Some social commentary

I have been following a news story that seems to be making waves throughout the world. Last week, Pope Benedict XVI gave a speech stating that violence in the name of religion is unacceptable. In that speech, he quoted a Byzantine emperor who was a critic of Muhammad's teaching of "Jihad" (ie, kill everyone who doesn't believe what you believe).

Since that time, Muslims from around the world have been freaking out. Is it just me, or does it seem that it doesn't take a whole lot to offend them? (Remember a few months ago when they went crazy over a cartoon depiction of Muhammad?)

Now Muslims throughout the world are apparently threatening to kill the Pope and all Christians for that matter. Why are they making this threat? Because the Pope implied that they use their religion as an excuse for violent behavior. I'm not Catholic, but common sense tells me that he was right.

Take a look at a few quotes

"We say to the servant of the cross (the pope): wait for defeat... We say to infidels and tyrants: wait for what will afflict you. We continue our jihad. We will not stop until the banner of unicity flies throughout the world,"

"We will smash the cross,"

"The day is coming when the armies of Islam will destroy the ramparts of Rome."

"We shall break the cross and spill the wine ... God will (help) Muslims to conquer Rome ... (May) God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants the bounty of the mujahideen,"

On a very related note, last year we hosted a fellowship of Arab Christians for a retreat at PMBC. Just before they arrived, a man from one of their churches in New York was murdered in his home, along with his family, because he said something negative about Islam while he was online. This event made national news for a couple days in January 2005.

I wonder how long this will continue and if this will become even more prevalent in our country.