Actually, there are discussions going on about more religious freedom in islamic countries, but you wouldn’t know that unless you read the ‘orthodox’ (loyal to the Church) Catholic press.
That said, what on earth do you expect the Council to say? “Yes - burn those korans!!”? Of course religious leaders will condemn it.
And I take such things under advisement and am free to reject any such ideas coming from “the Vatican”. As other posters have pointed out, the Council speaks only for itself.
I am a loyal and devout Catholic and stand by the burning of the Koran as freedom of expression falling in the same category as Piss Christ and Dung Madonna, as well as the burning of the flag. I despise those things, but understand in a free society such things can and will occur.
Now as to the actual act under discussion (the burning of the koran), I am actually quite uncaring. I certainly don’t value the book or its message whatsoever!
I agree that they have every right to burn any book they want to burn, but the problem is that the sound-bite this gives the press is exactly the one that has been waiting and hoping to get: Christians “attacking” Islam.
Granted, it’s perfectly justified, the Koran is evil and deserves to be wiped out of human consciousness, and nobody is advocating killing anyone, much less flying planes into buildings occupied by thousands of harmless civilians. But mark my words, this stupid act by this “pastor” is probably going to end up with having our right to speak out suppressed and gaining oceans of favorable publicity for Muslims.
Sometimes, even when you’re in the right, you should think twice.