Pope Benedict XVI

[Rasputin]

Benedict XVI (Latin: Benedictus PP. XVI, born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on April 16, 1927 in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria, Germany) is the 265th and current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, and Sovereign of Vatican City State. He was elected on April 19, 2005 in a papal conclave, celebrated his Papal Inauguration Mass on April 24, 2005, and took possession of his cathedral, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, on May 7, 2005. Pope Benedict XVI has both German and Vatican citizenship. He succeeded John Paul II, who died at the beginning of April 2005.

One of the best-known theologians since the 1960s, and a prolific author, Benedict XVI is viewed as a staunch defender of traditional Catholic doctrine and values and of their importance in the survival of Western civilization. He is considered to be conservative and a close ally and friend of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. However, earlier in his career, he was considered a liberal. He served as a professor at various German universities, and was a theological consultant at the Second Vatican Council before becoming Archbishop of Munich and Freising and Cardinal. At the time of his election as Pope, Benedict had been Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (curial heads lose their positions upon the death of a pope) and was Dean of the College of Cardinals.

During his papacy, Benedict XVI has emphasized what he sees as a need for Europe to return to fundamental Christian values in response to increasing de-Christianisation and secularisation in many developed countries. For this reason, he has identified relativism's denial of objective truth as the central problem of modern time. He has taught about the importance for the Catholic Church and for humanity of contemplating God's love and has reaffirmed the "importance of prayer in the face of the activism and the growing secularism of many Christians engaged in charitable work."

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Dialogue with non-Christian religions

The World Jewish Congress "welcomed" his election to the pontificate, noted "his great sensitivity to the Jewish history and the Holocaust," and quoted the Pope in its press release:

Even if the most recent, loathsome experience of the Shoah (Holocaust) was perpetrated in the name of an anti-Christian ideology, which tried to strike the Christian faith at its Abrahamic roots in the people of Israel, it cannot be denied that a certain insufficient resistance to this atrocity on the part of Christians can be explained by an inherited anti-Judaism present in the hearts of not a few Christians.
The Dalai Lama also congratulated Pope Benedict XVI upon his election.

In an interview in 2004 for Le Figaro magazine, Ratzinger said that Turkey, a country Muslim by heritage and population, but staunchly secularist by its state constitution, should seek its future in an association of Islamic nations rather than the European Union, which has Christian roots. He said Turkey had always been "in permanent contrast to Europe" and that linking it to Europe would be a mistake.

His defenders argue that it is to be expected that a leader within the Catholic Church would forcefully and explicitly argue in favor of the superiority of Catholicism over other religions. Others also maintain that single quotes from Dominus Iesus are not indicative of intolerance or an unwillingness to engage in dialogue with other faiths, and this is clear from a reading of the entire document. They point out that Ratzinger has been very active in promoting inter-faith dialogue. In defending Dominus Iesus, Ratzinger himself has stated that his belief is that inter-faith dialogue should take place on the basis of equal human dignity, but that equality of human dignity should not imply that each side is equally correct.

On March 19, 2006, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney received a special invitation — to attend the elevation of Boston Archbishop Sean O'Malley to cardinal at the Vatican. The trip to Rome is further evidence of a growing relationship between Romney and the local leadership of the Roman Catholic Church."This is extraordinary and particularly for someone of my faith," said Romney, a Mormon, before he spoke at a St. Patrick's Day breakfast in New Hampshire. "I don't know that there's ever been a Mormon guy that's been to the Vatican for a Mass held by the pope, so it's a personal honor."

[Rasputin]

Dialogue with Islam

The head of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Interfaith Dialogue said on March 26, 2006 that the war in Iraq should not be viewed as a "crusade" launched by Christian countries against Muslims, and that "Western" was not synonymous to "Christian". "Pope Benedict XVI, like his predecessor John Paul II, never ceases to say this and show it by his acts, such as opposition to armed intervention in Iraq." He said that the church is not "western", but "catholic".

The Pope strongly condemned the Mohammed cartoons, first published by a Danish newspaper and later in other European papers, saying "In the international context we are living at present, the Catholic Church continues convinced that, to foster peace and understanding between peoples and men, it is necessary and urgent that religions and their symbols be respected". He also added that this implies that "believers should not be the object of provocations that wound their lives and religious sentiments." Benedict XVI noted that "for believers, as for all people of good will, the only path that can lead to peace and fraternity is respect for the convictions and religious practices of others."

On April 16, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI, in his first Easter message, called for a peaceful solution in the nuclear standoff with Iran, saying, "Concerning the international crises linked to nuclear power, may an honorable solution be found for all parties through serious and honest negotiations." He also called for the establishment of a Palestinian state. He said: "May the international community, which re-affirms Israel's just right to exist in peace, assist the Palestinian people to overcome the precarious conditions in which they live and to build their future, moving towards the constitution of a state that is truly their own."

Pope Benedict XVI condemns pre-emptive war. It is the pope's view that the invasion of Iraq "has no moral justification." As a cardinal, Benedict was critical about President George W. Bush's choice of sending an army into the heart of Islam to impose democracy. "The damage would be greater than the values one hopes to save," he concluded. He also said that "The concept of preventive war does not appear in The Catechism of the Catholic Church."

Pope Benedict XVI has called for Christians "to open their arms and hearts" to Muslim immigrants and "to dialogue" with them on religious issues. The pope told participants that the Catholic Church is "increasingly aware" that "interreligious dialogue is a part of its commitment to the service of humanity in the modern world." In fact, this "conviction" has become "the daily bread" of those who work with migrants, refugees and itinerant peoples, he said. Pope Benedict described this dialogue between Christians and Muslims as "important and delicate." Many communities have experienced this, he said, as they worked "to build relations of mutual knowledge and respect with (Muslim) immigrants, which are extremely useful in overcoming prejudices and closed minds." For this reason, he added, Christians "are called to open their arms and hearts to everyone, whatever their country of origin, leaving the task of formulating appropriate laws for the promotion of healthy existence to the authorities responsible for public life."

On June 3, 2006, Tony Blair was granted a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican at the end of a week-long trip to Italy. The Pope told the prime minister to pursue diplomatic solutions to problems with states in the Middle East, including Iran. A Vatican spokesman said: "The Pope did stress that diplomacy and not conflict was the best way forward." The two leaders also discussed how "moderate voices" from the world's main religions need to work together to tackle extremism and reduce the risk of terrorism.

On June 14, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI urged Israelis and Palestinians in his weekly general audience to return to negotiation after the "increasingly blind" tit-for-tat violence. The Vatican said in a statement that the pope felt close to the innocent victims of such violence and that the Holy Land had become "hostage to those who delude themselves they can solve the ever more dramatic problems of the region by force or unilateral action." The Vatican appealed to both sides "to show due respect for human life, especially that of unarmed civilians and children." In its statement, the Vatican urged the resumption "with courage of the path of negotiations, the only one that can lead to the just and lasting peace we all aspire to." It also urged the international community to "rapidly activate" funds for humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

On June 23, 2006, Pope Benedict called for 'serene and peaceful co-existence' in the Middle East. Referring to Eastern Catholic Churches in the Holy Land, the Pope said "the serious difficulties it is going though because of profound insecurity, lack of work, innumerable restrictions and consequent growing poverty, are a cause of pain for us all... I invite pastors, faithful, and everyone in positions of responsibility in the civil community, to favour mutual respect between cultures and religions, and to create as soon as possible the conditions for serene and peaceful coexistence throughout the Middle East."

On July 14, 2006, The Vatican condemned Israel's strikes on Lebanon, saying they were "an attack" on a sovereign nation. Vatican Secretary of State Angelo Cardinal Sodano said Pope Benedict and his aides were very worried that the developments in the Middle East risked degenerating into "a conflict with international repercussions." "In particular, the Holy See deplores right now the attack on Lebanon, a free and sovereign nation, and assures its closeness to these people who already have suffered so much to defend their independence," he told Vatican Radio.

On July 16, 2006, Pope Benedict prayed that God grant “the fundamental gift of harmony, bringing political leaders back on the path of reason and opening new possibilities for dialogue and understanding.” “In these days, the news from the Holy Land are all cause for new, grave worry, in particular, the widening of belligerent actions even in Lebanon, and for the numerous victims among the civilian population. At the origin of these merciless conflicts are, unfortunately, objective situations of violation of rights and of justice. But neither terrorist acts nor retaliation, above all when there are tragic consequences for the civilian population, can be justified, going down such roads – bitter experience has shown – does not bring positive results."

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On July 21, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI said Friday that he does not plan to intervene diplomatically in the Middle East fighting, but called on people of all religions to join Sunday's worldwide day of prayers for peace. "I think it is best to leave that to the diplomats, because we don't enter politics. But we do everything for peace. Our goal is simply peace, and we will do everything to help attain peace," Benedict told reporters as he returned from an hour-long hike in the Italian Alps. The pope has set aside Sunday as a worldwide day of prayers for peace, hoping the prayers will bring a halt to the fighting. Benedict invited everyone to pray, "especially Muslims and Jews." Benedict said he had heard from Catholic communities in Lebanon and Israel, "...especially from Lebanon, who implored us, as they have implored the Italian government, to help. We will help with our prayers and with the people we have in ... in Lebanon."

Also on July 21, 2006, Benedict XVI has appealed to a convent of cloistered nuns to pray for the conversion of terrorists. According to Sister Maria, one of the 10 Carmelites of the community, the Holy Father said, "Pray also for the terrorists, as they do not know that not only do they harm their neighbor, but above all they harm themselves." Concerned about what is happening in the Holy Land, Benedict XVI added: "Now we experience a worsening of the conflict in Lebanon, but also in many other parts of the world there are people suffering because of hunger and violence. Contemplative life, rich in charity opens heaven to humanity, which so needs it, as today in the world it is as if God did not exist. And where God is not, there is violence and terrorism."

Pope Benedict XVI appealed Sunday on July 30, 2006, for an immediate cease-fire in the Middle East, hours after the deadliest attack in nearly three weeks of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah terrorists. "In the name of God, I appeal to all those responsible for this spiral of violence, so that they immediately put down their arms on all sides. Immediately. I appeal to governing leaders and to international institutions not to spare any effort to obtain this necessary cessation of hostilities. In this moment I cannot help but think of the situation, ever more grave and more tragic, that the Middle East is going through: hundreds of dead, so many wounded, a huge number of the homeless and refugees, houses, cities and infrastructure destroyed. These facts demonstrate clearly that you cannot re-establish justice, create a new order and build authentic peace when you resort to instruments of violence."

With the war in Lebanon, the Vatican's Middle East policies under Pope Benedict XVI have come into clearer focus. Pope Benedict's pleas to stop the carnage, particularly after an Israeli air raid killed many civilians in Qana, have echoed the dramatic appeals of Pope John Paul during times of Mideast conflict. In private talks, Vatican officials have asked that the U.S. government use its influence with Israel to bring an immediate halt to hostilities. To the Israelis, the Vatican has made it clear that it views its military offensive in Lebanon as a disproportionate use of force.

When Benedict was elected, critics described him as tougher on terrorism and more wary of radical Islam than his predecessor. The pope's own statements, however, have strongly supported those of outgoing secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, and his deputy, Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo, Vatican foreign minister. "There seems to be a surprising degree of unanimity and outspokenness, so far at least, on this issue," said one diplomat in Rome. "In other words, if the pope really wasn't quite comfortable with (Cardinal) Sodano and (Archbishop) Lajolo as some suggest, he's giving them a lot of room. And his own public comments for the most part seem to echo theirs."

On August 7, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI renewed his appeal for peace in the Middle East and said he was deeply disappointed that calls for an immediate cease-fire in Lebanon had been ignored. "Faced with the bitter fact that up to now the calls for an immediate cease-fire in that martyred region have been disregarded, I feel impelled to renew my pressing appeal to that effect, asking everyone to offer their real contribution to the construction of a just and lasting peace." Pope Benedict donated two ambulances and emergency medical supplies to Caritas in Lebanon.

"War is the worst solution for everyone," he has said. "It brings nothing of good for anyone, not even for the apparent victors. We know this well in Europe, after the two world wars. What everyone needs is peace. There are moral forces ready to help people understand that the only solution is that we must live together." He said the Vatican's actions and his own appeals were designed to mobilize all the potential forces of peace.

Pope Benedict will send a special envoy to Lebanon to lead prayers for peace, the Vatican said on Friday. The Pope has asked Roger Etchegaray, a French Cardinal who was often the late Pope John Paul's special envoy to trouble spots, "to transmit to the suffering population ... his spiritual proximity and real solidarity." While the French cardinal's mission is "essentially religious" to try to celebrate Mass on Sunday with the patriarch of Lebanon's Maronite church, the Vatican says he may also meet President Emile Lahoud and Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Etchegaray, 83-year-old president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, was sent by Pope John Paul to Iraq in early 2003 to meet Saddam Hussein and try to avert war.

On August 28, 2006, German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed the Middle East and Iran with Pope Benedict in a private audience. She came out of her hour-long audience saying it was a “very impressive” experience. “We had a very intense exchange on world politics, especially on the Middle East, but also on how the international community should deal with Iran." Pope Benedict has been contacted by Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as Tehran faces international isolation for its nuclear program.

On September 11, 2006, The leaders of Muslim communities in Italy endorsed on Monday statements by pope Benedict XVI who warned that Africa and Asia feel threatened by the West's materialism and secularism. "We agree with the pope," said Roberto Piccardo, the spokesman of Italy's largest Muslim group UCOII. "It is true that Muslims are puzzled by a West which is hostage to a materialistic system." Mario Scialoja, the former president of the World Muslim League, also expressed support for the pope's words, saying that the "West's exclusion of God leads to the wrong life models."

On September 12, 2006, Pope Benedict invited Muslims on Tuesday to join a dialogue of cultures that agrees the concept of Islamic "holy war" is unreasonable and against God's nature.The 79-year-old Pontiff avoided making a direct criticism of Islam, packaging his comments in a highly complex academic lecture with references ranging from ancient Jewish and Greek thinking to Protestant theology and modern atheism.Benedict several times quoted the argument by Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos that spreading the faith through violence is unreasonable and that acting without reason -- "logos" in the original Greek -- was against God's nature.At the end of his lecture, the Pope again quoted Manuel and said: "It is to this great 'logos', to this breadth of reason, that we invite our partners in the dialogue of cultures."Abbot Notker Wolf, head of the worldwide Benedictine order, said the Pope used Manuel's dialogue with a Persian to make an indirect reference to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."I have heard he plans to write a letter to the Pope," Wolf added. "I think this would be a good opportunity to take up the gauntlet, so to speak, and really discuss things."

[Rasputin]

اظهارات پاپ بنديکت شانزدهم، رهبر کاتوليک های جهان، در مورد مسلمانان که به عقيده برخی در ضديت با دين اسلام بيان شده، انتقادات رو به افزايشی را در ميان تعدادی از کشورهای اسلامی موجب شده است.
پاپ، روز سه شنبه (12 سپتامبر)، در جريان سفر يک هفته ای خود به آلمان سخنانی بيان کرد که ظاهرا مفهوم جهاد در اسلام را زير سوال برده است.

وی در نطق خود در دانشگاه "رگنزبورگ" آلمان از يک امپراتور مسيحی قرن چهاردهم (مانوئل دوم قسطنطنيه) نقل کرده که به يک مسافر ايرانی گفته است که پيامبر اسلام برای جهان ارمغانی جز خشونت نداشته است.

سارا رينزفورد، گزارشگر بی بی سی در استانبول، می گويد پاپ در نطق پايان سفر شش روزه خود به آلمان به نقل از اين امپراتور دوره بيزانس گفته است: "پيامبر اسلام برای جهان فقط شرارت و اعمال غيرانسانی به ارمغان آورده و از جمله دستور داده که دين را با زبان شمشير گسترش دهيد."

جاويد احمد گامدی، از روحانيون ارشد مسلمان پاکستان، اظهارات پاپ بنديکت شانزدهم را غيرمسئولانه خوانده و تاکيد داشته است که مفهوم جهاد از ديد اسلام اين نيست که دين را بايد با قدرت شمشير گسترش داد.

گزارشگر بی بی سی می گويد يکی از روزنامه های ترکيه نوشته است که پاپ از اين امپراتور قرن چهاردهم ميلادی به عنوان وسيله ای برای ابراز نظرات شخصی خود استفاده کرده است.

پليس در کشمير تحت کنترل هند روزنامه هايی را که متن سخنرانی پاپ را منتشر کرده بود، جمع آوری کرده است تا از بروز هرگونه تنش در اين منطقه مورد مناقشه پيشگيری کند.

در ترکيه، "علی بارداک اوغلو"، رييس سازمان امور ديانت اين کشور، گفت که اظهارات رهبر کاتوليک های جهان خصمانه بوده و از وی خواست تا از مسلمانان جهان عذرخواهی کند.

وی گفت "اميدوار است که اظهارات پاپ منعکس کننده نفرت قلبی وی از اسلام نباشد.

فردريکو لومباردی، يکی از سخنگويان واتيکان، مقر حکومتی رهبر کاتوليک های جهان، گفت به نظر وی منظور پاپ از ابراز اين اظهارات انتقاد از اسلام نبوده است؛ اين اظهارات يادآور اين موضوع بوده است که اگر فردی از مذهب تعبير خشونت آميز داشته باشد، در واقع با ذات پروردگار در تضاد بوده است.

پاپ قرار است در ماه نوامبر از ترکيه ديدن کند.

[Rasputin]

Muslim religious leaders have accused Pope Benedict XVI of quoting anti-Islamic remarks during a speech at a German university this week.
Questioning the concept of holy war, he quoted a 14th-Century Christian emperor who said Muhammad had brought the world only "evil and inhuman" things.

A senior Pakistani Islamic scholar, Javed Ahmed Gamdi, said jihad was not about spreading Islam with the sword.

Turkey's top religious official asked for an apology for the "hostile" words.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, police seized copies of newspapers which reported the Pope's comments to prevent any tension.

A Vatican spokesman, Father Frederico Lombardi, said he did not believe the Pope's comments were meant as a harsh criticism of Islam.

'Abhorrent'

In his speech at Regensburg University, the German-born pontiff explored the historical and philosophical differences between Islam and Christianity and the relationship between violence and faith.

Stressing that they were not his own words, he quoted Emperor Manual II Paleologos of Byzantine, the Orthodox Christian empire which had its capital in what is now the Turkish city of Istanbul.

The emperors words were, he said: "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."

Benedict said "I quote" twice to stress the words were not his and added that violence was "incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul".

The Pope is due to visit Turkey in November and the Turkish response was swift and strong, the BBC's Sarah Rainsford reports from Istanbul.

Religious leader Ali Badda Kolu said the Pope's comments represented what he called an "abhorrent, hostile and prejudiced point of view".

Whilst Muslims might express their criticism of Islam and of Christianity, he argued, they would never defame the Holy Bible or Jesus Christ.

He said he hoped the Pope's speech did not reflect "hatred in his heart" against Islam.

Many Turks see Benedict as a Turkophobe and commentators call his words just before the holy month of Ramadan "ill-timed and ill-conceived", our correspondent adds.

[Rasputin]

واتيکان از اظهارات اخير پاپ بنديکت درباره مفهوم جهاد مقدس که از سوی برخی رهبران مذهبی در کشورهای اسلامی محکوم شده دفاع کرده است.
پاپ، روز سه شنبه (12 سپتامبر)، در جريان سفری يک هفته ای به زادگاه خود آلمان، طی سخنانی ظاهرا مفهوم جهاد در اسلام را زير سوال برده بود.

رهبر اخوان المسلمين گفت که اظهارات پاپ "خشم کل جهان اسلام را برانگيخته است."

اما واتيکان گفت که پاپ قصد توهين به مسلمانان را نداشته است.

فدريکو لومباردی، سخنگوی پاپ، گفت: "روشن است که نيت پدر مقدس تشويق احترام و گفتگو در قبال ساير اديان و فرهنگ ها بوده است که اين آشکارا شامل اسلام هم می شود."

اما به گفته ديويد وايلی، خبرنگار بی بی سی در رم، عليرغم اين بيانيه پاپ درحالی به رم بازگشت که موج انتقادات از سوی رهبران مذهبی جهان اسلامی ادامه داشت.

خشونت و ايمان

پاپ بنديک شانزدهم در نطق پايانی سفر خود در دانشگاه ريگنزبرگ تفاوت های تاريخی و فلسفی ميان اسلام و مسيحيت و رابطه ميان ايمان و خشونت را تشريح می کرد.

وی تاکيد کرد که اينها سخنان او نيست و تنها سخنان امپراتور مانوئل دوم پلالوگوس از امپراتوری مسيحی بيزانس که پايتخت آن در استانبول امروزی بود را نقل می کند.

وی گفت امپراتور مانوئل دوم پرسيده بود: "به من نشان بده که محمد [پيامبر اسلام] چه چيز تازه ای به ارمغان آورده، به جز شرارت و اعمال غيرانسانی و دستور او برای گستراندن دين با زبان شمشير."

او دو بار تاکيد کرد که اين سخنان را نقل قول می کند و افزود که خشونت "با ذات پروردگار و طبيعت روح (انسان) ناسازگار است."

'خشمگين'

علی بارداک اوغلو، رييس سازمان امور ديانت ترکيه، اظهارات رهبر کاتوليک های جهان را "خصمانه" توصيف کرد و از وی خواست تا از مسلمانان جهان عذرخواهی کند. پاپ قرار است در ماه نوامبر از ترکيه ديدن کند.


آقای عاکف گفت تعجب می کند اين اظهارات را از رهبر کليسای کاتوليک می شنود

آقای بارداک اوغلو به ذکر جناياتی که جنگجويان صليبی کليسای کاتوليک رومی در قرون وسطی عليه مسيحيان ارتدکس و يهوديان و همچنين مسلمانان، مرتکب شده اند پرداخت.

وی گفت "اميدوار است که اظهارات پاپ منعکس کننده نفرت قلبی وی از اسلام نباشد."

محمد مهدی عاکف، رهبر گروه اخوان المسلمين مصر، گفت که کلام پاپ "بيانگر برداشت صحيح از اسلام نيست و تنها عقايد مطلقا غلط و تحريف شده ای از اسلام است که در غرب تکرار می شود."

وی در بيانيه ای گفت او "از اينکه چنين اظهاراتی را از کسی که در راس کليسای کاتوليک قرار دارد و حرف های او در افکار عمومی غرب نفوذ دارد می شنود، دچار حيرت شده است."

وی از دولت های اسلامی خواست در صورت عدم عذرخواهی پاپ روابط خود با واتيکان را قطع کنند.

پيشتر جاويد احمد گامدی، از روحانيون ارشد مسلمان پاکستان، اظهارات پاپ بنديکت شانزدهم را غيرمسئولانه خواند و تاکيد کرد که مفهوم جهاد از ديد اسلام اين نيست که دين را بايد با قدرت شمشير گسترش داد.

گزارشگر بی بی سی می گويد يکی از روزنامه های ترکيه نوشته است که پاپ از اين امپراتور قرن چهاردهم ميلادی به عنوان وسيله ای برای ابراز نظرات شخصی خود استفاده کرده است.

پليس در کشمير تحت کنترل هند روزنامه هايی را که متن سخنرانی پاپ را منتشر کرده بود، جمع آوری کرده است تا از بروز هرگونه تنش در اين منطقه مورد مناقشه پيشگيری کند.

شيخ يوسف قرضاوی، از روحانيون برجسته قطر، نيز اظهارات پاپ را رد کرد و گفت: "مسلمانان حق دارند از سخنان بلندپايه ترين روحانی عالم مسيحيت عصبانی باشند و احساسات آنها جريحه دار شده باشد."

وی از پاپ خواست به خاطر توهين به اسلام، پيامبر و معتقدات آن از امت اسلام پوزش بخواهد.

[Rasputin]

Muslim fury at pope jihad comments

Pope Benedict XVI came under a hail of criticism from the Islamic world Friday for comments he made earlier in the week regarding the Prophet Mohammed and the Muslim faith.

A growing chorus of Muslim leaders have called on the pope to apologize for the remarks he made in a speech in Germany on Tuesday when he used the terms "jihad" and "holy war."

Pakistan's National Assembly, parliament's lower house, unanimously passed a resolution on Friday condemning the pope's comments.

In his speech, Benedict quoted 14th-century Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus who said, "Show me just what Mohammed 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."

Before quoting Paleologus during his address at the University of Regensburg on Tuesday, the pontiff noted the "brusqueness," or discourteous nature of the emperor's statement.

"God," the emperor, as the pope quoted, said, "is not pleased by blood -- and not acting reasonably is contrary to God's nature."

A transcript of the pope's remarks obtained by the Associated Press television network reads: "In the seventh (sura, or chapter of the Quran), the emperor comes to speak about jihad, holy war.

"The emperor certainly knew that Sura 2, 256, reads: 'No force in matters of faith'. It is one of the early suras, from a time -- as experts say -- in which Muhammed himself was still powerless and threatened.

"However, the emperor of course also knew the requirements about the holy war that were later formulated in the Quran. Without going into details like the handling of the owners of the scriptures, or non-believers, he (the emperor) turned to his interlocutors -- in a surprisingly brusque way -- with the central question after the relationship between religion and violence.

"He said, I quote, 'Show me just what Muhammed 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.'"

A Vatican statement said Benedict was not trying offend Muslims with his remarks.

"It was certainly not the intention of the Holy Father to ... offend the sensibilities of Muslim faithful," said Federico Lombardi, the Vatican press officer.

But offense was taken as Islamic groups and governments from across the globe weighed in.

"The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) regrets the quotations cited by the pope on the Life of the Honorable Prophet Mohammed, and what he referred to as 'spreading' Islam 'by the sword,'" a statement released by the OIC on Thursday said.

"The attribution of the spread of Islam around the world to the shedding of blood and violence, which is 'incompatible with the nature of God' is a complete distortion of the facts, which shows deep ignorance of Islam and Islamic history."

Muslim Brotherhood Chairman Mohammed Mahdi Akef also expressed anger over the pope's academic speech.

"The pope's statements come to add fuel to fire and trigger anger within the Muslim world and show that the West with its politicians and clerics are hostile to Islam."

Condemnation also came from Turkey where Benedict is scheduled to visit in November.

"His words are extremely regrettable, worrying and unfortunate in terms of the Christian world and common peace of humanity," the Anatolian state news agency quoted Ali Bardakoglu, the head of Ankara's Directorate General for Religious Affairs, as saying.

"I do not see any use in somebody visiting the Islamic world who thinks in this way about the holy prophet of Islam."

In Pakistan, the National Assembly and Senate on Friday passed unanimous resolutions against Benedict's controversial remarks.

The Pakistan Foreign Office also called into question the pope's comments, calling them highly controversial, regrettable and against Islam.

But the Vatican statement said Benedict's discussion on Tuesday was quite to the contrary.

"The Holy Father's desire (is) to cultivate an attitude of respect and dialogue towards other religions and cultures, including, of course, Islam."

According to Lombardi, Benedict's speech was "a warning, addressed to Western culture, to avoid 'the contempt for God and the cynicism that considers mockery of the sacred to be an exercise of freedom.'"

[Rasputin]

Muslims in Britain condemns Pope's comments on Islam

London, Sep 15 (DPA) British Muslim organisations Friday joined in the fierce criticism of remarks made by Pope Benedict XVI about Islam.

Britain's Ramadhan Foundation, a youth organisation, reacted angrily to the comments, comparing the pope unfavourably to his predecessor John Paul II.

In a statement it said: 'If the pope wanted to attack Islam and Prophet Mohammed's teachings he could have been brave enough to say it personally without quoting a 14th century Byzantine Christian emperor.'

It added that the late Pope John Paul II spent over 25 years building bridges and links with the Muslim community.

'The Ramadhan Foundation is disappointed that the current pope has not followed the example of his predecessor. It is essential in today's world that we link together and encourage a wider understanding of our different faiths, celebrating our religious differences is essential in an ever expanding world.'

Mohammed Umar, chairman of the foundation, said: 'This attack on Islam and Prophet Mohammed by Pope Benedict is recognition that he has fallen into the trap of the bigots and racists when it comes to judging Islam on the actions of a small number of extreme elements.'

[Rasputin]

با وجود بيانيه دربار واتيکان در توضيح اظهارات پاپ درباره اسلام، اعتراض مسلمانان از جمله در ايران به سخنان رهبر کاتوليک های جهان ادامه داشته است.
آيت الله احمد خاتمی، امام جمعه موقت تهران، در خطبه های نماز جمعه از آنچه که اهانت پاپ به اسلام خواند ابراز تاسف کرد.

روز جمعه، 15 سپتامبر، پارلمان پاکستان نيز پيشنهاد يکی از نمايندگان را در انتقاد از آنچه که اظهارات "توهين آميز" پاپ بنديکت شانزدهم خوانده شده تصويب کرد و از وی خواست تا به خاطر ايجاد همدلی بين مذاهب، سخنان اخير خود در باره اسلام را پس بگيرد.

روز پنجشنبه پاپ که در دانشگاهی در آلمان پيرامون تفاوت فلسفی و تاريخی بين اسلام و مسيحيت و رابطه ايمان و خشونت سخنرانی می کرد، سخنان يکی از امپراتوران بيزانس (روم شرقی) را در باره اسلام و مسلمانان تکرار کرد.

با وجود تاکيد پاپ بر اينکه تنها نقل کننده اين سخنان است، و بيانيه واتيکان در اين مورد که رهبر کليسای کاتوليک قصد اهانت به اسلام را نداشته و برای مسلمانان احترام قايل است، اين اظهارات باعث ناخرسندی مسلمانان و اعتراضاتی در اين مورد شد.

در مصوبه پارلمان پاکستان آمده است که "اظهارات پاپ در باره فلسفه جهاد و پيامبر اسلام باعث جريحه دار شدن احساسات مسلمانان در سرتاسر جهان شد و خطر بروز خصومت بين مذاهب را در پی دارد."

گروهی از حقوقدانان کشميری در اعتراض به اظهارات پاپ دست به تظاهرات زدند

در هند، که دارای يک اقليت بزرگ مسلمان است، حميد انصاری، رييس کميسيون اقليت ها، با اشاره به فرمان پاپ در قرن دوازدهم برای خارج کردن بيت المقدس است از دست مسلمانان که آغازگر جنگ های صليبی شد، گفته است که "زبانی که پاپ (بنديکت شانزدهم) به کار می برد يادآور سلف وی در قرن دوازدهم است."

وی افزود که "اين اظهارات برای من تعجب آور است زيرا واتيکان روابط جامعی با جهان اسلام دارد."

دولت هند از بيم بروز واکنشی خشونت آميز در کشمير تحت اداره اين کشور، که اکثريت جمعيت آن را مسلمانان تشکيل می دهند، دو تن از رهبران جدايی طلب کشميری را تحت بازداشت خانگی قرار داد.

احمد خاتمی: پاپ به اسلام اهانت کرده

در تهران نيز آيت الله احمد خاتمی، امام جمعه موقت، در خطبه های نماز جمعه از آنچه که اهانت پاپ به اسلام خواند ابراز تاسف کرد.

امام جمعه موقت تهران گفت پاپ به اسلام اهانت کرده است و افزود که وی گفته است "جهاد در اسلام عين خشونت است و ادعا می کند در اسلام بر خلاف مسيحيت، تعقل جايی ندارد."

آيت الله خاتمی گفت که "مطمئنا مسلمانان جهان نسبت به اينگونه سخنان سخيف عکس العمل مناسبی نشان داده و خواهند داد و آنهايی را که اسلام عزيز را نفهميدند، دعوت می کنند اسلام را بشناسند."

امام جمعه موقت تهران گفت که "اينگونه اهانت ها و هتاکی ها روز به روز نور اسلام را گسترده تر خواهد کرد."

[Rasputin]

Pope Assails Secularism, Adding Note on Jihad

REGENSBURG, Germany, Sept. 12 — Pope Benedict XVI weighed in Tuesday on the delicate issue of rapport between Islam and the West: He said that violence, embodied in the Muslim idea of jihad, or holy war, is contrary to reason and God’s plan, while the West was so beholden to reason that Islam could not understand it.

Nonetheless, in a complex treatise delivered at the university here where he once taught, he suggested reason as a common ground for a “genuine dialogue of cultures and religions so urgently needed today.”

In all, the speech seemed to reflect the Vatican’s struggle over how to confront Islam and terrorism, as the 79-year-old pope pursues what is often considered a more provocative, hard-nosed and skeptical approach to Islam than his predecessor, John Paul II.

As such, it distilled many of Benedict’s longstanding concerns, about the crisis of faith among Christians and about Islam and its relationship to violence.

And he used language open to interpretations that could inflame Muslims, at a time of high tension among religions and three months before he makes a trip to Turkey.

He began his speech, which ran over half an hour, by quoting a 14th-century Byzantine emperor, Manuel II Paleologus, in a conversation with a “learned Persian” on Christianity and Islam — “and the truth of both.”

“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 the sword by the faith he preached,” the pope quoted the emperor, in a speech to 1,500 students and faculty.

He went on to say that violent conversion to Islam was contrary to reason and thus “contrary to God’s nature.”

But the section on Islam made up just three paragraphs of the speech, and he devoted the rest to a long examination of how Western science and philosophy had divorced themselves from faith — leading to the secularization of European society that is at the heart of Benedict’s worries.

This, he said, has closed off the West from a full understanding of reality, making it also impossible to talk with cultures for whom faith is fundamental.

“The world’s profoundly religious cultures see this exclusion from the divine, from the universality of reason as an attack on their most profound convictions,” he said. “A reason which is deaf to the divine and which relegates religion into the realm of subcultures is incapable of entering into the dialogue of cultures.”

Several experts on the Catholic Church and Islam agreed that the speech — in which Benedict made clear he was quoting other sources on Islam — did not appear to be a major statement on, or condemnation of, Islam. The chief concern, they said, was the West’s exclusion of religion from the realm of reason.

Still, they said that the strong words he used in describing Islam, even that of the 14th century, ran the risk of offense.

Renzo Guolo, a professor of the sociology of religion at the University of Padua, who often writes about the church and Islam, said he was struck by the suggestion of Islam as distant from reason.

“This is maybe the strongest criticism because he doesn’t speak of fundamentalist Islam but of Islam generally,” he said, “Not all Islam, thank God, is fundamentalist.”

The Rev. Daniel A. Madigan, rector of the Institute for the Study of Religions and Cultures at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, said the central point was that “if we are really going into a serious dialogue with Muslims we need to take faith seriously.” But, he said of the quote from the emperor, “You clearly take a risk using an example like that.”

Marco Politi, the Vatican expert for the Italian newspaper La Repubblica, said that “the text reveals his deep mistrust regarding the aggressive side of Islam.”

“Certainly he closes the door to an idea which was very dear to John Paul II — the idea that Christians, Jews and Muslims have the same God and have to pray together to the same God,” he said.

The speech was a central moment in Benedict’s six-day trip home to visit Bavaria, where he grew up, became a priest, a prominent theologian and, finally, a cardinal. Earlier in the day, at an outdoor Mass here attended by some 250,000 people, he expressed similar concerns as in the speech, urging believers to stand up against the “hatred and fanaticism” that he said were tarnishing the image of God.

Again, this critique seemed aimed as much at secular Western society as at any other threat.

[Rasputin]

“Today, when we have learned to recognize the pathologies and life-threatening diseases associated with religion and reason, and the ways that God’s image can be destroyed by hatred and fanaticism, it is important to state clearly the God in whom we believe,” the pope said.

“Only this can free us from being afraid of God — which is ultimately at the root of modern atheism,” he said. “Only this God saves us from being afraid of the world and from anxiety before the emptiness of life.”

The speech at the university was the only significant secular event in a schedule packed with Masses, evening prayers and other religious occasions aimed at Catholics in Germany, where regular Mass attendance has fallen to under 15 percent.

That low number is connected directly to many of Benedict’s long-expressed concerns about Islam. He often urges people not to forget the Christian roots of a Europe with fewer practicing Christians and more Muslim immigrants, over four million here in Germany alone.

The Rev. Federico Lombardi, the chief Vatican spokesman, said that Benedict’s comments were not meant as any statement on Islam, but only as a small example, at the beginning of four tightly packed pages of text, of his argument of the dangers of the separation of reason and religion.

“I believe that everyone understands, even inside Islam, there are many different positions, and there are many positions that aren’t violent,” Father Lombardi said. “Here, certainly, the pope doesn’t want to give a lesson, let’s say, an interpretation of Islam, as violent.

“He is saying, in the case of a violent interpretation of religion, we are in a contradiction with the nature of God and the nature of the soul,” he said.

In the weeks after John Paul’s death in April 2005, Islam and how to confront terrorism seemed key issues in the selection of a new pope. As a candidate, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who took the name Benedict after his election, embodied the more skeptical school inside the Vatican.

Unlike John Paul, Cardinal Ratzinger did not approve of joint prayers with Muslims and was skeptical of the value of interreligious dialogue, with a faith of many shadings and few representative leaders to speak with.

In 2004, he caused a stir by opposing membership in the European Union for Turkey, saying that it “always represented another continent throughout history, in permanent contrast with Europe.” He has not repeated this opinion since he became pope, and he is scheduled to visit there in November.

Once he became pope, Benedict’s new approach was apparent quickly: in his first trip outside Italy, he met with Muslim leaders in Cologne, Germany, and politely but clearly told them they had the responsibility to teach their children against terrorism, which he called “the darkness of a new barbarism.” He said Catholics and Muslims had the obligation to meet and to overcome differences.

At the end of that summer, he devoted an annual weekend of study with former graduate students to Islam. In that meeting, and since, he has reportedly expressed skepticism about Islam’s openness to change, given its view of the Koran as the unchangeable word of God.

[Rasputin]

Muslim anger grows at Pope speech

statement from the Vatican has failed to quell criticism of Pope Benedict XVI from Muslim leaders, after a speech touching on the concept of holy war.
Speaking in Germany, the Pope quoted a 14th Century Christian emperor who said the Prophet Muhammad had brought the world only "evil and inhuman" things.

Pakistan's parliament passed a resolution on Friday criticising the Pope for making "derogatory" comments.

The Vatican said the Pope had not intended to offend Muslims.

"It is clear that the Holy Father's intention is to cultivate a position of respect and dialogue towards other religions and cultures, and that clearly includes Islam," said chief Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi in a statement.

But in spite of the statement, the pontiff returned to Rome to face a barrage of criticism, reports the BBC's David Willey in Rome.

The head of the Muslim Brotherhood said the Pope's remarks "aroused the anger of the whole Islamic world".

Violence and faith

The controversy comes on an important day for the Vatican, with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, former Archbishop of Genoa, taking over as secretary of state.

Our correspondent says Pope Benedict, who has been closeted with his chief advisers at his summer residence near Rome, is upset at the way in which his remarks have been interpreted.

But there is no sense of panic at the Vatican, he says, and preparation for the Pope's forthcoming visit to Turkey, a predominantly Muslim secular nation, next November, are going ahead as planned.

In his speech at Regensburg University, the German-born Pope explored the historical and philosophical differences between Islam and Christianity, and the relationship between violence and faith.

Stressing that they were not his own words, he quoted Emperor Manuel II Paleologos of the Byzantine Empire, the Orthodox Christian empire which had its capital in what is now the Turkish city of Istanbul.

The emperor's words were, he said: "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."

Benedict said "I quote" twice to stress the words were not his and added that violence was "incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul".

"The intention here is not one of retrenchment or negative criticism, but of broadening our concept of reason and its application," he added in the concluding part of his speech.

"Only thus do we become capable of that genuine dialogue of cultures and religions so urgently needed today."

'Angry and hurt'

Pakistan's parliament passed a resolution demanding that the Pope retract his remarks "in the interest of harmony between religions".

The derogatory remarks of the Pope about the philosophy of jihad and Prophet Mohammed have injured sentiments across the Muslim world and pose the danger of spreading acrimony among the religions," the AFP news agency quoted the resolution by the country's national assembly as saying.

The remarks prompted fears of unrest in Indian-administered Kashmir, as a result of which two separatist leaders were put under house arrest.

Meanwhile, the "hostile" remarks drew a demand for an apology from a top religious official in Turkey.

Ali Bardakoglu recalled atrocities committed by Roman Catholic Crusaders against Orthodox Christians and Jews, as well as Muslims, in the Middle Ages.

In Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood head Mohammed Mahdi Akef said the Pope's words "do not express correct understanding of Islam and are merely wrong and distorted beliefs being repeated in the West".

The 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference also said it regretted the Pope's remarks.

[Rasputin]

محمد حسين فضلالله اظهارات پاپ بنديكت شانزدهم درخصوص اسلام را محكوم كرد و عذرخواهي شخصي وي را از مسلمانان خواستار شد.

به نقل از خبرگزاري فرانسه، علامه محمد حسين فضلالله، مرجعيت شيعهي لبنان در خطبههاي نماز جمعهي بيروت اظهار داشت: اظهارات پاپ نشاندهندهي آن است كه وي شناخت علمي از مسالهي اسلام ندارد بنابراين از او ميخواهيم تا با مطالعهي دقيق و علمي اسلام، خود را از معرض مطبوعات مخالف اسلام خارج كند.

وي ادامه داد: از پاپ ميخواهيم تا به دليل درك نادرستش از اسلام شخصا از مسلمانان عذرخواهي كند.

علامه فضلالله تاكيد كرد: ما عذرخواهيهاي منابع نزديك به واتيكان را نميپذيريم؛ چرا كه پاپ از انديشه در عقايد اسلامي صحبت كرد. اسلام معتقد است كه اعتقاد بر عقل استوار است نه مسايل خارج از آن و جهاد هم مسالهي دفاعي و پيشگيرانه است نه مسالهاي خصمانه.

وي گفت: ما شديدا به اين اظهارات معترضيم و خواهان روابط ميان اسلام و مسيحيت هستيم.

اسماعيل هنيه، نخست وزير فلسطين نيز ظهر امروز با محكوم كردن اظهارات پاپ از وي خواست تا از هرگونه آسيب زدن به اسلام و ديانت اسلامي خودداري كند.

احمد بدرالدين حسون، مفتي سوريه نيز در نامهاي به پاپ توضيحات وي را در خصوص دين اسلام خواستار شد.

وي در ادامه نسبت به نادرست بودن اين بيانات ابراز اميدواري كرده و گفت: اميدواريم همگان در راستاي نشر ارزشهاي آسماني كه خواهان همكاري و اتحاد هستند، قدم بردارند و واتيكان نيز منبع صلح جهاني باشد همانطور كه اسلام منبع صلح، محبت و خير است.

دليل بوبكر، رييس مجلس ديانت مسلمانان فرانسه، عاليترين هيات مسلمانان در فرانسه نيز از واتيكان به دليل اظهارات ضد اسلامي بنديكت شانزدهم توضيح خواست و گفت: مايليم كليسا نظرش را سريعا اعلام كند تا اسلام كه دين منزل است و جناح اسلامي كه يك ايدئولوژي سياسي است، با هم مشتبه نشوند.

وي ادامه داد: از نظر ما اسلام دين تسامح و برادري است و ما خواهان دوستي با مسيحيت هستيم.

در كشمير نيز جواد احمد جامدي، از علماي روحانيون پاكستان اظهارات پاپ را غيرمسوولانه توصيف كرد و خواهان برپايي تظاهرات بعد از نماز جمعه شد.

در كويت نيز حاكم المطيري، دبير كل حزب الامه اين كشور عذرخواهي فوري بنديكت شانزدهم را در خصوص اسلام و توهين به حضرت محمد (ص) خواستار شد و نسبت به چنين اظهارات خطرناكي هشدار داد.

سيد محمد باقر الموسوي المهري، نمايندهي مرجعيت شيعه در كويت نيز با رد اظهارات پاپ آن را مخالف با واقعيت دانسته و خواهان عذرخواهي وي از مسلمانان جهان شد.

شيخ محمد كنعان، رييس دادگاههاي اهل سنت لبنان نيز در گفتوگو با شبكهي تلويزيوني الجزيره اظهارات بنديكت شانزدهم را نوعي جانبداري از صهيونيستها دانست و نسبت به بيان اين گونه اظهارات كه موجب بروز نفرت در ميان مردم ميشود، هشدار داد.

همچنين در بيروت فواد سنيوره، نخست وزير لبنان سفير پاپ در بيروت را براي اعلام اعتراض دولت و ملت لبنان به پاپ و درخواست توضيح رسمي بنديكت شانزدهم درخصوص اسلام فراخواند.

جنبش اسلامي در اسراييل نيز پاپ را به حمايت از اسراييل و يهود متهم كرد و در بيانيهاي آورده است: ما از اظهارات بنديكت شانزدهم ناراضي و ناخرسنديم.

در اين بيانيه آمده است: با توجه به اظهارات پاپ معلوم ميشود كه وي از طرفداران و دوستان اسراييل و ملت يهود است و از سوي مقامات دولت آمريكا نيز مورد قبول است.

شيخ اديب حيدر، عضو مجلس اعلاي شيعه لبنان نيز با ابراز تاسف از سخنان ضد اسلامي پاپ گفت: بعيد است كه چنين اظهاراتي از چنين روحاني عاليرتبهاي بيان شود

مطران عطاالله حنا مطران، اسقف ارتودكس در بيتالمقدس نيز با محكوم كردن اين اظهارات بيان داشت: بيحرمتي به اسلام و پيامبر آن بيحرمتي به مسحيت و مسلمانان است.

پارلمان پاكستان نيز امروز به اتفاق آراء پاپ بنديكت شانزدهم را به دليل اظهارات توهين آميزش دربارهي اسلام محكوم كرده و از وي خواستند به خاطر بيان اين اظهارات عذرخواهي كند.

سازمان كنفرانس اسلامي در جده نيز از واتيكان خواست تا موضع درستش را در قبال اسلام و دركش در اين باره را روشن سازد.

به گزارش خبرگزاري دانشجويان ايران به نقل از خبرگزاري آسوشيتدپرس، واتيكان اعلام كرده است، منظور پاپ بنديكت شانزدهم، رهبر كاتوليكهاي جهان در خلال اظهاراتش در آلمان دربارهي حضرت محمد (ص) و جهاد، توهين به مسلمانان نبوده است.

بنديكت شانزدهم در سخنرانياش با اشاره به سخنان مانوئل دوم پلالوگوس، امپراطور دورهي بيزانس در قرن چهاردهم كه با اعلام اين پرسش كه«به من نشان دهيد كه [حضرت] محمد [ص] چه چيزي جديدي آورد؟» موارد موهني را به پيامبر گرامي و دين مبين اسلام نسبت داده بود، مفهوم جهاد در اسلام را به عنوان«گسترش دين با زور شمشير» زير سوال برد.

درپي اين اظهارات روحانيون مسلمان و سازمانها و وب سايتهاي اسلامي نسبت به اظهارات پاپ خشمگين شدند و آن را محكوم كردند.

در قطعنامهي صادر شده در پارلمان پاكستان آمده است: پاپ بايد به دليل رد هماهنگي ميان مذاهب، اظهاراتش را پس بگيرد.

اين قطعنامه ميافزايد: اظهارات توهين آميز پاپ دربارهي فلسفهي جهاد و پيامبر اسلام، مسلمانان را در سراسر جهان تحريك كرده و خطر اشاعهي رنجش ميان مذاهب را فراهم ميسازد.

سخنگوي وزارت خارجهي پاكستان نيز اعلام كرد: هر آنكه دربارهي اسلام اينگونه سخن ميگويد، اين امر برگرفته از جهل او از اين دين بزرگ است.

در همين حال رهبران مسلمان در بسياري از كشورها خشمشان را از اظهارات پاپ ابراز كرده و مقامات عالي رتبه اسلامي در مصر و كويت نيز عذرخواهي فوري پاپ را خواستار شدند.

حاكم المطيري، دبيركل حزب امه كويت از تمامي كشورهاي مسلمان خواست تا زمان عذرخواهي پاپ، سفرايشان را واتيكان فراخوانند.

مصطفي شريف، يك كارشناس اسلام از الجزاير و يكي از موسسان گروه دوستي مسيحيت و اسلام به خبرگزاري فرانسه گفت: اگر آنها تاييد كنند كه اسلام بد فهيمده شده است، ما از مسلمانان ميخواهيم براي ارتقا درك دينشان كمك كنند.

يكي از اعضاي پارلمان مراكش نيز اظهارات پاپ را توهين به يك ميليارد مسلمان خواند.

از سوي ديگر واتيکان از اظهارات اخير پاپ بنديکت شانزدهم دربارهي مفهوم "جهاد مقدس" که از سوي برخي رهبران مذهبي در کشورهاي اسلامي محکوم شده، دفاع کرد.

پاپ، روز سه شنبهي گذشته در جريان سفري يک هفتهاي به زادگاه خود آلمان، طي سخناني مفهوم "جهاد" در اسلام را زير سوال برده بود.

در واكنش به اين اظهارات رهبر اخوان المسلمين گفت که اظهارات پاپ "خشم کل جهان اسلام را برانگيخته است" اما واتيکان گفت که پاپ قصد توهين به مسلمانان را نداشته است.

فدريکو لومباردي، سخنگوي پاپ، گفت: روشن است که نيت پدر مقدس تشويق احترام و گفتوگو در قبال ساير اديان و فرهنگها بوده است که اين آشکارا شامل اسلام هم ميشود.

اما به گفتهي خبرنگار بي.بي.سي در رم، عليرغم اين بيانيه، پاپ درحالي به رم بازگشت که موج انتقادات از سوي رهبران مذهبي جهان اسلامي ادامه داشت.

پاپ بنديکت شانزدهم در نطق پاياني سفر خود در دانشگاه ريگنزبرگ آلمان تفاوتهاي تاريخي و فلسفي ميان اسلام و مسيحيت و رابطه ميان ايمان و خشونت را تشريح ميکرد.

وي تاکيد کرد که اينها سخنان او نيست و تنها سخنان امپراتور مانوئل دوم پلالوگوس از امپراتوري مسيحي بيزانس را که پايتخت آن در استانبول امروزي بود، نقل ميکند.

وي تاکيد کرد که اين سخنان را نقل قول ميکند و افزود که خشونت "با ذات پروردگار و طبيعت روح ناسازگار است."

پاپ گفته بود: مسيحيت به شدت با برهان و منطق در ارتباط است و مخالف كساني است كه معتقد به گسترش عقايد خود از طريق زور شمشير هستند.

وي همچنين با استفاده از واژههايي نظير "جهاد" و "جنگ مقدس" در سخنراني خود افزود: خشونت با فطرت خدايي و معنويت در تضاد است.

پاپ در پايان سخنانش مجددا به نقل از مانوئل دوم گفت: به خاطر وسعت منطق و برهان است كه ما دوستان خود را به گفت و گوي فرهنگها دعوت ميكنيم.

در همين حال علي بارداک اوغلو، رييس سازمان امور ديانت ترکيه، اظهارات رهبر کاتوليک هاي جهان را

"خصمانه" توصيف کرد و از وي خواست تا از مسلمانان جهان عذرخواهي کند. پاپ قرار است در ماه نوامبر از ترکيه ديدن کند.

بارداک اوغلو به ذکر جناياتي که جنگجويان صليبي کليساي کاتوليک رومي در قرون وسطي عليه مسيحيان ارتدکس و يهوديان و همچنين مسلمانان، مرتکب شده اند پرداخت.

وي گفت "اميدوار است که اظهارات پاپ منعکس کننده نفرت قلبي وي از اسلام نباشد."

محمد مهدي عاکف، رهبر گروه اخوان المسلمين مصر نيز گفت که کلام پاپ "بيانگر برداشت صحيح از اسلام نيست و تنها عقايد مطلقا غلط و تحريف شدهاي از اسلام است که در غرب تکرار مي شود."

وي در بيانيهاي گفت او "از اينکه چنين اظهاراتي را از کسي که در راس کليساي کاتوليک قرار دارد و حرفهاي او در افکار عمومي غرب نفوذ دارد مي شنود، دچار حيرت شده است."

وي از دولت هاي اسلامي خواست در صورت عدم عذرخواهي پاپ روابط خود با واتيکان را قطع کنند.

پيشتر جاويد احمد گامدي، از روحانيون ارشد مسلمان پاکستان، اظهارات پاپ بنديکت شانزدهم را غيرمسوولانه خواند و تاکيد کرد که مفهوم جهاد از ديد اسلام اين نيست که دين را بايد با قدرت شمشير گسترش داد.

پليس در کشمير تحت کنترل هند روزنامههايي را که متن سخنراني پاپ را منتشر کرده بود، جمع آوري کرده است تا از بروز هرگونه تنش در اين منطقه مورد مناقشه پيشگيري کند.

شيخ يوسف قرضاوي، از روحانيون برجسته قطر، نيز اظهارات پاپ را رد کرد و گفت: "مسلمانان حق دارند از سخنان بلندپايه ترين روحاني عالم مسيحيت عصباني باشند و احساسات آنها جريحه دار شده باشد."

وي از پاپ خواست به خاطر توهين به اسلام، پيامبر و معتقدات آن از امت اسلام پوزش بخواهد.

[Rasputin]

آنگلا مرکل صدر اعظم آلمان، از اظهارات پاپ رهبر کاتوليک های جهان در مورد اسلام دفاع کرده و همزمان اعتراض رهبران سياسی و مذهبی کشورهای مسلمان به سخنان پاپ ادامه دارد.
صدر اعظم آلمان گفته است که منتقدان، درباره مفهوم سخنان پاپ که به گفته وی "دعوت به گفتگوی اديان" بوده است، دچار سوء تفاهم شده اند.

پرويز مشرف رييس جمهور پاکستان و عبدالله احمد بداوی نخست وزير مالزی هم به جمع معترضان پاپ پيوستند.

آقای مشرف که در نشست کشورهای عضو جنبش عدم تعهد در کوبا سخن می گفت، خواهان موضع گيری در برابر مرتبط دانستن تروريسم با اسلام و تبعيض عليه مسلمانان شد.

رييس جمهور پاکستان گفت: "استراتژی ما، باید صريحاً، با گرايشهای نادرستی که تروريسم را با اسلام ربط می دهد و عليه مسلمانان تبعيض روا دارد، مخالفت کند. این نوع گرایشها، باعث افزايش ناخوشايند فاصله ميان اسلام و غرب می شود".


گفت که اينگونه اظهارات، باعت بيگانگی اسلام و غرب می شود
عبدالله احمد بداوی نخست وزير مالزی نيز در همين نشست، گفته است که پاپ بايد برای آرام کردن مسلمانان، بيشتر تلاش کند.

يک خبرگزاری در مالزی به نام "برنامه" به نقل از آقای بداوی گفته است "پاپ نبايد خشمی را که (پس از سخنان او) به وجود آمده، سبک بشمارد".

نخست وزير مالزی گفته است: "واتيکان بايد مسئوليت کامل اين مساله را به دوش بگيرد و برای جبران اين اشتباه، اقدام اساسی کند".

پاپ بنديکت شانزدهم رهبر کاتوليک های جهان، روز پنجشنبه 14 سپتامبر، در سخنانی به نقل از يک امپراتور قرن چهاردهم، گفته بود پيامبر اسلام به جز خشونت، چيزی برای جهان به ارمغان نياورده است.

پاپ که در دانشگاهی در آلمان پيرامون تفاوت فلسفی و تاريخی بين اسلام و مسيحيت و رابطه ايمان و خشونت سخنرانی می کرد، سخنان يکی از امپراتوران بيزانس (روم شرقی) را در باره اسلام و مسلمانان تکرار کرد.


نخست وزير مالزی: واتيکان بايد مسئوليت کامل اين مساله را به دوش بگيرد
با وجود بيانيه دربار واتيکان در توضيح اظهارات پاپ درباره اسلام، اعتراض مسلمانان به سخنان رهبر کاتوليک های جهان ادامه داشته است.

گفته شده است که پاپ - که به همراه مشاور ارشدش در در اقامتگاه تابستانی اش در نزديکی رم به سر می برد - از نحوه تفسير اظهاراتش در مورد پيامبر اسلام آشفته شده است.

'چشمپوشی از خشونت'

در آلمان، زادگاه پاپ بنديکت شانزدهم، آنگلا مرکل صدر اعظم اين کشور، گفته است که سخنان پاپ، ناشی از علاقه او به گفتگوی ميان اديان بوده است.


خانم مرکل گفت موضوعی که پاپ بيان کرده، ضرورت فوری و قطعی 'چشمپوشی از انواع خشونت، تحت نام دين' است
خانم مرکل افزوده است: "اين (گفتگوی اديان) چيزی است که من هم از آن پشتيبانی می کنم و فکر می کنم که يک نياز فوری است".

او گفت موضوعی که پاپ بيان کرده، ضرورت فوری و قطعی "چشمپوشی از انواع خشونت، تحت نام دين" است.

دربار واتيکان نيز گفته است که نبايد سخنان پاپ به گونه ای تفسير شود که گويا منظور او، حمله به اسلام يا توهين به آن بوده است.

واتيکان می گويد پاپ به هيچ وجه قصد توهين به اسلام را نداشته و "برای مسلمانان احترام قايل است".

با اين وجود، اظهارات روز پنجشنبه رهبر کاتوليک های جهان، خشم برخی از جوامع اسلامی را برانگيخته و اعتراضها برای دومين روز پياپی ادامه دارد.

در ترکيه نخستين کشور اسلامی که پاپ قرار است از آن ديدار کند، به گفته خبرنگار بی بی سی، انتقاد از سخنان رهبر کاتوليک های جهان، در حال افزايش است.


واتيکان گفت پاپ به هيچ وجه قصد توهين به مسلمانان را نداشته است
سارا رينزفورد خبرنگار بی بی سی در ترکيه می گويد سياستمداران اين کشور، درخواست رهبران ارشد مذهبی برای عذرخواهی پاپ را تکرار می کنند.

صالح کاپوسوز معاون رهبر حزب عدالت و توسعه (حزب حاکم ترکيه)، گفته است که سخنان پاپ، موقعيت او را در تاريخ تنزل داده و او را همطراز رهبرانی چون هيتلر و موسولينی قرار داده است.

خبرنگار بی بی سی می گويد هنوز اعتراضهای خيابانی اندکی در ترکيه برپا شده است، اما بسياری در ترکيه، از سخنان پاپ خشمگين هستند.

پاپ قبلا نيز گفته بود که ترکيه دارای فرهنگ متفاوت با بقيه اروپا است و جايی در ميان کشورهای اروپايی ندارد. به گفته خبرنگار بی بی سی، آن سخنان، هنوز هم برای مردم ترکيه رنجش آور است.

در ديگر کشورهای اسلامی:


چندين هزار مسلمان فلسطينی، در نوار غزه دست به تظاهرات زدند. بر اساس يک گزارش رسيده، چهار بمب دست ساز، در نزديکی يک کليسای مسيحيان در غزه منفجر شده که تلفاتی در پی نداشته است.
احمد ابوالغيث وزير خارجه مصر، در گفتگو با خبرگزاری آسوشيتدپرس، خواهان توضيح پاپ شده و گفته است که اين سخنان، نشانه عدم شناخت از اسلام است.
شورای روابط مسلمانان آمريکا، سخنان پاپ را، "نادرست و تفرقه افکن" خوانده است.
پاکستان، سفير واتيکان در اسلام آباد را احضار کرده تا مراتب نگرانی دولت پاکستان در مورد اظهارات پاپ را به وی ابلاغ کند. پيشتر پارلمان اين کشور، پيشنهاد يکی از نمايندگان را در انتقاد از آنچه که اظهارات "توهين آميز" پاپ بنديکت شانزدهم خوانده شده تصويب کرد و از وی خواست تا به خاطر ايجاد همدلی بين مذاهب، سخنان اخير خود در باره اسلام را پس بگيرد.
در ايران نيز، آيت الله احمد خاتمی، امام جمعه موقت تهران، در خطبه های نماز جمعه از آنچه که اهانت پاپ به اسلام خواند ابراز تاسف کرد.

پيشتر در هند هم ، که دارای يک اقليت بزرگ مسلمان است، حميد انصاری، رييس کميسيون اقليت ها، با اشاره به فرمان پاپ در قرن دوازدهم برای خارج کردن بيت المقدس از دست مسلمانان که آغازگر جنگ های صليبی شد، گفته است که "زبانی که پاپ (بنديکت شانزدهم) به کار می برد يادآور سلف وی در قرن دوازدهم است."

دولت هند از بيم بروز واکنشی خشونت آميز در کشمير تحت اداره اين کشور، که اکثريت جمعيت آن را مسلمانان تشکيل می دهند، دو تن از رهبران جدايی طلب کشميری را تحت بازداشت خانگی قرار داد.