Low Blow From High Christian...

So I heard something interesting today. Pope Benedict XVI was in Germany on Tuesday speaking at a university. The pope quoted from a book recounting a conversation between 14th-century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel Paleologos II and a Persian scholar on the truths of Christianity and Islam. "The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war," Benedict said. He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.'...After a few moments of disbelief, yet not so much disbelief over the ignorance of his statements, it dawned on me. Even the pope is not above insulting and offending millions of people, by taking an indirect shot at the religion of Islam. I view this statement as coming from sheer ignorance. I don't fully know Islam, but I do know some about the prophet Muhammad. Being the most powerful Christian in the world carries a responsibility. The word of God is supposedly to do good, so it's a low blow for the pope to come out and insult Islam. The responsibility of any such powerful position should intale the spreading of good, not the envoking of anger. Sadly, there is enough tension in the Middle East without the pope generating more resentment, while offending the followers of Islam. The Vatican is trying to defend his statements saying he neither agreed or disagreed with the statements he quoted. I think his choice of statements to quote speaks for itself, it's not at all unclear to me how the pope feels about Islam, and the prophet Muhammad. Out of all the statements he could have quoted about peace and unity, in a time when there is great tension in the world, he chose to be ignorant. I briefly talked to my friend Mike about this, and he made a very valid point that the Vatican/and many things coming from Rome have always been political. It's true. Somehow I believe that if you are the most powerful Christian in the world, your faith should be your agenda and your guide, not politics. I'm sorry but how can politics and religion mix, politics these days is just a double edged sword most of the time, though the concept of politics can be good, and very misguided and filled with agendas (that's a whole different blog, haha). Somehow it seems like the pope is using his position as an outlet for his politics. Everyone has a right to their own beliefs, even the pope, but don't mask it with religion. I am very dissapointed that these are the ignorant statements being made to young people today by the highest Christian in the world. Seems the pope is becoming an everyday politician...with a fancy hat...