poetry in commotion...

Dumb and Dumber

Pope quotes Islam as violent religion, Muslims protest by firebombing churches.

Seriously, it's like some kind of giant sick joke, except a nun is dead and churches destroyed for it. I hope God has a sense of humour about such things, because I don't know how else to take this without having my complete faith in humanity destroyed. I mean, seriously - where were the thought processes behind this? "Did you hear what the Pope said? Islam is a violent religion that is inhuman and evil! - this makes me angry, lets go burn down churches and kill nuns". Not that I'm on the Pope's side mind you. In an age where militant Islamism is on the rise, his comments are both remarkably culturally and religiously insensitive and deliberately incendiary. There is no way in hell a quote like that would not provoke such a violent backlash, and there's no way in hell that someone as politically savvy as the Pope would not know this would happen. Look at the reaction at the Mohammed cartoons for Christ's sake. Not that the Papacy has clean hands throughout its history, did anyone forget the Crusades? Islam and Catholicism has always had a strained relationship ever since then, and although great inroads were made during John Paul 2nd's papacy it looks like Ratzinger's set it back to square one. But I guess they don't call him 'God's Rottweiler' for nothing. And no, his apology didn't take.

It's forgivable if some firebrand clergyman spouts off his mouth, but the Pope, God's Representative and the Head of the Catholic Church? For shame.

posted by jaseypoo! @ 7:56 PM