"In the 11th century, wild Turkish nomads gained possession of the Muslim kingdoms in the Near East, converted to Mohammedanism, and threatened Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire and center of Greek Orthodox Christianity. The Byzantine emperor, recognizing the tremendous power of the Catholic Church, appealed for military aid, not to the kings of Europe but to the Pope of Rome. The Church was sympathetic to this appeal, because the Turks were molesting Christians making pilgrimages to Palestine, the Holy Land. Consequently, Pope Urban II, in 1095, issued a call for a religious war, called a Crusade, against the Muslims to restore Christian control over Jerusalem and the Holy land. The Pope's call for a Crusade met with great enthusiasm. It attracted religious persons who held that "God wills it," nobles who hoped to acquire new lands and great riches, middle-class merchants who hoped for increased trade, serfs who hoped to escape from feudal oppression, and adventurers who wanted travel and excitement. But above all people wanted to free the Holy City of Jerusalem, holiest shrine of Christianity."
Important to note, don't you think, that the Jews, Christians, and Muslims all claim dependency from Abraham, thus all claim the city "Holy".
1095 to 2010. Differences?
4 comments:
Some things never change.
Brooke, do you think if we keep talking about it there could be a chance? Maybe open minds can open heart or visa versa?
I say no to the question above. As long as greed and money rule officials, then history will repeat itself.
I do hope our words at least crack some heart and minds.
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