The Pope and "Fascist" Reactions
Have you heard about all the Muslim uproar about something the Pope said? The Pope’s words were not even his own. He made it very clear that he was quoting from a book recounting a dialogue on the truths of Christianity and Islam between Manuel Paleologos II, a 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor, and an educated Persian:
“He said, I quote, ‘Show me just what Mohammed 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’.”
Apparently aware of the delicacy of the issue, Benedict described the phrases on Islam as “brusque”, and pointed out several times that he was quoting – although he neither explicitly agreed with nor repudiated the emperor’s views.
“Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul,” the pontiff said. (source)
The article goes on,
But in the Islamic world this has been taken to indicate that the Pope straightforwardly endorsed Manuel Paleologos’s views.
Personally I think you have to be a complete idiot to think that the Pope’s quote “straightforwardly” endorses the views of Manuel Paleologos; either a complete idiot or a member of a fascist ideology that seeks to bend all discourse to its subversive ends… This is probably a non sequitur to most of us here in the west, but it will be interesting if anyone besides Muslims start calling for him to apologize.
Update 9/18/06 ———
Muslims around the world seem set on proving the truth of passage the Pope quoted. Soon, the Pope will be justified in offering an additional clarification, and it ought to sound like this: While my first words were merely quoting a 14th century passage that I neither agreed with nor repudiated, the resulting responses of Muslims everywhere has convinced me of the truth of the words of the 14th century interlocutor that I quoted. I now, grieviously, make his words my own–violence is, indeed, at the absolute heart of Islam. Evidence below:
We will break up the cross, spill the liquor and impose head tax, then the only thing acceptable is a conversion (to Islam) or (killed by) the sword…Protests also broke out in Iraq, where angry demonstrators burned an effigy of the pope in Basra, and in Indonesia, where more than 100 people rallied in front of the heavily guarded Vatican Embassy in Jakarta, waving banners that said the “Pope is building religion on hatred.” (source)
Building “religion on hatred,” eh? Maybe it’s just me, but that sounds slightly ironic…
Hey Tim!
I’ve read a little about this whole thing that went on (actually here in Germany – University of Regensburg!) with the Pope. I agree that it shouldn’t be that big of a deal. It really is minor – no, frankly it SHOULD be, but it might not end up that way.
However, I think the Pope said and implied a few more things that at least evince that he doesn’t agree with the Islam. I can understand why Muslims might feel attacked if you take the whole situation into account.
But then I wonder: did I miss something? Since when is the Pope, the head of Catholic Christianity, supposed to pay an almost divine respect to Islam!? Has our modern thought of ‘tolerance’ lead us this far into the dark woods of adbsurd irenic egalitarianism? OF COURSE the Pope disagrees with the Islam! I sure hope he does!
It is astonishing to me that any Muslim should get upset about that?
Timothy:
You said: However, I think the Pope said and implied a few more things that at least evince that he doesn’t agree with the Islam. I can understand why Muslims might feel attacked if you take the whole situation into account.
I agree with that, and I also agree with your 2nd point. Christianity and Islam are not compatible, the Pope has every right to disagree with and critique the other religion as long as he maintains a respect for the people involved, and he definitely has maintained the respect. The Islamacists who are making comments about how the Pope will go down in history alongside Mussolini and Hitler are complete fools. Such a statement is entirely misguided and speaks more of their disrespect and refusal to enter dialogue than anything the Pope may have hinted at.
There has been lots of talk about how not all Muslims are the same and they are not all radical. And that is true–I’ve studied quite a bit of the history of Islam and recognize that there are different streams and that a generic label of “extremist” is wrong to apply, but the ridiculous outcry recently by the majority of the Muslim community over first, the Danish Cartoon, and now, the Pope’s comments, really has me questioning to what degree the other streams of Islam are different from the more extreme varieties. Sure there are differences, but how fundamental are they? At what point does the end result appear identical in each stream? The point of merging may be way closer than some would claim, and that is an uncomfortable thought.
On a related topic I’ve been thinking about the idea of Vision lately; I may post my observations soon, for now I will just say that the key to erradicating Muslim Extremism and the terror associated with it is to destroy, or at least cripple, their ideological vision.
“the ridiculous outcry recently by the majority of the Muslim community over first, the Danish Cartoon, and now, the Pope’s comments, really has me questioning to what degree the other streams of Islam are different from the more extreme varieties.”
I’ve been having similar thoughts. What did the Muslims think, that the Pope was a closet fan?
Hmmm.
well, i don’t have any big speech or anything, but i do think it was a great post and that i agree with you completely (not that it matters).