CNA: Cardinal Pell of Sydney encourages Catholics to read Koran

Update: Thanks to reader Salome for finding Cardinal Pell's actual statement:

"September 11 was a wake-up call for me personally. I recognised that I had to know more about Islam.

In the aftermath of the attack one thing was perplexing. Many commentators and apparently the governments of the “Coalition of the Willing” were claiming that Islam was essentially peaceful, and that the terrorist attacks were an aberration. On the other hand one or two people I met, who had lived in Pakistan and suffered there, claimed to me that the Koran legitimised the killings of non-Muslims.

Although I had possessed a copy of the Koran for 30 years, I decided then to read this book for myself as a first step to adjudicating conflicting claims. And I recommend that you too read this sacred text of the Muslims, because the challenge of Islam will be with us for the remainder of our lives – at least. "

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Orginal post:

Cardinal Pell of Sydney encourages Catholics to read Koran

Sydney, May. 04, 2006 (CNA) - “I recommend that you too read this sacred text of the Muslims, because the challenge of Islam will be with us for the remainder of our lives – at least,” Cardinal Georges Pell of Sydney affirmed at a conference titled 'Islam and Western democracies', in Naples Florida.

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