Jaded Times

Ah, the burning bush. A lovely mental image.

*ahem* According to the BBC, Pope Benedict XVI has drawn the ire of the Muslim world for making anti-Islamic comments during a speech in, of all places, Germany. Proving that a quiet pope is a good pope, Benedict apparently quoted a 14th century emporer who, being himself Christian, had questioned what Islam offered the world:

The emperor’s words were, he said: “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.”

Needless to say, it went down like a lead balloon. Fortunately, Germans have some experience in these matters.

Truly the Pope was not displaying much in the way of compassion or common sense; perhaps something from the works of Pablo Neruda might have been less risque. Or maybe something from, what is that book…oh, yeah, the bible, I think he’s got a copy somewhere. There’s lots of good stuff in there, like loving your neighbor and leaving judgment to God, that sort of thing.

Several Muslim nations, including Turkey and Pakistan, have made public and political calls for a full retraction of the statement. All I can say is, as a Jew, it’s nice to not be involved in this one.

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