Their latest acts of holy vigilantism were triggered – unwittingly, one assumes – by Pope Benedict XVI’s comments on a 14th Century Christian emperor’s (evidently perspicacious and prescient) condemnation of the fanatical worship the Prophet Muhammad inspires. And here’s what that emperor, Manuel II Paleologos, declared (and what the Pope reflected upon in his homily on Tuesday):
Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.
But are these fighting words?
Indeed, wouldn’t it be wholly untenable for the Pope’s comments to lead to war – as Muslim fanatics are now threatening; especially considering that Mullah’s routinely make even more blasphemous and provocative comments about Jesus Christ? Moreover, imagine a world where Christians (or Jews) rioted in similar fashion every time a Muslim cleric made insulting comments about Christianity (or Judaism)?
Meanwhile, it is undeniable that what most people see today of the religion Muhammad brought is precisely the evil and inhuman things Emperor Paleologos condemned over 500 years ago. And, the irony is not lost on many of us that the bellicose way Muslims have reacted to the Pope’s comments only affirms the emperor’s condemnation.
Yet, even though Christian leaders not only comment on but also categorically condemn the evil and inhuman things that have been brought under the banner of Christianity – not least which the Crusades and the institution of slavery – most of them are loath to utter a single word of criticism about Islam. It is regrettable, therefore, that Muslim leaders are not as respectful and circumspect in their regard for Christianity and other religions….
Apropos this, I think the Pope’s reaction to the riots his comments incited was nothing short of extraordinary. After all, here, in part, is the statement Vatican Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone delivered on his behalf – like a savvy political operative trying to manage a public relations fiasco:
The Holy Father is very sorry that some passages of his speech may have sounded offensive to the sensibilities of Muslim believers.
But this statement is made all the more extraordinary by the fact that it has fallen far short of the prostrate contrition Muslims apparently expected – demanding, as they are, a personal apology (presumably in living color for the world to see), not a mere expression of regret. Alas, it seems moderate Muslims have become so emboldened (or cowered) by the way their fanatical brethren have made Christians and Jews more fearful of them than they are of God, that they deem it entirely reasonable to expect the Pope to apologize to them as if he were atoning for cardinal sins before the Almighty God!
However, if the Pope were to even appear to give in to their demands, I fear it would compromise the integrity of not only the Catholic faith but of all Christianity. Therefore, I pray he stands on the solid rock of his conviction and does nothing to appease his virulent Muslim critics.
NOTE: I suspect the Pope sincerely regrets that Muslims were offended by what he said. But why should he apologize for making the self-evident inference that evil and inhuman things (like hijackers, suicide bombers, jihadists and nuclear-bomb-craving genocidal maniacs) are now indelibly associated with Islam?
In fact, it is arguable that “evil and inhuman” zealots have hijacked Islam. After all, I have many Muslim friends who agree with every word in this article and who have expressed appreciation for what I wrote here and here (expressing solidarity – and noting that Pope Benedict did so as well – with their moral outrage over the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, but appealing to them to help quell the fanatical riots that were undermining their moral authority), and here (expressing consternation that Muslims would hold a Holocaust exhibition to insult Jews because Danish cartoonists offended the Prophet…).
Yet none of my Muslim friends believe it is safe to challenge the way these zealots interpret the Quran or the way they choose to defend Islam. And, given that Vatican authorities have reinforced the Pope’s security detail because they fear one of Muhammad’s misguided avengers might try to assassinate him, I get the sum of their fears.
All?hu Akbar! Shalom! God help us!
Pope Benedict VXI
WeblogBahamas.com says
Spot on in my opinion.
Many sins throughout the earth have been committed by so called religious leaders.
It is about time the extremeists among Islam are amde accountable for theirs.