No, it was just the opposite. He politely sat and listened. There was some question whether or not he knew what was being said, but I'm sure there were priests there that did. Imagine how he would have been condemned in the muslim world for walking out and applauded in the Jewish and Christian world.
2) Prudence. Pakistanis were already burning Christian churches on the threat alone of the koran burning, I think 3 churches were attacked. It's one thing for the pope to willingly choose martyrdom for himself, it's another for him to take as many people as he can with him.
I've been blessed to be able to contribute to groups like Gospel For Asia. I get regular reports on the persecution Christians face in this part of the world. If your church's leader stood up to these thugs it wouldn't have changed a thing, EXCEPT it would have helped clarify the distinction between being a Christian and a muslim.
Christianity does not get advanced by letting the forces of darkness control the stage.
“I vaguely remember this incident, wasn’t there a bruhaha because the pope walked out?”
You mean this?
“Pope walks out after Muslim cleric accuses Israel of ‘slaughter’”
“... The speech was delivered in Arabic, without simultaneous translation, but after the pope was informed of the political nature of al-Tamimi’s speech, he left the conference. “
http://www.haaretz.com/news/pope-walks-out-after-muslim-cleric-accuses-israel-of-slaughter-1.275822
Of course you are correct. Amazing, isn't it, how some try to rewrite what we saw with our own eyes?
At the conclusion of Tamiri's six-minute diatribe against the U.S, and Israel, Tamiri walked over to the seated pope and shook his hand.
Then, when the pope stood, they shook hands again!
