The Pope's Statements

[bourbon_sensei]

I know that we often tend to disregard religion or choose not to mix religion and gaming, but this is simply knowledge, I am not bashing any one religion or defending the other, simply stating the facts of the events.

The controversy began when Pope Benedict XVI in his speech at Regensburg University, he quoted Emperor Manual II Paleologos of the Byzantine Empire, the Orthodox Christian empire which had its capital in what is now the Turkish city of Istanbul.

The emperors words were, he said: "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."

Upon hearing this speech the Islamic community was appalled that the highest office of the Christianic faith could make such a statement. Granted that these words were not his opinion nor were they of his thoughts, making a quote of such magnitude about the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, would obviously stir and uproar.

The Full Story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5346480.stm

With this now in the open it would be only obvious that the Islamic community could require a public apology for the use of the quote in the speech. Upon realising a need for the apology the leader of the world's 1.1 billion Roman Catholics said he was "deeply sorry" for the reaction caused but stopped short of apologizing for his words or retracting them. Ofcourse with the apology not being towards the words expressed but simply to the reaction the words caused, this "apology" fell on deaf ears. In Iraq parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani called his apology "inadequate and not commensurate with the moral damage caused to Muslims' feelings."

The Pope then decides to meet with Muslim Diplomats, full story:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/25/pope.muslims.ap/index.html

Now, the argument I was having with one of my friends who, by the way is a Catholic, was that someone of the Pope's position should have forseen what his statement or quote would have caused. I am not saying that he is not entitled to make mistakes, just someone of that position should not make mistakes of the magnitude. Furthermore upon realising that the mistake was made, when there was a call for an apology, why not apologize for use of the quote? Why did he apologize for the reaction caused? This was simply a slap in the face to the Islamic community in my opinion.

Thats for example me slapping you in the face, and saying "sorry eh you eh hadda geh on so." Simply put the apology was inadequate.

Discuss.

[Hidden]

I doh understand the people in this ****ing world yes.
If someone offtend u , fighting is the way....
mcs

[bourbon_sensei]

Well actually I spoke with some muslim friends and those are extremists, most muslims just wanted an apology i think, not to kill him..

[BIRD]

Hear what goin on eh people .... i just tryin to clarify something ... im R.C. but im jus tryin to get things straight here ... I , in my own opinion , think that the Pope didnt say anything wrong as to offend muslims ... he " made reference about de emperor's saying about Prophet Mohammed " . He made reference as to talk about how the emperor had d idea of prophet mohammed where as he himself jus choose an example to backup his speech and by doing so, it seems dat people took offence of his reference statement ...

People tend to make mistakes when comprehendin statements ... eg. If i tell ScaR , i wish i was prime minister instead of PM ... He mite take it as i hated PM and thats why i want to be prime minister ... where i really meant i find he isnt doin a good job and i mite do better . Understand ?

I want to kno if its that waht goin on ? Or . If i jus talkin LaL !!!
Plz discuss ...

[bourbon_sensei]

Now I hear what you saying eh Bird, but the fact of the matter is that HE used the reference material. Thats the issue, not that it was said, but that HE (the Pope) the highest office in the Catholic Doctrine. They obviously would take that in stride. If i were to say it, it would basically be a statement of opinion, but someone in his position in the public's eye like that cannot make that type of statement.

A simple example would be if our beloved PM decided to draw reference to a quote from Hugo Chavez where he states that the American Government is demonic ( i cant remember the entire quote). The basic concensus would be that because our PM choose to use that quote, simple means that he shares if not the exact view, but a view simular to it. Context comes into place as well yes, but when you are in that position you cannot make those open statements.


~~In my opinion that is~~

Touchet~~ :D

[BIRD]

Ahhhh yes ... i agree wit u on that one ... Yes , as a person of high order , he shuldnt hav said it . Well things are ah lil clearer buh i still doe see y dese death threats n ting i keep hearin about on d news ( un less they are rumors ) are necessary.

[bourbon_sensei]

Well, some people were trying to explain to me the faction of islam that those suicide bombers and stuff belonged to, but i still am unclear on it so I wont quote anything they said here. All i know for sure is that like christianity, there are different factions like anglican and catholic etc, so those are extremists and thats how they operate i guess. :confused:

[BIRD]

Hmm ... well , it mite stay a mystery yes ... caus everyone else ( who are nt islamic ) told me dat dey dont kno and sum of my frens who are muslims tell me dey not in dem ting and eh takin it on .