Thabet’s Sentiments on Pontiff in Summary
September 18, 2006 § 11 Comments
There have been several articles written about Muslim sentiments and responses concerning Pope Benedict’s recent speech. The Muslim outcry resulted in an apology from the Pope, where he regrets that his words were taken out of context… not exactly the most humble of apologies but a humble apology should not be expected.
At any rate, Thabet of Under|Progress has done fine job arranging snapshots of some of the best articles written by Muslims. He then adds his own comments which suggest that although the Pope’s historical errors should raise eyebrows concerning the Pontiff’s overall intentions, the rest of his speech is agreeable:
“What is plainly obvious is this. Benedict XVI has made some factual mistakes in quite a dry speech (pdf) aimed at academics. Somewhat ironically the speech contains much else that many Muslims would probably agree with (for example, his views on religion, faith and secularism). But whilst talking about religion and violence, he has ignored the violence his own organisation has been involved or given its blessings to.” (Thabet, Under|Progress)
Consequently, there were many Muslim communities that responded hastily and emotionally. However, I am of the opinion that religious and political leaders should reach out to the Muslim communities before they go shooting off their opinions of Islam. These leaders who would like Muslims to accept their attempts at constructive criticism will have to be known as a friends of Muslims.
Otherwise criticisms whether constructive or destructive will be swept into groupings of “attackers”. Lets face it Islam is under-fire and tensions are high, these things are to be expected because right now… politically Muslims don’t really know who their friends are besides other Muslims of course.
SEYFETTİN 
[…] Meanwhile in the Muslim blogosphere many people have blogged about the Pope-issue and its consequences. One of the questions that frequently comes up in the debates where I am or at my blog, is where are the moderate Muslims? […]
The moderate Muslims are in the same place as the progressives and moderates in the USA, shaking their heads as the Dominionists of the Christian and Muslim faith carer twoward Armageddon. We are back seat drivers who are scared witless and voiceless by the recklessness of the people behind the wheel.
Wrong James, Muslims arent interested in your end times partying.
I have yet to figure out how the Pope thought his original comment would not be considered inflamatory, but the reaction just proves the very point he was making. These radical Muslims were offended because the Pope referred to an ancient text describing Muslims as being a people of violence. So how do these Muslims protest to this reference? Violently! The irony would be humorous if it weren’t so terribly horrible.
DB… thank you for your comment, I was beginning to think you forgot about me. Your point is credible… however, please consider that the response Muslims would have may have been very well known to the Pope, and his speech used to instigate this and therefore prove his point. It is not far fetched at all… Ratzinger did not become the Pope from being a mediocre student, wasalaam.
Abu Sahaj,
I quote Uffelman’s Razor:
[Given Murphy’s law, …] One should not attribute to evil design any unfortunate result which can be attributed to error. A mistake (or series of mistakes) is the simpler and more likely explanation.
Conspiracy Corollary to Uffelman’s Razor:
Nothing should be attributed to conspiracy that can be explained by error or a succession of errors.
My guess is that Ratzinger was being culturally blind. Cloistered in his Roman Catholic would view and speaking to other Catholics in Academic setting he just didn’t realize how inflammatory he was being. But you may be right, if something like this happens again I will keep your view in mind. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
Dr. M it does look like a few Muslims (a small minority) are more than willing to join in the “Clash of Civilizations.” Christians have the “Rapture Ready” and Muslims have Al Queda. I won’t lump you in with Ussama if you don’t lump me in with Pat Robinson. I have no interest at all in the new barbarism that these two “gentlemen” are proposing.
James… by no means am I conclusively saying that a conspiracy lies behind the recent issues concerning the Pope, it was just a thought which was inspired by an insightful comment by Dirty Butter, wasalaam.
We can’t, however, deny some Muslims are as much enthralled by a bloody “clash of civilisations” as certain other people. Unless, of course, you don’t regard them as Muslims.
wasalam
The thought occurs to me that the Pope has the history of Nazi Germany in his background. He was a priest who went to prison for protesting against the treatment of the Jews. Perhaps he sees this as a similar moral responsibility, not just in regard to Israel, but terrorism generally. If that were the case, it was definitely intentional. He’s certainly no dummy. (As you might guess, I’m not Catholic.)
Oh, and Wa Salaam, I haven’t forgotten you. I’ve been really sick lately, and BLOG VILLAGE has grown to close to 200 members. It’s taking much more of my time than I had expected. Plus, I can’t get around to all the good blogs I’d like to nearly as often as I’d want to anymore. There are just too many of them!!
[…] On Pope Benedict XVI’s recent visit to Turkey the overall sentiment was not as warm and welcome as he might have hoped in days prior to that fateful speech last September. Since then there has been a flood of news stories done on the Pope and Islam, that even I have contributed to ([1], [2], [3], [4], [5] and [6]). There has been criticism of Pope Benedict’s statements as well as criticism of Muslims and their erred responses. But perhaps now, after all the mudslinging and dust kicking, we can have a dialogue. But not a dialogue between the West and other civilizations, no a sincere dialogue in the West among Westerners about the future of Islam within our civilization here at home asTariq Ramadan suggests, “What the West needs most today is not so much a dialogue with other civilizations but an honest dialogue with itself–one that acknowledges those traditions within Western civilization that are almost never recognized. Europe, in particular, must learn to reconcile itself with the diversity of its past in order to master the coming pluralism of its future.” (T. Ramadan, TIME) […]