Pope's comments 'hurt Muslims'

News.com.au ^ | 16 September 2006

[Aussie Dasher]

COMMENTS by Pope Benedict XVI implicitly linking Islam to violence have caused Muslims "genuine pain", a British Muslim leader said in Sydney today.

The head of the Roman Catholic church provoked fury across the Islamic world when he quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor's criticism of the Prophet Mohammed for bringing

[sonic109]

What he said was right on target and I'm SO dissapointed that he apologized. H espoke the truth and I was happy that he had the guts to say the truth . Now he backs off. Even the Pope now cowers to the Islamic maniacs.We're lost

[Nuc1]

The Vatican is now saying the Pope meant no offense. (Drudge)

The apology is coming you'll see.

[Nuc1]

Jessie Jackson is breathing air intelligent people could be using.

[sonic109]

How long untill the Dem pary calls for the Pope to apologize.

[sonic109]

Even the Pope now cowers to media pressure and Islamic barbarians.

[Nuc1]

Yes but we are not lost. We have yet to truly begin fighting. We are just not ready to do the terrible job that must be done.

[vimto]

It isn't important - if you think that it matters one jot to the Islamic mindset the academic context and nuanced argument..... !

[AFPhys]

The Pope's address was categorically not about Islam.

It's purpose was to address the divorce of theology from the university environment, and his belief that those two "cultures" had to engage in dialogue.

In fact, he was supporting the belief and feelings of Islam that the "Western culture" of "rationalism" is unfairly dismissing it from the discussion of reality by its (rationalism's) very nature.

[vimto]

Well, Jesus is the Logos. I think rationality is at the heart of devotion to God and serving others. Islam is a dead duck. If the Pope was saying that there is something we can learn from Islam I profoundly disagree with him.

Islam is an evil fascist cult. That some Muslims are nice people is neither here nor there.

[AFPhys]

The Pope's address was not about religion at all. It was about the way religious thinking is being marginalized by academia. I believe he was saying that even Islam's viewpoint must be considered in that environment, and that what he said had nothing to do with whether he thought that viewpoint valid.

[AD from SpringBay]

Only the west is supposed to pause and wonder, "Why do they hate us?" The Muslims are never supposed to reflect on what, if anything, about their culture, may be wrong. Or perhaps the Jihadists are too primitive to get their minds around the concept. Very few Muslims condemn what their 'brothers' do in terms of the terror they bring to the world. Why is that?

This is true fascism - it's all one sided with the ROP. There can be no true dialog so long as such attitudes persist.

[sobieski]

It's not clear what sort of relation that McVeigh had w/ Islamic terrorists. McNicols had been in a part of the Philippines that had a Muslim insurgency, and there is the still unresolved question of John Doe #2.

[uncbob]

The Pope's address was not about religion at all. It was about the way religious thinking is being marginalized by academia. I believe he was saying that even Islam's viewpoint must be considered in that environment, and that what he said had nothing to do with whether he thought that viewpoint valid.

Well then he should have

As should all major heads of any Christian Religion as should any heads of Agnostic or Athesist societies and heads of Homosexual Organizations and heads of woman's organizations

CAUSE YOU ALL ARE IN THE CROSSHAIRS OF THE MUSLIM FASCISTS

And unless you face up to the truth of the situation that as INFIDELS the muslims are coming for you you will be victims

[dennisw]

I'll say to the Muslims what the good Holy Father cannot say. F*** 'em if they can't take a joke

[The_Reader_David]

And subsituting piracy for hijacking, the same was true back in Emperor Manuel II's day. I wonder where he got his ideas about Islam?

[The_Reader_David]

Cut it off at ten years or so and you're right. If you go back 30, there was still the IRA and some Communist terrorist groups in Europe.

[maryz]

Well, at least they got to Roman Catholic churches. The only ones I'd heard about before were Anglican and Greek Orthodox. Of course, since one of the Muslim critics (Pakistani?) quoted somewhere said the Pope's words proved he was a Zionist [sic (actually I first typed "sick")], I wouldn't be surprised if they thought it appropriate to blow up a few synagogues.

[indiana_gop]

So, the Pope offends Muslims, and there are world wide calls for an apology. Rosie O'Donnell offends Christians ,and it's freedom of speech. I must be pretty dense, because I can't grasp this concept.

[rodguy911]

As the main protectorate of the Catholic Church my guess is that the Pope has noticed that some areas of the world, already mentioned in this thread, have been witnessing the freezing out of catholic and protestant worshipers for that matter in favor of MUslims. Often times simple using the same church and converting it to a mosque, which many times wind up being anything but churches.

This has to at least annoyed the pope if not really made him feel that as the leader of all cathlolics it is his duty to speak out. He did. But any apology or attempt at clarification is a mistake considering who he is dealing with.

[ELS]

This has to at least annoyed the pope ...

Here is the official statement released by the Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone.

IMHO, the most pertinent parts are (emphasis mine):

"- As for the opinion of the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus which he quoted during his Regensburg talk, the Holy Father did not mean, nor does he mean, to make that opinion his own in any way. He simply used it as a means to undertake - in an academic context, and as is evident from a complete and attentive reading of the text - certain reflections on the theme of the relationship between religion and violence in general, and to conclude with a clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence, from whatever side it may come."

"- The Holy Father thus sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful, and [could] have been interpreted in a manner that in no way corresponds to his intentions. Indeed it was he who, before the religious fervor of Muslim believers, warned secularized Western culture to guard against 'the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom'."

"- In reiterating his respect and esteem for those who profess Islam, he hopes they will be helped to understand the correct meaning of his words so that, quickly surmounting this present uneasy moment, witness to the 'Creator of heaven and earth, Who has spoken to men' may be reinforced, ..."