The Absurd Report

The BBC appears to have been quickest off the mark, to send around the world in many languages, including Arabic, Turkish, Farsi, Urdu, and Malay, word that the Pope had insulted the Prophet of Islam, during an address in Bavaria.

He had not, of course. Pope Benedict XVI had instead quoted, carefully and without approval, remarks by the learned 14th-century Byzantine emperor, Manuel II Palaeologus, in debate with a 14th-century learned Persian. He was trying to provide a little historical depth to present controversies about the meaning of “jihad”, and his very point was that on their own respective theological terms, Muslims and Christians were bound to talk past each other today, in the same ways as they did seven centuries ago. But in the most conscientious media reports I have seen, even the Byzantine emperor is quoted out of context.

Here is the point Pope Benedict was making, also in the words of that learned Byzantine emperor, speaking on the eve of one of the many sieges of Constantinople:

(snip)

It is cowardly to apologize for imaginary transgressions. Let those who demand the apologies stick it.

More….

Stanley Kurtz adds….

There is more than enough religious anger in the world. So it is particularly disturbing that the New York Times, the leading voice of secular liberalism (America’s fasted growing religion), has insulted
Catholics by falsely accusing the Pope of fomenting religious discord.

The New York Times Editorial