Whether or not he is actually a “fascist“, Pope Benedict is certainly a bit of a fool. His use of the following quote from Emperor Manuel II Paleologus in a major public speech on Tuesday showed astoundingly poor judgement:
In the seventh conversation…the emperor touches on the theme of the holy war. Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the “Book” and the “infidels”, he addresses his interlocutor with a startling brusqueness on the central question about the relationship between religion and violence in general, saying: “Show me just what Muhammad 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.”
The emperor, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable. Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul.
Sure, he distances himself from the quote somewhat - but only somewhat. By describing the Emperor’s comments as “brusque” and “forceful”, he seems to indicate that he wouldn’t go so far in his own criticism of Islam (at least, not in public); but he doesn’t express any actual disagreement with Emperor’s central thesis on the inhumanity of Muslims.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank city of Nablus, locals were incensed by the Pope’s suggestion that Muslims are violent or “inhuman”. They protested by firebombing some churches, and a good time was had by all.
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