Pope’s Comments On Islam Spark Angry Response

The pontiff’s recent comments on religious radicalism prompted an angry response from Muslim leaders who called his remarks derogatory. Protesters in India burned an effigy of the Pope and legislators in Pakistan passed a resolution condemning the statements.

Turkey’s ruling party has accused the Pope of trying to revive the spirit of the Crusades and said the comments will align Benedict in history with Hitler and Mussolini.

While speaking at a German university Tuesday, Benedict quoted a 14th century Christian emperor who was critical of the Prophet Mohammad.

“The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war,” the Pope said. “He said, I quote, ‘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.”‘

In his address the Pope didn’t explicitly agree with the comments, but he didn’t disclaim them either.

Vatican officials claim the comments weren’t intended to be offensive and were meant to draw attention to the incompatibility of faith and violence.

The Vatican’s explanation didn’t pan with some Muslim leaders. Benedict is scheduled to visit Turkey this fall, which will be his first trip to a Muslim country.

“We have seen a hard line from this Pope,” said Ali El-Samman, president of the interfaith committee for Egypt’s High Islamic Council. “It’s a disappointment for many Muslims. But just because we are disappointed in a pope doesn’t mean we are against all Christians.”

Benedict’s speech also alluded to current conditions of Christians in the Middle East.

“This reflects the intention of Pope Benedict to distinguish himself from his predecessor on his approach to interfaith dialogue,” said John Voll, director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University in Washington. “And by this, it means more reciprocity.”

Pope John Paul II opened the doors of dialogue between Christian and Muslim leaders when he made a number of pilgrimages to Muslim countries, including a visit to a Syrian mosque in 2001.

Some claim Benedict’s speech shows that he’d rather focus on maintaining the values of the Christian West rather than building bridges with Islam.

When Benedict was asked in July 2005 if he thought Islam was a religion of peace he replied: “Certainly there are elements that favour peace. It also has other elements.”