Terrorism and the Pope?

Question

Is the Pope right to use quotations that question the goals and methods of Islam, given the vast majority of terrorism is conducted by Muslims (Iraq, Afghanistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Israel, Sudan, Kenya, Morocco, Jordan, Malaysia, Spain, Britain, USA, Egypt, and so on)? Or is it simply coincidence that terrorism centres on Islamic states and Muslims? Is the line between moderate and extremist becoming finer or acts of terrorism too frequent to differentiate between the two, and what does this mean for Islamic communities residing in liberal multiethnic communities?

My question was just that, a question, and as such I neither criticised nor defended the Pope. I simply asked your opinion, therefore, I do not need to "get my facts straight", Tofu Jesus.

Answer 1

I am an atheist and have no axe to grind as I hate all religions.
However, as most (modern) terrorists seem to be fundamentalist muslims who want a return to sharia law and to turn the world back 2000 years, I feel that the pope is entitled to use an old quote.

Answer 2

The Pope was not right to use the quotation, and he has realised that, he should have declared his own position at the time, since he didn't, everybody assumed ( rightly ) , it was his position also. majority of non-Muslim scholars also agree to that ! , do a search on Manuel II, and read about his experience with the Ottoman empire to see , why he was so bitter with Muslims .
So that is out of the way .............


It is not Islam, that is based on terrorism, nor does it condone it ! ( hard to believe , isn't it ? ) Majority of so called Islamic-terrorists are members of the "Wahabi" sect, which is a small sect within the "Sunni" sect, they have their beliefs, and do what they do, they do not represent the majority of Muslims , it is like, during IRA's rein, some Muslim asserted that all Christians were terrorists !!
The "Wahabi"'s , Al-Quida and Osama , are the terrorists that the western world knows.
The "Shiites" , are a different story, Hezbollah are "Shiite" and so are majority of Iranians and Iraqis. Hezbollah has been branded terrorist, because of their struggle with Israel , Iran supports them, and so does Syria, so they are branded terrorist too.
Over the past 25 years, a lot Muslim countries have been invaded, attacked and then left to their own devices, this has given rise to terrorist groups with outrage and hate towards the super powers to take root in such areas.

So is it a coincidence, partly YES, are majority of Muslims, terrorist , NO , do the majority dislike the west, almost YES .

It is not that simple , is it ??

Answer 3

Terrorism is working.

The western world has become so afraid to do or say anything that might potentially upset the Islamic world. The fanatical Islamic religious leaders are using everything at their disposal to incite violence and hatred among their followers. This is only the latest example.

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Al-Qaida in Iraq warned Pope Benedict XVI on Monday that its war against Christianity and the West will go on until Islam takes over the world, and Iran’s supreme leader called for more protests over the pontiff’s remarks on Islam.

Protests broke out in South Asia and Indonesia, with angry Muslims saying Benedict’s statement of regret a day earlier did not go far enough. In southern Iraq, demonstrators carrying black flags burned an effigy of the pope.

We can't say or do anything that may upset them but they can chant death slogans, burn flags, threaten, kill nuns, burn churches, all by the direction of their perverted disillusioned religious leaders whose only goals are to widen the already big gap between the islamic world and the west.

Answer 4

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia today openly endorses and justifies "jihad" - so does this 'moderate' Islamic state with American F15s and British Challenger tanks pro-West or pro-extremism?

My point: there is no such thing as a moderate Muslim or an extremist. When the fight is between an Islamic country and a Christian one, Muslims will unite. Can't say the same about the West.

Answer 5

The Pope it seems has done nothing to help any situation, he has, in effect, thrown gasoline on the fires of war raging. If he can't say anything to help, the man should keep his mouth shut.

AND furthermore, he was quoted today as saying that he did not personally believe some of the statements which had been made in the ancient manuscript. He, of all people, shouldn't be saying ANYTHING at all in public that he does not personally believe.
The belief that the Pope is totally infallible is widely taken to be truth, but ISN'T. These elected politicans of the Roman Catholic Church have been ruining lives for centuries; the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, thousands of executions for herecy, the imprisonment of Galeleo, secret agreements with the Nazis during WWII. POPES are quite fallible, and even the Church limits severely the areas they are supposedly infallible.
Now today our "Muslim Buddies" have called for his assination; and furthermore, the Muslim nuts are lumping the Anglican, Episcopalian and Lutheran churches in with the Roman Catholics! Why, because we use the same liturgy?

Answer 6

Simple the terrorists are Muslim EXTREMIST'S not your average Muslim., but the average Muslim, their community, and their government's make very little or no attempt to stop them. Maybe because of fear, or maybe for sympathetic reasons. What everyone has to realize is that the Terrorist's will continue to grow until stopped. That probably means their total destruction. If the governments of those countries cannot or will not do it then someone else is going to have to. Their goal as THEY state it is nothing short of a world wide Muslim government.

Answer 7

Pope Benedict XVI did not accuse them of anything, he stated:
"Islam has contributed nothing new, except Muhammad's will to spread his new faith by the sword"

He insulted their prophet, even though he was simply quoting someone else. Get your facts straight.

Answer 8

Now the pope says he is upset, should he apologize for his remarks on Islam?
Yes 61% 67072 votes
No 39% 42782 votes
Total: 109854 votes
http://edition.cnn.com/POLLSERVER/results/27419.exclude.html

Answer 9

Any person with power and authority should be careful when they speak.
The pope should not have made this remark. He had no reason to quote what he did, and he benifited nothing apart from hatred.

Answer 10

Apparently the only people in the world that are allowed to say and do anything they want are Muslims.