Islam and Violence
I'm not Muslim, Christian, or Jewish. All three religions want to either convert me or kill me.
So when the current Pope quotes a medieval source as saying that Islam is a violent religion, he was quoting history. He may or may not have mentioned that the Catholic church was just as violent at the time, although Jesus of Nazareth never advocated violence as a method of conversion.
But, when religion A says religion B is or was "violent", the stupidest thing to do is for religion B to respond... violently. If I say that all Christian Fundamentalists are murdering bastards for hunting down and shooting "abortion doctors", most Christians do not respond by calling for my death! If Pat Robertson says that all pagans practice eeeevil sacrifices, the last thing I would do is advocate sacrificing him to anything!
So why in the hell is the catholic Church and the western world putting up with this violent reaction to a supposed accusation of being a violent religion? It may not have originally been intended as a slam at the current state of Islam, but If the shoe fits, wear it!!
A proper response would have been something like "Excuse me? Could you clarify? Our religion isn't violent. You are mistaken. May God give you understanding." not "We shall break the cross and spill the wine ... God will (help) Muslims to conquer Rome ... (May) God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants the bounty of the mujahideen!"
As long as Muslims respond violently to any real or imagined verbal/written slur on Islam and Mohammed, the religion will be perceived as violent and unreasonable. As long as non-violent Muslims do not take their violent brethren in hand and teach them the way of peace, their silence and inaction means that they deep down agree with their more radicalized brethren.
The same goes for Christians, Jews, and "minority faiths" as well. If you don't stomp on or disavow your lunatic fringe, all observers can do is surmise that secretly you agree, and wish them success.
It's like the old joke: "Who says I'm a violent psychopath? I'll hunt them down and kill them!"
So when the current Pope quotes a medieval source as saying that Islam is a violent religion, he was quoting history. He may or may not have mentioned that the Catholic church was just as violent at the time, although Jesus of Nazareth never advocated violence as a method of conversion.
But, when religion A says religion B is or was "violent", the stupidest thing to do is for religion B to respond... violently. If I say that all Christian Fundamentalists are murdering bastards for hunting down and shooting "abortion doctors", most Christians do not respond by calling for my death! If Pat Robertson says that all pagans practice eeeevil sacrifices, the last thing I would do is advocate sacrificing him to anything!
So why in the hell is the catholic Church and the western world putting up with this violent reaction to a supposed accusation of being a violent religion? It may not have originally been intended as a slam at the current state of Islam, but If the shoe fits, wear it!!
A proper response would have been something like "Excuse me? Could you clarify? Our religion isn't violent. You are mistaken. May God give you understanding." not "We shall break the cross and spill the wine ... God will (help) Muslims to conquer Rome ... (May) God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants the bounty of the mujahideen!"
As long as Muslims respond violently to any real or imagined verbal/written slur on Islam and Mohammed, the religion will be perceived as violent and unreasonable. As long as non-violent Muslims do not take their violent brethren in hand and teach them the way of peace, their silence and inaction means that they deep down agree with their more radicalized brethren.
The same goes for Christians, Jews, and "minority faiths" as well. If you don't stomp on or disavow your lunatic fringe, all observers can do is surmise that secretly you agree, and wish them success.
It's like the old joke: "Who says I'm a violent psychopath? I'll hunt them down and kill them!"