The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales risked a new clash with Muslims yesterday by questioning whether Turkey should be admitted to the European Union. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor echoed Pope Benedict XVI in saying that the predominantly Muslim state was not culturally part of Europe.
PARIS: A few sentences spoken by Pope Benedict XVI were sufficient to touch off a firestorm of impassioned reaction. Throughout the Muslim world, religious leaders, presidents, politicians and intellectuals joined their voices with protesting masses angered by a perceived insult to their faith. Most did not read the pope’s speech; others had relied on a…
The freedom-of-speech defence is a sideshow. The pontiff has broken an unwritten compact of religious leaders. Glenn Hoddle and Robert Kilroy-Silk were there first, of course, but Pope Benedict XVI has joined the club. Like those two other great scholars, the pontiff has found himself at the centre of a free speech row.
Pope Benedict is being portrayed as a naive, shy scholar who has accidentally antagonised two major world faiths in a matter of months. In fact he is a shrewd and ruthless operator, argues Madeleine Bunting – and he’s dangerous. Only 18 months into his papacy and already Pope Benedict XVI has stirred up unprecedented controversy.
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has welcomed Pope Benedict XVI’s apology for comments he made earlier in the week about Islam. Islamic groups called for an apology after the Pope quoted a 14th Century emperor’s views the Prophet Muhammad was “evil and inhuman” in a speech.
