If the Pope makes a polemical speech don't you think people have a right to protest him?

Question

I'm talking about this news article, "Fury over Pope's remarks raises concerns."
I mean why bother about Muslim people protesting? Isn't dissent the purest form of democracy?

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/world/papacy_and_the_vatican

"ISTANBUL, Turkey - Pakistan's legislature unanimously condemned Pope Benedict XVI. Lebanon's top Shiite cleric demanded an apology. And in Turkey, the ruling party likened the pontiff to Hitler and Mussolini and accused him of reviving the mentality of the Crusades. Across the Islamic world Friday, Benedict's remarks on Islam and jihad in a speech in Germany unleashed a torrent of rage that many fear could burst into violent protests like those that followed publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad."

Answer 1

No, because it's his opinion, let him have it.

Answer 2

Well, democracy is not BUILT on dissent, but consensus. If everyone disagreed, that's more the purest form of anarchy, not democracy.

The Pope quoted an ancient Byzantine Emperor, who rather aptly described the Prophet's campaigns in the last 10 years of his life. These years saw the greatest growth of Islam during the Prophet's life.

You can protest, if you feel some personal or national affront, the Pope was reiterating what a long-forgotten Emperor thought of the onset and proliferation of Islam, at a time when he could have spoken on this topic with much more clarity and information than any of us today.

The Pope didn't attack Islam, nor its practitioners, but summarized one person's historical viewpoint on the nature and growth of the Muslim religion.

Answer 3

The problem isn't that many people in the Middle East are protesting the Pope, the problem is that folks living in authoritarian regimes are not permitted to protest the injustices of their self-appointed leaders. See what happens when a Shi'a Muslim in Saudi Arabia or Egypt cries out against rampant prejudice and discrimination, especially if the protester is a woman.

Answer 4

Well that man has a security level that is like the President.If they feel harm may come to him they cancel. The student opposition in some of those nations are the ones doing much of the explosions that are devastating the world.Like the London subway bombers.The 911 plane crashers,the suicide bombers in Iraq,and Iran it is all young people.I wouldn't believe a word that comes out of the Iranian Presidents mouth other than the ones I heard that said we must destroy Israel,and the USA.

Answer 5

"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."

This is what he said that has everybody talking. As a Muslim, I do not appreciate his demeaning comments about the prophet, but realize, unlike others, he is just a man with opinions and views. I do not take his word as the gospel and neither should anyone else. He is free to voice his opinion, but when he is a man in a position of great influence as he is, he should do a little fact checking before going before the world and making a mockery of himself.

Answer 6

Everyone should have the right to protest anything, although it doesn't necessarily mean it will be resolved.
However, not everyone lives in a place where they're able to do so.

Answer 7

Speaking of the Crusades, any guess what happened to the Christians in north Africa?

Answer 8

The New Darth Vadar!

Answer 9

We have a right to protest the Muslim protests. What is your point?


Muslims protest everything. They protest our freedom of speech they protest us when we try to protect ourselves.

If they criticize us what can't we criticize the Prophet Muhammad?

Answer 10

Heh heh, well Muslims have a history of engaging in a peculiar form of dissent, usually involving death, violence, bombings, etc.

Answer 11

Because the terrorist will feed on that. It will make for more blood shed. There is reason for concern.