Not Really An Apology
Yahoo News is reporting that the Pope “apologizes for his remarks about Islam.” Yet the first paragraph quotes him as saying:
“I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address,” the 79-year-old pope told pilgrims at the summer papal palace of Castel Gandolfo, “which were considered offensive.”
That’s not really an apology. That’s saying “I’m sorry you got mad at me.” It’s disingenuous.
The Pope really could have avoided a lot of this if he had explained what his own beliefs about the quote from the medieval text were. I’ll grant that rioting in response to something like this is definitely the wrong reaction, but I don’t think that demanding an apology is. I doubt very strongly that a real apology will ever come.
The irony here is that the 14th century Byzantine Emperor was criticizing a practice that his own church engaged in for hundreds of years. I think this is more a question of turf than of any real moral integrity.
September 17th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
I agree that it comes across as a cop out, but I believe that the Pope feels sorry that people feel the need to resort to violence and threats of violence in the face of non threatening criticism with the intent to begin a much needed dialogue. The Popes quoting of a 14th century Emperor is exactly the same method that journalists use by saying \”some people have said X\” to further the discussion without saying they themselves believe it. By responding to such criticism (regardless of it\’s validity) with violence, threats and venom, is only serving to prove the emperor\’s point!
So far, most of the angry responses to the Pope\’s speech has been something along the lines of \”The Pope is ignorant, he should know better. We are so offended that he said Islam preaches violence, we will threaten violence and bomb every church in our reach\”! Notice how no one appears to be enlightening us and the Pope as to why the Emperor\’s statements are incorrect.
In fact, a study of the crusades and this history leading up to them shows a history of violent expansion of Islam across the middle east and a goodly portion of europe, extending all of Spain and most of southern france before a series of campaigns that culminated in the catholic church becoming directly involved to protect the lives of traveling pilgrims in the first crusade. The first crusade was more a battle of defense against a growing foreign threat that basically said convert or die.
Why does that sound familiar? It would seem that the Byzantine Emperor hit upon a theme, and for anyone who is familiar with the Quran and the history of Mohammed and Islam on just about any level beyond the superficial, will know its history and teachings are filled with commandments to kill unbelievers wherever you can find them. Surah 4:89, 4:91 are just two examples.
Sura 5:72 says that Christians will go to hell: \”They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary. The Messiah (himself) said: O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Lo! whoso ascribeth partners unto Allah, for him Allah hath forbidden paradise. His abode is the Fire. For evil-doers there will be no helpers.\”
I can quote many more, but my point isn\’t that all those who practice Islam believe as the \”extremists\” do, the point is that we NEED to be hearing from those people EXACTLY why they don\’t agree with those commandments the way most people seem too. Instead of violence and threats, Lets hear why our understandings of the readings are ignorant and lets get some enlightening discussion going, because I would absolutely love nothing more. Unfortunately the silence is deafening and the actions are speaking louder than words.
September 18th, 2006 at 12:09 pm
I think most people are missing the real point here. The Media agencies, Imams, and any other organizations that see the value of stirring up the pot, took a point out of its academic context, flooded it into the media, and allowed a storm to happen. The real point is the reaction to the storm–It is the same as taking a verse out of the bible, totally out of context, and saying…”See, JEws ARE killers!” let’s riot. I know I am being cheeky, but it concerns me greatly that we live in a world where there are people who have no interest in dialouge–they react allergically to what they are fed.
Bear