German Chancellor Defends Pope against Muslim Anger
The German Chancellor has stepped into the row over comments that the Pope made on Islam earlier in the week as she insisted his speech had been misinterpreted.
by Maria Mackay
Posted: Saturday, September 16, 2006, 11:51 (BST)
As Muslims continue to voice angry protest, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel has come out to defend the Pope after allegations he attacked Islam in a speech earlier this week
Pope Benedict XVI sparked fury among Muslim communities the world over after a speech on Tuesday in which he repeated criticism of the Prophet Mohammad by the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus, who said everything Mohammad brought was evil "such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached".
The Pope, who used the terms "jihad" and "holy war" in his lecture, added "violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul".
Now Muslim leaders and clergy, as well as non-Muslim observers, continue to assail the Pope as they call for an apology in person.
"He should apologise to Muslims," the president of the German Council of Muslims, Ayyub Axel Koehler, told the German Neue Presse newspaper on Saturday. "That would be a contribution towards unwinding the tension and creating clarity."
Officials at the Vatican defended the Pope's comments, saying that he was attempting to demonstrate in his speech that there could never be any religious justification for violence.
In an interview with German newspaper Bild, Merkel reflected this view in her defence of the German-born Pontiff's comments.
The German chancellor said that Pope Benedict's comments had been misinterpreted, insisting that he had been calling for dialogue with other religions.
"Whoever criticises the Pope misunderstood the aim of his speech," Merkel was quoted as saying.
"It was an invitation to dialogue between religions and the Pope expressedly spoke in favour of this dialogue ... What Benedict XVI emphasised was a decisive and uncompromising renunciation of all forms of violence in the name of religion."
Koehler warned that the violent protests that broke out over the Mohammad cartoons could break out again following the Pope's comments.
"The indignation should not be allowed to escalate any further," he said, adding that violence will not be tolerated.
Copyright © 2009 Christian Today. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Sunday, September 24, 2006, 0:36 (BST)
As with the cartoon controversy, most Muslims have not heard nor seen the text of the Pope's speech. What they hear is some word from another Muslim, "the sky is falling" and believe it without checking for themselves. Then, they riot. Sadly, the religious culture and educational system is not about thinking, but memorising. Another aspect is: "it's never their fault. They are always right." This comes from a religious superiority complex; "Islam is the only true faith; all others are false or corrupted." When they accuse the Pope of returning to the Middle Ages, it is because their thinking is still there. When they accuse the West of attacking them, it is because they are attacking the West. Everything is jihad.
Cary , Boston, MA, USA
Added: Saturday, September 16, 2006, 20:56 (BST)
It amazes me and offends me that muslims the world over become extremely violent when someone says anything other than what they believe in how it relates to their prophet. What comes to mind is the Golden Rule said by Jesus...."Do unto others as you would want done unto you" If they lived by that very rule, this would be a much better world in which to live!
Michelle, New Jersey, USA
Added: Saturday, September 16, 2006, 16:59 (BST)
This is completely ridiculous. The Pope called for religions to unite under the umbrella of non-violence; that violence in the name of God is completely unjustified. Any rational person hearing his speech could tell this, yet there is this uproar. Once again the Muslim world seems to be isolating itself at a genuine attempt of another religion trying to find common ground in the fight against terror.
Thomas Weiz, Berlin, Germany
