Do you think what the Pope said in his speech is a part of the ongoing war against Islam?

i was going to ask the same question.....but I'll tell u what i think myself.

well ...this pope is well known his whole life that he is an extremest who hates any communication with Islam.

second..he is an hypocrite who wants to show loyalty to U.S and bush's policy.

third...the catholic church is well known as well of its attitudes towards Islam..."do i have to remind u of the crusades?" unlike the Orthodox who are friends of Muslims.

after all..i hope this never escalates violence between Muslims and Christians and enough is enough.

Time for Muslims to decide what it is they truely beleive in and stop riding the fence.

Don’t you see the irony in Muslims being able to desecrate a Christian Temple in Jerusalem by spreading feces on images of Christ? But a Christian leader (the Pope) can’t remind people of what 14th century Byzantine emperor Manuel Paleolous II said about the profit Mohammad several hundred years ago. It wasn’t even the Popes own words or thought. He was repeating what Paleolous II supposedly said. . What’s with the hypersensitivity anyway?

The Muslims can dance in the streets; shout and yell; raise their fists all they want to but I do not believe the Pope owes Muslims an apology for anything.

Some have contended the terrorists are a form of radical Islam and a small minority of the faith. They say the large majority of Muslims are a peaceful people. I am beginning to wonder about these claims when I see the reported millions in the streets protesting what the Pope repeated.

Two faced or what? Is Islam a peaceful religion or a violence based religion? By what I am seeing and hearing, I would have to conclude the latter.

"We never hear any Muslim scholar insulting Christianity or Jesus."

When was the last time you heard a Christian scholar insulting Islam? The Pope didn't insult Islam, what he said has been taken completely out of context, he didn't pass judgement, merely quoted an ancient source.

Even if he had, it shouldn't be standing on the streets threatening catholics with death (which I think is slightly more offensive) stuff. The voice of Islam these days is sadly very load, indignant and irrational, and really should shut the hell up if it can't say anything reasonable.

I find it worth noting that most Muslims don't share these views, but they are the quieter majority, and as always are being ignored in favour of the louder minority.

Vatican officials invited Muslim leaders to read the full text of the papal address, saying it would make clear that the pope was speaking in favor of all religions and not against Islam.

It was very important to the pope that there be a "clear and radical rejection of the religious motivation for violence".

The pope did not intend to make a critical assessment of Islam, much less offend Muslims.

The pope's talk focused primarily on the religious shortcomings of the West and the reluctance of truly religious cultures to accept a Western "exclusion of the divine".

A Vatican spokesman said, "What is clear, then, is the Holy Father's desire to cultivate an attitude of respect and dialogue toward other religions and cultures, including, of course, Islam".

I believe that the current Pope did not realize what he had said about the Muslim religion being a very violent religion, he had been primarily quoting from old books that had Muslim listed in them. If he was going to say anything about the Muslim religion, it was mainly to point out that violence does not solve the world's problems and what violence in the world should stop this very minute in order to have world peace. This Pope is mainly a book worm and does not have any experience handling people and most notably the world media. But, the Roman Catholic Church view on violence is that it should be totally eradicated and peace and love should be replace violence in the world permanently. This was the main teaching of Jesus Christ.

Muslims will tell you, albeit politely, that Christ was merely a prophet of God. That may seem like knit-picking over details to some but, in essence, they are saying that the Christian faith is based on a lie. Do Christians pour into the streets to complain about that? Do Christians equate Muslim spiritual leaders with "Hitler"? I agree that the Pope made an ill-timed and unfortunate statement. However, the Muslim response to the Pope’s faux pas is pure unadulterated overkill. It's the kind over reaction that fuels the "false belief" that Islam is a radical and dangerous religion.

First, and I am no supporter of any faith, did you actually read the whole of the pontifs speech I really don`t think you did you listened to the "bites". All religions have an evil side, they have to, as they have to believe only they are right and they have to convert all to their belief. The terror attacks that you " speak" of were done in the name of religion,listen to the messages of bin laden and his cohorts. When the map was covered in pink yes the peoples spoke out against the christian invaders. The Iraq artrocities initially were done in the name of Mammon but are now one Islamic sect against another. I totally agree that Zionism supported by the west is wrong. Get out your history books not your religious books and get a real look at the world and how all religions have ruined the lifes of so many especially the poor who had nothing else but bread tomorrow in "heaven"

Most muslim respondents to this question will not have bothered to read the full text of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVIth's lecture to his old university. Subsequent to his mention of a long-dead Christian Emperor, he added;

'For the emperor, as a Byzantine shaped by Greek philosophy, this statement is self-evident. But for Muslim teaching, God is absolutely transcendent. His will is not bound up with any of our categories, even that of rationality.'

Where, in these words can be found any negative attitude toward the muslim world.

In reading many of the responses, I cannot fail but see several of the same muslim writers, pouring out their anti-Christian vitriol.

Where are the yahoo-police in such cases?

To say the very least the pope was out of order, no matter what the Vatican may say now, the damage has been done!

Its all very well for the likes of me to rant and rave against any and all religions, (which I do frequently)!!

But for the head of any religion to come out with remarks about another religions prophet has got to be out of order!!

It would be easy to put out a case saying Jesus was a war monger and his main aim was to get rid of the Romans!! But I have never come across a case where Muslims have insulted Jesus, or any other prophet!

Muslims are taught to respect Jesus as a prophet, (not as God, or the Son of God, but as a prophet)! Only Christians believe that other cr*p!!

Your question is very valid and straight to the point, the answer is that all religions have lots to answer for, both in the past and present! If we have to tolerate them they should at least have the sense to learn from the past!!

The way out now for the pope??

A very abject apology ? a detailed explanation of why he said what he said? No way will any of this make any difference now, the damage is done , he is now already after a very short time in office a first class D/Head!!

Muslim leaders will accept his excuses of course, but the Muslim in the street will remember this for years!!

NO! Ever since the time of Muhammad, Islam has been at war with the non-Muslim world. The present Islamic terrorism is just a continuation of this, and part of the ongoing war of Islam against all non-Muslims.

Why are Muslims so sensitive to any criticism of Islam? Is their aggressive and often violent reaction to any criticism a device to stifle all debate?

Christianity is constantly under criticism from all quarters including Muslims (just check out some of the questions and answers on this forum).

The Koran itself is insulting to Christians as it claims that Jesus was not crucified, contradicting both the Christian scriptures and all the extra- Biblical evidence for this historical fact. : - - - - - - -

In addition to the Christian scriptures there are 1st century sources that testify that Jesus was put to death. In the "Annals" written by Roman historian Tacitus, in Book XV, Chapter 44 we read "Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius."

Roman historian Josephus also wrote about the death and Resurrection of Jesus.

Also, the Roman Historian Seutonius wrote in his work "Life of the Emperor Claudius" the following about Christians: "and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws."

The Roman historian Pliny wrote about Jesus' death in Book X of his Epistles.

Julius Africanus, quoting Thallus another Roman historian, who wrote in about 52 A.D. about the miraculous happenings the day the Son of God was killed. He wrote: "On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down"

Perhaps the atrocious civillians murders committed by Muslims on 9/11 and 7/7 is part of an ongoing crusade by Islam against the West and our right to NOT be Muslim.

I'm Non-Muslim and PROUD of it!

I wish you muslims would stop whineging about being persecuted and try hunting down some of the terrorist scum in your own midst, maybe then we'd beleive you to be a "peaceful" religion. All you ever seem to do is complain about "persecution" and justify these monsters and their actions!! Thats why we don't trust you or your religion!!!

Why are you blaming the potential actions of extremists on what the Pope has said? These people have a CHOICE - to protest peacefully or to committ murder. They CHOOSE the path of murder and evil. It is their choice and their responsibility - noone forced them to choose it.

Are you just another muslim refusing to accept your brothers' evil actions and their responsiblity for their actions and trying to whine and whinge and place blame elsewhere? Please! Have you no pride??