentation and Studies. He also directs the publication of the collection of the Arabic Christian Heritage, and is the president of the International Association for Christian Arabic Studies. He is the author of twenty books and about five hundred scholarly articles concerning Islam and Christianity.