Pope Benedict's Bold Statement to Islam by: Whymrhymer at The Blogger News Network Pope Benedict XVI has raised the ire of the Muslim world by quoting the words of an emperor of the Byzantine Empire (a predecessor of orthodox Christianity) while he was speaking to students and faculty at the University of Regensburg's School of Catholic Theology in Regensburg, Germany. Pope Benedict was both a professor at Regensburg and vice president of the university during his eight year tenure there (1969-1977); the Pope had been on a six-day visit to his homeland. The quotation that has caused a massive controversy was a scathing indictment of Islam that was originally delivered in the 14th Century by Emperor Manual II Paleologos of the Byzantine Empire:

"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."

That was how Islam was viewed in the 14th Century and, thanks to the radical fundamental sects of Islam, that is how it is being viewed today. An apology by the Pope is being demanded, seemingly by every entity in Islam with a tongue, because his words have not only hurt the sensibilities and self-image of the majority of Muslims who do not follow the many violent dictates of the Muslim holy book, but because his words (much like the infamous Danish cartoons) are critical of Muhammad. Pope Benedict has shown, through his choice of that quotation, that he holds the violence that is now so closely associated with the Muslim world in contempt and who, but those who approve of the dictates of jihad, could disagree with him. The Pope's selection of that particular quotation was not a mistake, it was a statement directed at Islam -- one that was long overdue from the Vatican and one that should be rallied around by every civilized nation. If the Pope apologizes he will have mended some fences but he will be marked as a man who has been coerced to turned his back on an important principle of civilization for political reasons.