Are Muslims justified in their attacking Pope Benedict's comments?

Question

Aren't Muslims around the world simply taking every opportunity they can to attack other Religions like Christianity?
Aren't Muslims proving themselves to be a constant threat to the rest of the world simply by their using every opportunity to raise their voices and fists against it.
Aren't they out of control?

Was the Pope's quoting of 14th-century Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus's remarks of "'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.'" taken out of context and is now going to be used as a tool to bring their anger down upon the Church?
What do you think?

carcaterra, get a clue as to how Muslim's are being perceived by America. Everything we see about them is a mob with raised fists and shouting in the streets "Death to America!".

Ok Jafar, then where are the "good" Muslim voices speaking out against these "terrorists"?
Nowhere!
....Muslims are silent except for those outspoken radicals.
What am I supposed to think then?
That the radical Ismaics speak for "all" Muslims...prove me wrong.

Answer 1

What follows below is my response to a friend’s email concerning the same issue as what is being discussed in this forum:

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Its one thing for the common street hoodlum, or radical foot soldier, in Muslim countries, to be enraged by the comments made by the Pope. I don’t expect many of them to take time to deliberate the issue, or subsume the Pope’s comments in the proper context. They are reactionary beings. However, you would think that Imams’ and other Muslim clerics would me more academic in their reception of comments made by other religious leaders, affording their colleagues on the other side of the religious spectrum a fair hearing. Instead these so called learned men of Muslim upbringing are just as reactionary as the ruffians on the streets of Palestine, or the insurgents attacking their own people in Iraq.

It’s bizarre that both Jews and Christians are called to make concessions and penance to placate Muslim sensitivities, and yet any offense to Christian ideals or people by Muslim authorities is met with deafening silence. When Christian churches are burned to the ground, when our iconography is desecrated because of Islamic militancy, and when death threats are levied on our most revered religious figures, no one in our ranks cries out for apologies or even reparations. No calls for the destruction of Mosques; no command for the assassination of Muslim leaders; and no vitriolic statements from our religious leaders are made concerning Muslim clerics. Even when the more radical fringe of Christendom – men like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson – make inflammatory remarks concerning Muslims and Islam, there is a large outcry from both mainline Christianity and the western secular media denouncing their statements as inane and immoral.

It is the Muslim world that has failed dismally in their efforts to do the same. We always point the incriminating finger at those within our fold that act in a manner that is in discord with what we believe to be the noble thing to do. Muslim “moderates” standby quietly giving tacit approval to the aggression of their more “radical” brethren.

Muslims constantly lament the disproportionate military response to 9/11 that Bush has made. Many in the Christian wing and in the rest of the western world have called him on it, and criticize him constantly for it. Yet when Muslim people attack Christian churches for something as trivial as a cartoon or an insensitive statement made by another Christian, no one talks about the Muslim disproportionate reaction. At least our attack of Afghanistan and Iraq, though focusing on the wrong people, returned violence for violence. Muslims, in reaction to mere rhetoric, returns temporarily hurtful words with violence. Words are eventually forgotten; a loss of life has repercussions that never really go away. You tell me who is responding in a more disproportionate fashion? Who in this scenario is responding more unjustly?

I wonder if Muslims realize how utterly feeble minded they look every time they respond like this? I am curious if “moderate” Muslims are cognizant of the fact that the more they remain mute concerning the wrong doings of their radical counterparts, the more the rest of the world will see them as one in the same? For my part, I a little doubtful as to how divergent “moderate” Muslims are ideologically from their “radical” colleagues. Both of them believe that Muhammad is the supreme prophet, one who supersedes even Jesus in divine significance. Muslims of both “radical” and “moderate” stripe believe that Muhammad is also the ultimate paradigm of human behavior; a model that should be emulated as close as possible. Both, if truly candid, must acknowledge that Muhammad, UNLIKE Jesus, who is the Christian’s primary example for living, was a military commander that took part in violence, order assassinations, and engaged in all the brutality associated with a military enterprise. He ordered the execution of those whose only sin was to ridicule him. These are historical facts attested to in their Qu’ran, Hadith, and secular Arabian history. Maybe the so called “moderate” Muslims don’t vocalize dissent against the “radicals” in their midst because they know, in their heart of hearts, that those the world likes to marginalize as “radicals” really represent the manner of behavior Muhammad would have condoned. The “moderates” remain silent, so as not to underscore their secret agreement with “radical” tactics and their own cowardice at not acting on principles they agree with.

I am disappointed at my Pope for apologizing for statements that are truthful. The truth is always offensive. Jesus made statements to the Pharisees that were infused with controversy. He never apologized for them, despite how inflammatory they might have been. There is no need for Pope Benedict XVI to qualify his statement with an appeal to proper context. Even as an isolated statement, the statements by the Byzantine emperor, that the Pope was quoting, are a truthful assessment of Islam’s prophet. The Catholic Church needs stop being politically correct. The Catholic Church needs to cease abiding by a culture of appeasement. Why should the Pope apologize for the narrow minds of those who cannot read a statement in its context, or who cannot admit to the dark side of their faith? Contrition and forgiveness are foundations to the Christian faith, but to be contrite, when one is not at fault, makes a mockery of reconciliation. If the church continues to be spineless like this, even I will want to leave it.

Answer 2

Muslims not only verbally attack christianity but they all kill to get rid of it.It is taught in the quaran to destroy the nonbelievers and look at Israel getting attacked time after time in spite of giving up all that land to the Palestinians..,where did that get them but more bombin gs and then the Muslims want to say Israel was wrong for defending themselves?Look at us..,we got attacked so we are taking out the garbage and other arab nations want to say we are wrong.Again I make the point,if Muslims were such a peaceful religion,why do they keep their mouth shut with what the extremists are doing?All I can say is if the Muslims think they are ill treated now..,if something happens to the pope they will feel the wrath of the world coming down on them.He was right about the quote and he had the guts to say it.

Answer 3

They are not attacing

The wrong itepatation has came first by the Pope Benedict then he is facing You have written about the Prophet Piece be Upon Him then what can you say about this

Christ has never fight and married even then why all the charistans are marring and take part in the wars .

Are they acting on or true follower

So dear it is not good to attack some one religion other was you have to face . If you can't face then no saying about other good or bad Every religion has respact for other specially

Jews
Charistanity
Muslims

Answer 4

I haven't checked the entire text of the speech so I don't know what context he made the quote in. I have heard of the controversy though, and I think that his remarks were insensitive and a bit tradgic. It seems like a generalization of an entire religion. I don't like terrorists, but I know many Muslims who are fine upstanding people. Lastly, religion should be about tolerance. Isn't lack of religious tolerance on the part of terrorists the crux of the entire problem today. In short, bad behavoir is bad behavoir no matter who it comes from.

Answer 5

Islam is the only religion which believes in Prophets of Jews and Christian. Forget Muslims Pope must be knowing what Christian rulers have done to poor Jews. There is no justification to quote false statement. I am strictly against making Respected Pope a controversial figure. Muslims must listen to him. He has a noble mission and religious groups must support him in his mission. Islam will be more benefited by his mission.

Answer 6

Anyone that reacts like that is not secure and confident in their belief. The muslims should get over it ....and pray the next US president is not another republican because the next strike in the middle east will be quick,nasty and final. (and may cause them to glow in the dark)

Answer 7

No, they are not justified. They can not digest the truth, wjat the Pope has said.

And carcaterr.......the Muslims thinking on your line, are minimal and in a democratic society, you know the majority rule the roost.....

Answer 8

no we rn't...

religion is sth that isn't & can't b freely talked about... if so, it won't b a religion any more...

& don't mix between muslims & other terrorists or ppl whom do stuff in the name of islam...

i advise u 2 read about it b4 u make any comments like such...

also... u don't hear muslim leader talk about the vatican church or the pope himself in any way... so y does he...

is it that hard 2 say "i'm sorry" ?!

Answer 9

i'm muslim..........and you should to know that religion is merely akind of culture in the West. Unlike the case in the Middle East is rooted in the doctrine of conscience such as blood, which runs in the veins.
please any body wants to talk about islam he should to learn & read about islam....and I think pope does not.

Answer 10

im muslim and im not trying to do anything. and im not out of control.stop generalising. just because there are some terrorist organisations that are muslim does not mean wer all like that. obviously you dont know jackshit bout politics if your asking a retarded question like this

Answer 11

"protect your own"
everybody does this...i probably would if i were a muslim. each individual has the right to his/her own beliefs and the same right to uphold this belief.