[trisham]

It was my pleasure. I wonder how many will read the full text, regardless of how long this controversy lives. As livius said "he is obviously setting the stage for serious debate on the matter.". I believe this is very likely true, so there will be more to read from our Pope. Perhaps at some point, his words will be read before the outrage and riots.

[spatso]

"Perhaps at some point, his words will be read before the outrage and riots."

I had just posted this on another thread so, I cheated and duplicated it below in respnse to your comment.

I think your right to search for deeper meaning in what he was saying. The idea that he was slamming all Islam as a violent religion is silly. At most he was saying that the passion of faith needs to be tempered by reason. Clearly he was not trying to establish that Islam in general and the Islam of terrorism are synonymous.

If Benedict had not used the Manuel II quote, the headline of this story might have been along the lines that Benedict believes the West has become so dependent on reason and so secularized it is incapable of being understood by Islam. Effectively, Benedict may be conceding he understands why Islam may see us as Godless.

If I were to go way out on a limb my assessment is that Benedict believes that we in the West have become too dependent on reason and the secular. The secular and reason is squeezing faith out of our lives and institutions. On the other hand, Islam is at risk because they do not allow reason or secular mechanisms (democracy) to inform their reliance on faith. I think he is asking the West to come back to faith and Islam to consider reason. A courageous lecture.