The Pope and the Elephant
|
The Elephant is described quite differently by each of these blind men, none of them able to see the Elephant to really know what it is, but feeling a different body part and believing that part on its own to fully represent the whole of the animal. A variety of versions exist, some with four blind men, some with five, and one even with an additional sixth who, poor impoverished soul, doesn’t get to touch the animal at all but instead some supposed evidence of it’s existence, an ignominious pile of dung! The moral of the story has been summed up poetically by John Godfrey Saxe (1819-1887) who wrote it thus:
|
Until recently I had thought this Pope saw things a little differently. Maybe he still does but on his visit to Turkey has been impelled to tow the party line. Perhaps it is too subtle to be acceptable, but Pope Benedict looked to me to be claiming that there could be one God, the one real God, but one whom we each describe differently - and possibly to a point too far beyond. This position would have him consistent with article 841 of the Roman Catholic Catechism and yet able to assert that all three faiths had a different understanding of God - rather like the blind men did of the Elephant - and certainly seemed evident from his lecture at Regensburg when he described how Christianity's view is that God is intrinsically linked to reason (the Greek concept of logos) whereas Islam´s view is that “God is absolutely transcendent.” He appeared to be saying that either the interpretation of God must be in error when used to justify patently irrational violence as divine, or else (in distinct contradiction of the CCC article 841) the god the Muslims worship is not God. The submission of man's rationality to irrational violent commands, Pope Benedict dared to suggest, is incompatible with who God must be. |
The parable of the Blind Men and the Elephant has appeared numerous times in both Western and Oriental thought, expressing the supposed fact that people tend to understand only a tiny portion of Reality and then extrapolate all manner of doctrine from that, each claiming only his one is the correct version. 
Pope Benedict XVI has inherited the Catholic Church’s Catechism which holds him to the view that the God of Abraham is the deity in common to Jews, Christians and Muslims. All three monotheistic faiths claim the God of Abraham as their own, and the Roman Catholic Church acknowledges that to be the case. But now for a somewhat closer look at that parable of the Elephant. Is it such a good analogy after all? I am not so certain.
What each of the blind men describe is only part of the Elephant, and they all are mistaken when they claim their part to be the whole. Their opinions are not equally true. They are equally, and actually, false. If such an analogy of religious pluralism was meant to show that all religions are true and all paths lead to the one God, that is not the case at all. Their opinions are false, not true.
But what is even more important, should a seventh man arrive on the scene of the Elephant and happen to be able to see, then he has a distinct advantage with regards to knowing the truth about the Elephant. This knowledge could provide a revelation to the blind. But humans are frequently stubborn and arrogant, with those who are truly blind more than ready to disregard the revelation of one who can see. Not believing his credentials of sight, they will accuse the seeing man of all manner of things - heresy, madness, an overactive imagination, lies and deceit. Only some will accept his word, that which is Truth and Reality.
Just for the record, Article 841 of the Catholic Catechism states: “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”
Islam acknowledges that it serves the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, in so doing it claims that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were Muslims! A banner recently waved by Muslim protestors to the Pope’s recent visit to Turkey even claimed that “Jesus is not the Son of God. He is a prophet of Islam.” Islam retrospectively makes such claims that preceed it’s own existence and where, unlike the person of Christ, there is no prophetic mention of anything Islam in the Old Testament writings. Islam has appropriated Judaism and Christianity to itself, distorting them for it’s own purposes. Contrary to Article 841 of the Catholic Catechism, Abdullah Al Araby gives many reasons in his paper, God of Christianity vs. Allah of Islam, that clearly show how Yahweh and Allah are not the same as each other. Dallas M. Roark writes in his paper, Is there a true religion?, the following summation:
We cannot conclude that the god of Islam is the same as Yahweh of the Old Testament who becomes Incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth to redeem mankind. This finality in Christ eliminates any other coming prophet such as Muhammad. The epistle of Hebrews speaks with finality about God's last word, his highest word, coming in his Son. Islam cannot therefore be regarded as an extension, culmination, or completion of the Judeo-Christian tradition. While there are prophets mentioned in the New Testament they were in agreement with the Christian Gospel and did not seek to supersede the New Testament revelation or claim a different revelation.
(Mt. 23:34; Acts 11:27-29; 13:2-3; 15:32;21:9-11; 1 Cor. 12:28-29; Eph. 2:20; 3:5;4:11, for example)
The followers of Islam are like those blind men who will not believe the revelation of the one who sees. Their Qur’an convinces them so:
“They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except One Allah. If they desist not from their word (of blasphemy), verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them,” (Quran 5:73, Yusufali).
“They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the third of three; when there is no Allah save the One Allah. If they desist not from so saying a painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve,” (Quran 5:73, Pickthal).
For further discussion relating to the dissimilarity of Islamic and Christian belief, see Judah’s Journal entry of 14 November, 2005, called Are we being swallowed alive? and ensuing comments.
Pope Benedict’s comments proved to be too hot to handle. They suspiciously appeared to call into question either the Muslim interpretation of God, or the veracity of the god that they claim to be Allah. His comments were insightful, but a little too daring. They were a challenge to look for the Truth. And of course, at the end of the search, the sighted Person whose revelation can be trusted as Truth is none other than the One whom many of us know to be Jesus.
I agree with the following as the most appropriate Biblically Christian relationship we can have with any other religion in terms of inter-faith dialogue. There is no place for inventing and promoting theologic commonality where such does not exist.
Christian Response by Dr Joseph Mizzi
The Christian response to the Muslims is twofold.
Firstly, we must separate ourselves from Islam and clearly state that it is a false religion. “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds” (2 John 9-11). Christians do not have any ecumenical relationship with Muslims. We cannot participate in their idolatry by saying that we worship the same God. On the contrary, we must warn them that since they do not abide in the doctrine of Christ, they do not have God.
Secondly, we have an evangelistic responsibility towards Muslims. They have been indoctrinated against the Son of God. We must proclaim Him as the Son of God, the Lord from Heaven, the Saviour of the World. We must proclaim that He died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. This is our message to Muslims, and to the rest of the world, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).
1 John 2:23
No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
