How ever would we know about the Catholic Menace if you didn't stand up to say how evil they all were?

I am so glad your there protecting us from their backwards "god" nonsense. We know all we will ever need to know about anything, and that an old man who lives in a castle is allowed to speak freely about his beliefs is a shame for our society. That any poor benighted fool might actually agree with the old man is a danger.

Thank you once again Salon for showing us just how you feel. I'm looking forward to your future articles detailing the global catholic conspiracy to oppress the world; I hear they may be in it with the Jews.

" Kill those who deny that Islam is a religion of peace ! " This was yelled at the "cartoons' demonstrations". Now it is beeing repeated about the Pope's speach. Anybody can read the pope's speach. I am no friend of the catholic church - I am a atheist and an apostate. But in this particular speach was a scholarly speach about faith and reason. Nothing to get excited about. The pope did nothing wrong this time. What is not OK is that Salon.com is taking side with the dark-age idiots yelling "Kill those who deny that Islam is a religion of peace ! " and similar dark-age rethoric threaths, and not with those who think that indeed in the 21st century it is OK to criticize and yes, even despise, the religious superstitions of a bygone era. I consider it as my right to criticize religions: religious people like to criticze and despise atheists. Muslims consider it perfectly OK that the Koran slanders christian beliefs, I do not see why they should have the right to get all excited if a pope- or anybody for that matter - cites a guy who despised Islam.

Indeed.

A stint in the Hitler Youth? Hosting a racist,snarling journalist? An obviously callous outlook towards Islam and it's revered Prophet? How in the world did this man become Pope?

It would seem to me that the electing body at The Vatican would be well aware of his views. How could they not be? I'm sorry to ask so many questions here, but as a non-Catholic I have some ignorance as to how and why this priest was allowed to ascend. Was there a contingent of priests hoping to actually withdraw the hand that Pope John extended? And for what aim(s)?

On the other hand it really isn't suprising to see someone who is apparently as arrogant as this man is to pull out an obscure text (that he is more than likely very familiar with) to assert his views to an audience very familiar with the message. It very much reminds me of some evangelical, Pat Robertson for an example, calling Catholics idol worshipers for their relationship with The Virgin Mary. It is plain and simple prejudice baiting, But it is not a random slip of speach. It is planned to speak to a certain audience.

Needless to say, this is all very disturbing. The Islamic community is on edge- and for good reason. This is no time to throw gas on the fire. Even if it makes your audience nod their collective heads in agreement.

Peace.

How anyone can remain a Catholic is beyond me. What a bunch of perverted ass clowns.

At last, a major Christian leader is joining the war on terror and it is long overdue. Muslims and Catholics hold many shared values, such as the importance of marriage, pre-marital virginity, sanctity of life (and the unborn), prohibitions on vice and at least worship of a single God (the God of Abraham). But in the 21st century, Islam is being defined by its extremists, and their message is violence, the holy war in accordance with their theology of Islam. Frank dialogue gets churches burned and nuns killed.

I hope the Pope in his visit to Turkey both emphasizes the common ground of christians and muslims, but holds up a mirror and shows what the extremists are doing to their faith.

Do you really have to reprint the ravings of an anti-Catholic bigot to demonstrate this? As an Irish-American I just have to laugh when I see some Brit giving out the pay about the Catholic Church's "triumphalist and bigoted past". Hello, (tea)pot? Meet kettle!

What exactly do people expect a Pope to say?---"Really, I think this whole jihad idea is jolly fun. Do carry on. And, since we're so much alike, I think I'll run along and doff these Papal vestments, throw my Edicts in with the Papal rubbish and purchase myself one of those prayer mat thingees you fellows have and find out which way Mecca faces."

I'm sorry. I have a hard time jumping on the "bash the pope" bandwagon this time around. What is more offensive - making some denigrating remarks about another religion, or physically assaulting and killing people of another religion and burning down their churches? And we are supposed to be mad at the Pope? Doesn't that betray a bias along the lines that Catholics should be civilized, but we can't expect Muslims to behave themselves? The sympathy on large parts of the left for Islam is truly mind boggling. It appears to be an example of taking the philosophy "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" to ridiculous extremes unheard of since leftist support of Pol Pot. It is true that the Catholic Church is archaic, full of blinkered chauvinists and homophobes, and responsible for centuries of repression. But be real, the historical record of Islam does not argue that it is any better - the destruction of Coptic culture, the centuries of slaughter of Hindus, slave trading in Africa are all just the tip of the iceberg. The response of radical muslims to the Pope's remarks is truly outrageous and that is where our outrage as Westerners should lie. I understand the desire of the left not to feed the islamophobia that the right is trying to provoke, but there needs to be a way the left can stand with moderate muslims and not compromise itself by showing any sympathy for extremists. I'm not signing up for taking down anti-life anti-woman Christian fanatics by allying myself with Muslim fanatics who are even worse.