...the quote that he made, and the reactions of Muslims and others round the world.
I just read an article over at CNN @
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/19/pope.defense.reut/index.html
in which we learn that some world leaders believe he was sincere in his apology, yet most Muslim leaders, at least those quoted, seem to think he owes more to the believers of Islam in the world.
Now I ask you to analyze exactly what the Pope did that then resulted in riots by Muslims gone berserk, destruction of property again by Muslims gone berserk, burning people in effigy again by Muslims gone berserk, calls for the destruction of the west and Christianity again by Muslims gone berserk but also apparently by those who also appear quite calm and deliberate, the killing of 2 or three people (the nun, her body guard and I believe a hospital worker in the hospital in which the nun was killed) suspected to have been done by Muslims in retaliation for the Pope quoting those words he uttered. In essence, if he did anything wrong at all, is was to have most likely been that he inadvertently insulted a group of people. Even if the perceived insult - for that is probably only what it really is as I doubt an insult was meant purposefully - had actually been a purposeful one, does it deserve the reaction(s) it has received around the world?
Let me give you a few quotes from the CNN article to which I have provided a link above:
"Italian media said an al Qaeda group in Egypt called for the German-born pope, who is 79, to be punished by strict Islamic Shariah law for insulting their religion."
Yes you got it. The Pope said something, while in his own domain, under the protection of the Vatican, under the protection of Italy, and certain whackos want to try the Pope by strict Shariah law, or the law of the Q'oran, because of an insult. Well that maybe all well and fine if you are a Muslim who believe in that stuff; I prefer to believe in a law that is just and righteous for all based upon law not religion.
Now, lest you think the above type of statement was made only by extremists/terrorists like al Qaeda, and that it could never really come to fruition, here is another such quote calling for the arrest of the Pope, it is from the same CNN article:
"Workers at Turkey's Directorate General for Religious Affairs, or Diyanet, petitioned for the arrest of the pontiff when he makes a scheduled visit to Turkey in November."
Hmm, let's see, are those guys whacko extremists or terrorists. It appears not, in fact it appears they are part of the Turkish government! Yet they are petitioning for the arrest of the Pope should he visit Turkey as planned. See a pattern forming yet? Maybe you do, but I'd wager not the one of which I am thinking.
Here is yet another quote from the world of Islam, again from the same CNN piece:
"In Iraq, where an effigy of the pope was burned Monday, parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani called his apology "inadequate and not commensurate with the moral damage caused to Muslims' feelings.""
Can you imagine that, the Pope's apology was not sufficient when compared to the amount of moral damage it did to the sensitivities of Muslims - it hurt their feelings and this guy is implying a better apology would make them feel better. Oh give it a break, and I say this because the pattern continues, well maybe more than one pattern continues, but certainly the one of which I am thinking; and in addition the pattern of over reaction on the part of Islamists.
Again, yet another quote from the world of Islam, also from the CNN article:
"The grand mufti of the Palestinian territories, Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, said the pope must make "a personal and clear apology to 1.5 billion Muslims in this world for the insult caused by his lecture. ...""
Again talk of insults against Muslims. Remember now that the so called insult, whether real or perceived, whether intended or unintentional, has resulted in what amounts to, in my opinion, maniacal over reactions on the part of Muslims throughout much of the world. The over reactions were those I outlined above, as well as these quoted statements from the Muslim world. Have you guessed what pattern I see that keeps recurring that is really crazy?
Just in case you have not yet guessed it, here is one more clue from that CNN article, another quote but this one reportedly from the president of the 'mostly' Catholic country of Slovenia:
"The president of mostly Catholic Slovenia, Janez Drnovsek, said on his Web site that Muslims were justifiably upset and that the pope should be big enough to learn from his error."
That’s it. If you don't see the pattern yet, I give up, I'll break down and tell you. The pattern is that everyone who was quoted, and quite conceivably all of those who are rioting and destroying things and calling for the victory of Islam over the rest of the world, are all seeking the Pope to make amends for what he said. Yet, not one of them has been quoted as saying that the Muslims - who have over reacted by going berserk, by destroying property, by killings, by calling for the destruction of Christianity and the west, by calling for the rule of Islam over all - should be prosecuted under the law, or owe anyone any sort of recompense let alone an apology! This fact makes this whole affair nothing more than lunacy fired by religion, as I see it!
When are the people of the non-Muslim world going to realize that Islam, at least much of it, is apparently hell bent on being the enemy of the rest of the world. There was no justifiable reason for all of the riots, the property destruction like firebombing of churches, or the killing of that nun and her associates. But even some who are not Muslims somehow believe the Pope owes more of an apology and apparently also believe that Muslims owe no one anything, This is madness in my opinion. Evil was not perpetrated by the Pope, at least nothing intentionally, and nothing derving of the reaction it got. Yet evil was committed by Muslims in reaction to what he said, and people want to blame it all on the Pope. I tell you this is a form of madness that has seeped into every aspect of society in the world. We feel apologetic when they go berserk, when they destroy property and lives because of an insult! This is something that many Muslims are using as a quite effective tool to defeat us, our own feelings of guilt, or passiveness, that lead some of us to believe that if we leave them alone, they will be nice to us. What a big and possibly fatal mistake that could become for us.
Surely, not all the followers of Islam are bent on the destruction of the non-Islamic world, but enough of them are, as evidenced by these recent disruptions, and by those after the Mohammed cartoons, to absolutely convince me that we are on the brink of the end of our world as we know it. The fuse has been lit folks, there is no putting it out before it hits the powder kegs. You can try to hide your head in a hole in the ground, but if that is the way you choose, it makes your cowardly posterior a better target. Did I just say cowardly, yes I did, and I meant it. Those who say nothing, and those (Muslim and non-Muslim) who keep on appeasing the violent Islamists, are little more than timid children hoping that the boogeyman will not hurt them. Well in this case people, the boogeyman is quite real, quite nasty, and he hates us vehemently. Those who appease these animals or who just do and say nothing need to wake up to the realization that the shit has already hit the fan, and a lot more of it is headed our way.
My hat goes off to those who oppose these beasts, who realize this is a fight to the death, a fight for our survival. This too goes for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. You see it isn't just the west and Christianity that the violent extremist Muslims wish to destroy, it is also any other Muslim who does not bow to their extremely strict manner of beliefs. Did I hear someone say Islamo-Fascists? I could not agree more; there are an awful lot of them out there.
Be vigilant, stay prepared, be ready for the fight for your life. I believe it is coming all to soon.
Stay safe,
Glenn B
