Livius, I appreciate your serious tone and willingness to call a spade a spade.
I agree that JPII was not ill intentionned. I think that the entire generation leading up to 9/11 was gulled into missing the "distinctives" that make Islam a death cult, not one of the three "Great Religions of the Book".
I too, thank God that it appears that the leadership of all the branches of Christianity seem to finally "get it"!
I felt a sinking in my stomach when I saw that picture of good John Paul kissing the Koran. If it had been me, I wouldn't have done it; and if I'd been there, I swear I would have yelled, "Stop! Don't do it!"
Nevertheless, this was a guy who kissed every gift he was ever given: guitars, sombreros, soccer team jerseys, CD's, flags, calendars and medals. He kissed the ground when he got off an airplane; he kissed the man he forgave--- the man who tried to murder him.
For him it meant courtesy, and acknowledgement to fellow men as gift-givers, and to God who is all-bounteous.
John Paul the Great he was not an infallible diplomat. But, goshdarn it, as a man, Karol Wojtyla was a mensch.