Tuesday, September 19, 2006

THE POPE AND ISLAM

Der Spiegel has an interesting opinion piece on Muslim reactions to the Pope's recent comments about Islam. I have not followed the controversy closely, but I feel the Pope's remarks have been taken out of context.

One thing should be kept in mind, however: The often violent protests that erupted in the Muslim world in the wake of the cartoon controversy have often been manipulated and fuelled by Islamists. The bile currently being flung at the pope is no different.

But the attacks against the pope are especially grotesque. The severe criticism -- often coupled with threats of violence -- directed at the speech held last Tuesday by Benedict XVI is not just an attack on the head of the Catholic Church. The malicious twisting of the pope's words and the absurd allegations made by representatives of Islam represent a frontal attack on open religious and philosophical dialogue.

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