Friday, September 15, 2006
THE INTOLERABLE TRUTH
So, the Pope’s in trouble for a speech he gave in Germany:
Benedict quoted from a book recounting a conversation between 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and a Persian scholar on the truths of Christianity and Islam.
"The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war," the pope said. "He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Mohammed 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.'"
You might think that adherents of a religion so much in the news for suicide bombings, stabbings, beheadings, and (maybe on an especially merciful day) forced conversions at gunpoint of us infidels might acknowledge at least a grain of truth in what the Pope said.
Instead, here is Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam, setting a record for unintentional irony at which future foreign ministry spokespersons will shoot in vain:
"Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence."
Benedict quoted from a book recounting a conversation between 14th century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and a Persian scholar on the truths of Christianity and Islam.
"The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war," the pope said. "He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Mohammed 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.'"
You might think that adherents of a religion so much in the news for suicide bombings, stabbings, beheadings, and (maybe on an especially merciful day) forced conversions at gunpoint of us infidels might acknowledge at least a grain of truth in what the Pope said.
Instead, here is Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam, setting a record for unintentional irony at which future foreign ministry spokespersons will shoot in vain:
"Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence."
