What exactly is it that Pope Benedict said that offended Muslims so badly?

Question

Is this somehow offensive?
"Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul," Benedict said. "Not to act in accordance with reason is contrary to God's nature."

I did not see the speech nor hear it. I cannot seem to find much as to what fully was said. What was so offensive? Please share.

Dear Valcus that is only a painting an avatar. Not I.

Answer 1

The Pope spoke Truth. Just like God would have him do.

The Muslims can't handle it, as ususal.

.

Answer 2

Pope Benedict must issue a "deep and persuasive" apology for quotes used during a speech this week that described Islam as "evil and inhuman".
The world listens carefully to the words of any pope. And it is tragic and dangerous when one sows pain, either deliberately or carelessly.
He needs to offer a deep and persuasive apology, demonstrating that words can also heal.
Pope quoted the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus, who said: "Show me just what Mohammad 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."
Muslims worldwide have reacted angrily to Benedict's choice of quote and many have said he should apologise to dispel the impression he had joined a campaign against Islam.
This was not the first time Benedict has fomented discord between Christians and Muslims.
It cited a 2004 comment, when he was the Vatican's top theologian, against Turkey's joining the European Union because as a Muslim country, it was "in permanent contrast to Europe".
A doctrinal conservative, his greatest fear appears to be the loss of a uniform Catholic identity, not exactly the best jumping-off point for tolerance or interfaith dialogue.

Answer 3

Pope Benedict XVI quoted from a book recounting a conversation between 14th-century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and a Persian scholar on the truths of Christianity and Islam.

"The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war," Benedict 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.'"
These were the words of Christian King and Pop. It does not mean what the emporer said was 100% accurate. He and pop both could not understand the true spirit of Islam and teachings of Muhammad(PBUH). Pop showed his narrow approach towards the affairs of the world. He just said what he sees in media.He never tried to get information and guidance from GOD.If he ever prayed from GOD for guidance. He would never said such words. he should apologise on whta he said. He should be responsible what he is going to say.Such religious people should think before saying a single word bcoz their words have great influence on common person's thinking and doings.

Answer 4

Sara, be careful approximately what you're saying. words have nuances that usually escape to people. The pope did no longer say he replaced into DEEPLY SORRY approximately HIS comments ON ISLAM (additionally because of the fact he had no comments on Islam on that subject rely...as what he pronounced and brought about maximum of problems is an extract of a late midsection age checklist wherein an emperor - Manuel the Paleologist - discusses with a muslim chief telling him Islam did no longer convey any useful concern on the international for non muslims and the muslims had the habit to unfold their faith by using the sword extremely than by using the peace, that's an historic actuality broadly proved for that particular historic era). What he actual mentioned on television (stay in Italy, the place i stay) replaced into that he replaced into DEEPLY SORRY to word HOW HIS words OF PEACE AND communicate have been DEEPLY MISUNDERSTOOD by using some MEDIA AND by using ISLAMISTS. to function on some thing you may know adult adult males of church communicate in a particular jargon, that can on occasion be very sublte so which you may desire to envision between the lines. And the message subsequently replaced into that WHOEVER APPLIES VIOLENCE to get to his objectives isn't A BELIEVER (Be it catholic, muslim, indu or something)

Answer 5

I don't understand it either.

He is actively asking for a ceasefire or all hostile actions and to work this out diplomatically within the realm of the civilized power of words.

Sure sure to say acting in accordance with reason can be misconstrued as the aggressors who do not submit are unreasonable. But it sounds to me as if he is making a plea to the world to actively attempt to achieve peace by way of peaceful means. Not once in the words displayed does it say "YOU" or "THOSE PEOPLE" or anything specific as to who the violent persons of his statement might be. He might have even been alluding that Catholics (since he is the pope) not revert to retalliation.....or perhaps he was even stating the idea of violence was not of God, not people at all.

It seems odd to me and misconstrued, being used outside of the context in which he was speaking. Reporters and liberty rights lawyers are famous for that kind of reversal. Perhaps those that are criticizing the pope and his comments are actively looking for anything to justify their rage.

Answer 6

Here is a link to the English translation of the Pope's controversial speech: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/september/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060912_university-regensburg_en.html

With love in Christ.

Answer 7

The Truth.

Muslims protesting (surprise, surprise) Pope's remarks
posted by Dienekes on Saturday, September 16, 2006
1 comment | No trackbacks

Muslim leaders demand apology for Pope's 'medieval' remarks (excerpt):

Pope Benedict XVI was last night facing angry demands from Muslims that he apologise for a speech in which he appeared to condemn the concept of jihad as "unreasonable" and quoted a medieval ruler who said Muhammad's innovations were "evil and inhuman".

Protests swept across the Islamic world and the furore threatened a scheduled visit by the Pope to Turkey.

The Vatican spokesman, Federico Lombardi, told Vatican Radio: "It was certainly not the intention of the Holy Father to undertake a comprehensive study of the jihad and of Muslim ideas on the subject, still less to offend the sensibilities of Muslim faithful."

n Turkey, however, where the Pope is due to visit in November, the deputy leader of the ruling party said Benedict had "a dark mentality that comes from the darkness of the middle ages". Salih Kapusuz added: "He is going down in history in the same category as leaders such as Hitler and Mussolini."

Representatives of the two million Turks in Germany, where the comments were made, also expressed deep annoyance. The head of the Turkish community, Kenan Kolat, said they were "very dangerous" and liable to misunderstanding.

In Beirut, Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, one of the world's top Shia Muslim clerics, said: "We demand that [the Pope] apologises personally, and not through [Vatican] sources, to all Muslims for such a wrong interpretation." An influential Iranian cleric branded his remarks "absurd". Ahmad Khatami told worshippers at Tehran University: "The Pope has insulted Islam." The lower house of Pakistan's parliament unanimously passed a resolution condemning the comments. It said the pontiff should "retract his remarks in the interest of harmony among different religions".

This is the speech that has incited Muslim protests (excerpt):

But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed later and recorded in the Qur’an, concerning holy war. Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the “Book” and the “infidels,” he turns to his interlocutor somewhat brusquely with the central question on the relationship between religion and violence in general, in these words:

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.

The emperor goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul.

God is not pleased by blood, and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature. Faith is born of the soul, not the body. Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats... To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death....


The decisive statement in this argument against violent conversion is this: not to act in accordance with reason is contrary to God's nature. The editor, Theodore Khoury, observes: "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." Here Khoury quotes a work of the noted French Islamist R. Arnaldez, who points out that Ibn Hazn went so far as to state that God is not bound even by his own word, and that nothing would oblige him to reveal the truth to us. Were it God's will, we would even have to practice idolatry.

http://dienekes.blogspot.com/

Answer 8

Firstly muslims all over the world are accused of terrorism because of some BAD EGGS but why does every1 elso have to suffer. the pope was hinting that muslims use violence... people need to stop generalising!

Answer 9

You see the problem is that the pope directed this speech to muslims alone.Why didnt he direct it to george Bush and company aswell?
If the pope take time and read the bible he will see that God ordered alot of attacks in the past.

Answer 10

It's a pity he doesn't take action on his own advice..Benedict said.

"Not to act in accordance with reason is contrary to God's nature."

Meanwhile religious unreason is destroying our world.

Answer 11

let's see...he called islam evil and inhuman and then said that muslim teachings are that God is without reason.