(Date Posted:09/30/2006 3:22 AM)
I personally find the implications in the Pope's speech rather sad. In general, I quite respect the Catholic church- it's one of the largest organized religions in the world, and these days they do quite a bit of good via charitable works. But from reading different statements of both the cardinals in the last five or ten years, and the current Pope, it almost seems to me that some of the leadership at the current time have a distressing lack of tolerance for other religions. I mean, aren't they supposed to be embracing ideals of brotherly love and tolerance? But at the same time, they are insulting Islam? *shrug* I really don't get it. Most Catholics I know are very good people... and it almost seems to me that on occasion their leadership lets them down. I respected the previous Pope greatly, despite my disagreeing with his statements on occasion, but this current one rather worries me.
I mean, for all the problems that some extremists have been causing... one of the fastest diaster-relief organizations in the world is the Islamic Relief Fund. For all the evil wrought by some, others try their very best to rectify such situations. And my Muslim friends are as equally kind and considerate (and goofy) as my Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Agnostic, and Hindu friends, etc. I find it extremely offensive to hear such wonderful people being insulted. Tolerance is strained in many areas these days, and having a leader of one of the top three or four largest religions in the world insult the world's largest religious denomination really doesn't help the situation. People looking to excuse bigoted actions to themselves will seize upon statements like this as a justification to perpetuate cruelty and hatred. And while that is most likely not the intention of the Pope, he is a figurehead to a great many people and he cannot not know how his words will come across to some.
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Thank you!
