The Pope Must Die?

So the Pope has caused a stink by quoting a medieval source who linked Islam with violence, a view which he has subsequently said he does not share. Having read the Pope's speech online, it seems clear that he was wanting to discuss the relationship between faith and violence, in order to repudiate violence. His choice of examples, such as that now notorious quote, has turned out to be most unfortunate. Had a similar quote appeared in his same sentence disavowing the medieval crusades, then perhaps the legitimate point he was trying to make would have been heard above the melee. Who are the Pope's PR team?

Islamic extremists have now called for the Pope to be killed in the name of their faith, for his remarks. Apparently they don't see the hypocrisy in saying, "if you say we are violent - we'll kill you". Why don't they either agree with the Pope that violence is a part of their faith, or disagree with him by dialogue and peaceful protest? Fortunately calmer Muslim voices are also being heard who have listened to the Pope's apology and clarifications, and who have the integrity to see that a violent reaction to the accusation of violence, doesn't look merely hypocritical but like collective hysteria, which discredits them.

It has long been recognised that the Bush-Blair foreign policy agenda has been the recruiting sargent for many a terrorist group, especially in regard to the Iraq war (against which millions of us protested) .What is not often heard is the reverse, that violent hysterical reactions such as we have seen in the last few days, are the best voting drive available to hawkish neo-conservative Republicans. Fear is the only thing that will make Western voters tolerate the immorality, and illegality, of the so-called 'pre-emptive war'.

In the Muslim world one of the great symbols of evil is the American president and his vast squadrons of bombers. In the West one of the great symbols of evil is the suicide bomber, and his masters. If one is critical of both these things, then the extent to which they feed off one another by driving moderate opponents into extremist positions, becomes apparent.

"God alone knows how we will survive"