Speaking
to reporters aboard the plane as he returned from Turkey, where he
condemned Islamic State insurgents several times, Francis said he made
the suggestion in private talks on Friday with the country's president,
Tayyip Erdogan.
"I told the
president that it would be beautiful if all Islamic leaders, whether
they are political, religious or academic leaders, would speak out
clearly and condemn this, because this would help the majority of Muslim
people," Francis said in answer to a reporter's question.
"But
this must come from the mouths of their leaders, from religious
leaders, academic leaders, intellectuals and political leaders," he
said. Continue...
Catholic Church officials have
urged Islamic leaders to speak out more forcefully against Islamic
State, but the pope's words on the plane were his most comprehensive so
far.
He called for "a global
condemnation (of terrorism), including from Muslims, who have their own
identity and say ‘we are not that, the Koran is not that’,”.
He said he understood how Muslims were offended by the stereotype that equates Islam with terrorism.
"They say: ‘No, we are not this, the Koran is a book of peace, it is a prophetic book of peace.
This is not Islam,’" he said.
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