quote: In the speech, the Pope referred to criticism of the Prophet Mohammad by 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”.
hmmmm… lemme get this right… the church has a “convert or die” policy in during the 16th and 17th century… but thats all fine ‘cos they had guns then so the sword was kinda obsolete…
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VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican said on Saturday the Pope was sorry Muslims had been offended by a speech whose meaning had been misconstrued, but Morocco withdrew its ambassador as anger at his words flared on.
“The Holy Father thus sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have sounded offensive to the sensitivities of the Muslim faithful,” Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said in a statement.
The New York Times said in an editorial the Pope must issue a “deep and persuasive” apology for quotes used in his speech.
“The world listens carefully to the words of any pope. And it is tragic and dangerous when one sows pain, either deliberately or carelessly,” it said.
In the speech, the Pope referred to criticism of the Prophet Mohammad by 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”.
Using the terms “jihad” and “holy war”, the Pope said violence was “incompatible with the nature of God”.
But Bertone said the Pontiff “had absolutely no intention” of presenting Emperor Manuel’s opinions on Islam as his own.
