Posted by
Jay Noble on Sunday, September 17, 2006 11:00:06 PM
The followers of Mohammed are in high dudgeon over remarks in a recent speech given by Pope Benedict. The theme of the Pope's speech was a condemnation of the use of violence to spread religious faith. He quoted remarks of the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel Paleologos II, which characterized some of teachings of Mohammed as "evil and "inhuman," particularly the prophet's command to spread by the sword the faith (Islam).
It is a historical fact that Islam was spread across North Africa and into southern Europe by military conquest. The same can be said regarding the spread of Christianity in areas of the Americas and Africa colonized by European nations. The Pope's speech deprecates force as a means of conversion, implicitly recognizing that forced conversion is in truth no conversion at all. Perhaps inclusion of an obscure quote from a Byzantine emperor was unnecessary, but the Pontiff can be forgiven for not apprehending the reaction which it engendered.
And what a reaction! Riots, Christian churches burned, the Vatican threatened with suicide bombing - a reaction so disportionate to the alleged insult that one suspects an agenda at work for which the Pope's remarks are not a provocation but an opportunity: the chance to humilate and censor the leading Christian figure on the planet.
Make no mistake, the Moslem street believes the tide of history has shifted in its favor. A few months ago the anger of Moslem rioters in Europe over cartoons alleged to insult the prophet Mohammed actually caused leading European politicians and press organs to advocate self censorship to avoid stirring up trouble. Having demonstrated the power to intimidate European governments and the press, the Moslems now hope to humilate and gag the leader of the largest Christian domination on Earth. If the followers of Mohammed, by violence and threats of violence, are successful in forcing an apology from the Pope over his remarks, which when read in context are innocuous and factual, the consequences will be devastating. The prestige of the radical Islamists will be enhanced in Europe and throught the Middle East. Having been personally humiliated, the Pope - as well as leaders of other religions who have absorbed the lesson - will think twice about uttering anything but vapid banalities as regards Islamic radicalism. Who wants their churches burned and missionaries murdered?
Yet as terrible a prospect that may be, even more terrible would be an acceptance that the followers of Mohammned have a veto over the speech and religious expression of other faiths. If the Pope can be intimated into apologizing over the most innocuous of remarks, how long before the Islamic radicals use the same tactics to extract other concessions? The appetities of bullies are not satiated by apologies. No Christian, no Jew, no believer of any faith can accept a de facto Islamic veto over their freedom of expression, regardless of a threat of violence.
Don't apologize Pope Benedict. And don't be intimidated from continuing to speak out.