Friday, 15th September, 2006

BBC: Pope 'meant no offence' to Islam

The Vatican has denied that Pope Benedict XVI intended any offence to the Muslim religion, after a speech touching on the concept of holy war…

The remarks have angered clerics and commentators around the Muslim world.

I can't help feeling that the Moslem world is over-reacting. If they would only study the entire text of His Holiness's speech [37kb PDF] before jumping to conclusions, they would see that it wasn't the Pope who insulted the Prophet Mohammed; he was merely quoting one of his illustrious, crusading Byzantine predecessors.

He's an old man, for St Peter's sake! He didn't mean to cause any offence. Cut him a bit of slack, why don't you? So he made a bit of a goof. We're all fallible.

Oh yes, that's right…