Agora

That is the question asked by The Jawa Report who is linking to a Story at LGF:

The delegation headed by Bishop of Viborg Karsten Nissen met with Al-Azhar Sheikh Mohammad Sayed Tantawi, Egyptian Mufti Ali Gomaa and Minister of charitable funds Hamdi Zakzouk. Al-Azhar Sheikh Tantavi explained that the offending cartoons aroused indignation in the Muslim world; however they disapproved some of the demonstrations in various areas.

Steen Skovsgaard, a bishop in the delegation, told Zaman that the cartoons are entirely for provocation. Skovsgard, stressing Muslims and Christians live together in peace, said Danes separated after the events and the majority disapproved the cartoons. He said the freedom of speech did not include humiliation and insult and Muslims can seek remedy through the courts as Denmark is a state of law. Skovsgard, underlining that the crisis is the beginning of a new dialogue rather than a partition, said their tickets were bought by the Danish Foreign Ministry though it was not an official visit.

Jawa Comments:

Are Danish Lutherans Christian?

Reasonable enough to ask that, I guess. First things first, this is a part of a visit that was "not" arranged by the Foreign Ministry to further good relations with Egypt:

J-P, February 15, 2006

Danish delegation on its way to Cairo

A Danish delegation of clerics leaves for Egypt this Thursday bringing statements from Ministries and the published apology from Jyllands-Posten. The Delegation will meet the Great Mufti Muhammed Sayed Tantawi. […]

The article goes on to state that they allegedly come there on the invitation of Danmission, a Danish mission in Egypt .This is not probable. They are lambs thrown before the wolves. In statement, some of the clergy in Denmark have been most unpleased with this whole affair, so the government sent them as a way to feed the crocodile without putting their own leg in its jaw.

As to whether the Danish clergy is really Christian or not, I would say that the average American would probably say not. To be a priest you have to go through University and learn how to criticise the Bible, resulting in most of the Danish clergy being functional atheists. But they’ve been to University too so they are for the most part flaming cultural radicals. Relativism is the big thing with these guys who are supposed to teach Christian values. No Pat Robertson would ever become a priest in Denmark, that’s for sure.

I could even imagine Anders Fogh Rasmussen deriving a perverted sort of pleasure from sending them. Here’s why:

From Jyllands-Posten, October 9, 2005 in an article entitled "Christian understanding for Moslem Anger", Bishop Karsten Nissen:

"There is a limit. When comedians make jokes about Jesus engaging in sexual behaviour, the line has been crossed. On the other hand we have freedom of speech, but we must accept that some people are prone to be offended, and we shouldn’t do that."

And:

From Jyllands-Posten, September 11, 2003 in a letter to the editor, Karsten Nissen admits to having supported a statement against the Iraq war published by an interdenominational meeting of Minister February 2, 2003 which says:

"As European church leaders, in consultation with councils of churches in the USA and the Middle East, we remain extremely concerned with the continued calls for military action against Iraq by the US and some European Governments."

I hope he changed his mind on "blue finger day"….

Also see this article where Anders Fogh Rasmussen has this to say to the likes of Nissen:

Does that mean that those in the Danish debate who argue for limiting the freedom of the speech are doing the terrorists’ bidding?

"No, there are many reasons for people to hold those views. But I must stress that the objective of the terrorists is to make us cower and abandon our principles. No matter their motive, if someone proposes limiting our freedom of speech, I shall be their opponent," Anders Fogh Rasmussen says, directing his remarks at Eva Smith and Bishop Karsten Nissen, both of whom think that limits should be imposed on how offensive one may be.

From an article in Jyllands-Posten September 4, 2005 titled "A Christian among Moslems" we learn that Steen Skovsgaard was a Priest in a predominantly Moslem part of Århus before he was elected Bishop on Lolland-Falster. Nothing else out of the ordinary.