NEW YORK (LifeSiteNews) — Cardinal Timothy Dolan has wrongly claimed that Muslims are “a good example” to Catholics “on our Lenten journey.”
In a video message dedicated to the beginning of the month-long season of Ramadan on March 11, Dolan expressed his appreciation for the Islamic feast.
Blessings and graces to our Islamic brothers and sisters, because their holy season of Ramadan begins today! They’re a good example to us on our Lenten journey. @thegnewsroom pic.twitter.com/mFZea8oEQA
— Cardinal Dolan (@CardinalDolan) March 11, 2024
“Blessing and graces to our Islamic brothers and sisters because their holy season of Ramadan begins today,” the archbishop of New York said.
“It’s a lot like their version of lent, which we are going through now as Catholics, as Christians.”
“Our Islamic brothers and sisters take very seriously fasting, acts of sacrifice and self-denial and penance, deeper prayer,” he continued. “Boy, they take that very, very seriously during this month of Ramadan. They’re a good example to us as we are on our Lenten journey to kind of be in solidarity with our Islamic brothers and sisters.”
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Despite the apparent similarities between Catholic Lent and the Islamic season of Ramadan – both include some form of fasting and prayer – the purpose of Ramadan and the Islamic religion is diametrically opposed to Christianity.
While Lent is a time for Christians to prepare spiritually and physically for the Triduum, the celebration of Jesus Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection, Ramadan has a very different outlook.
As the Islamic scholar Robert Spencer explained, Ramadan is a season in which Islamic attacks against non-Muslims, including Catholics, increase every year.
“[T]he idea of Ramadan providing a possibility of outreach to Muslims is a tragicomic display of the failures and inherent limitations of the ‘dialogue’ imperative,” Spencer said in comments given to the Catholic Herald.
“Ramadan is a month in which Muslims are to redouble their efforts to please Allah,” the author of more than 20 books continued. “The highest form of service to Allah, according to Muhammad, is jihad, which principally involves warfare against unbelievers.”
“Every Ramadan, therefore, we see an increase in jihad attacks. The idea that this is a time to seek friendship and cooperation with Muslims is laughably naive and demonstrates abject ignorance of Islam,” Spencer stated.
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Spencer explained in a 2016 article published in FrontPage Magazine that Muslims are exhorted “to grow more generous and kind toward their fellow Muslims” during Ramadan.
“However, the Qur’an says: ‘Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves’ (48:29). If the Ramadan imperative is to become more devout, the Muslim who applies himself diligently to the Ramadan observance will simultaneously become more both merciful to his fellow Muslims and more severe against the unbelievers,” the Islamic scholar wrote.
“Murdering infidels thus doesn’t contradict the spirit of Ramadan; it embodies it,” he concluded.
According to Islamic Sharia law, Christians and Jews who refuse to convert to Islam are not recognized as full citizens in Islamic countries but are considered semi-slaves called “dhimmi” who have to pay a special tax called “jizyah.”
The OpenDoors “Word Watch List” shows that the majority of the top 50 countries in which Christians are most persecuted are Islamic states.
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Moreover, the fasting rules observed by Muslims during Ramadan have been criticized for closely resembling feast days in practice and bordering on gluttony, as Christian apologist and Islam critic David Wood explained. During Ramadan, practicing Muslims have to abstain from food and drink during daylight hours but are allowed to eat as much as they want during the night. Muslims usually have very large “iftar” (breaking of the fast) meals after sunset and another large meal before sunrise. Reports and studies have shown that Muslims often report weight gain and digestive problems due to overeating during the month of Ramadan.
Imagine eating a huge meal.
Now imagine eating 2 huge meals in a single day.
Now imagine eating 2 huge meals per day for an entire month.
Now imagine eating 2 huge meals per day for an entire month and calling it “fasting.”
Welcome to Islam (aka “Opposite World”).#Ramadan2024 pic.twitter.com/Wk7Bm8eF1o— Dr. David Wood (@Acts17David) March 11, 2024
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