We all know how the media was instrumental in destroying Senator Trent Lott's career as Speaker of the House by taking a statement he made at a private birthday party out of context. Now they are doing it with the Pope.
The speech was largely a scholarly address criticizing the West for submitting itself too much to reason, and shutting belief in God out of science and philosophy. But he began by recounting a discussion of Christianity and Islam between a 14th-century Byzantine Christian emperor, Manuel II Paleologus, and a Persian scholar. "Benedict said, I quote, ‘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'-Manuel II Paleologus’’ . Benedict also briefly considered the Islamic concept of jihad, which he defined as “holy war,” and said that violence in the name of religion was contrary to God’s nature and to reason.
But never mind what Pope Benedict said. Let's take a look at the Muslims response.
A Turkish man with a fake gun tried to storm a Protestant church in Turkey’s capital, Ankara. He was arrested after worshipers trapped him in the church entryway.
Why did he attempt to storm a Protestant Church? The Pope does not and never has spoken for Protestant's. Apparently Muslims are so ignorant of the Christian religion that they do not understand that there is a difference between Catholics and Protestants and that the Pope does not have any sway over Protestants.
And if you want to prove your religion isn't evil and inhuman then burning an effigy of the Pope and posting a warning on a web site threatening war against “worshipers of the cross” doesn't seem to be the best way to go about it.
Anne Applebaum of The Washington Post thinks we should all join together to protect "free speech".
The fanatics attacking the pope already limit the right to free speech among their own followers. I don't see why we should allow them to limit our right to free speech, too.
Lesson Plans can be found at the New York Times.
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