Thank you for the good article.

As a muslim living in the west, I can feel a lot of hatred against Islam. If online forums and blogs can be considered as a good measure, then that hatred is spreading fast and getting dangerous.

Many christians attack Islam on basis of it being violent. When I see that in forums I try to point out to them some of their shameful past and terrible violence. Hoping that they would step back and take a moment to think.

Unfortunately many are well aware of the violent past (and present) of christian/western coutries. Their attack on Islam is not out of ignorance, but is of hatered.

I fear the day where hating Islam will unite Chrisitians, Jews, Hindus, and Buddihsts. If that day comes, it will be risky for muslims to remain in the west.

Having read the controversial speech, I now wonder if this pope is simply too much of an academic and not enough of a pastor. His head and heart seem to be buried in books, history, and theology, and out of touch with the modern world and how people today think and react. Furthermore, for one who seems to love learning, Benedict XVI seems to lack the open mindedness and curiosity of one so bound to the academic life

He's too much of a German, perhaps. (Not to imply that he's knowingly trying to start up a world war, or anything....)

the best and most pertinent comment was made by the Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam who said that "Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence". Right - case closed.

...about to clash.

The old pope travelled around in a glass case, this new one lives in one.

They should dump this intolerant, dark-ages, ex-nazi youth before he can do more damage.

nice to see golden boy (once again) esplaining the world to all us ignernt libruhls. i feel much better now. and if god, whomever she is, is listenin', could/would she let us know - you know; mirror-mirror-on-the-wall style - whom is the fairest of them all. actually, it's all moot when everbody already knows it are the mormons and their lost tribe of mesopotamianacalswhatsits. honest, I aint makin' this stuff up - just ask em...aint that wright, golden boy? come on golden, esplain some more fer all us ignernts...

:~)

look around, pal - every where Muslims live, violence follows - I would give an exception to the United States, but then your peaceful followers flew some jets into some buildings (and murdered Mayer Kahani, and bombed the WTC in '93 AND shot up a van carrying students on the Brooklyn bridge - just to name a few). For some reason, whether it be Muslims killing over a Nigerian beauty contest, Muslims destroying ancient art, Muslims murdering film makers in the street, muslims rioting over cartoons, Muslims attacking Jews in the streets of Europe, Muslims killing in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, North America - or where ever they are, we get the same old garbage: MUSLIMS are the victims. So back to your original statement, that "hating Islam will unite Chrisitians, Jews, Hindus, and Buddihsts" and make it "risky" for Muslims to stay in the west. Aside from the fact that most Muslims (by far) are slaughtered by Muslims hands in Muslims lands, if everyone else gangs up on Muslims, it won't be out of hatred, it will be for self preservation...

I said it was a fantasy.

Larger point being, religion has been an interesting experiment, but in my opinion the net result has been negative.

Of course your knee-jerk response included a predictable reference to North Korea. Atheists are a pretty diverse bunch, actually. They exist in our military for one, and they don't appreciate the saying "there are no atheists in foxholes" while defending your religious ass in ridiculous wars launched for no good reason.

Trying to paint me as a racist while making generalizations. Thanks for making my point for me.

Strange, I always considered myself a liberal. I figured lining up in opposition to the violent, intolerant Muslims put me on the progressive side - you think differently?

And in case you didn't notice, there are now plenty of people - including registered Salon users - posting letters along the same line of thought that I've been proposing. Aren't many of these Salon posters liberals?

Maybe you should think before you post. :)

Please explain why past violence of Christians exonerates present violence by Muslims.

Am I liberal? Absolutely. George Bush - idiot, war monger.

Dick Cheney - same, but perhaps more intelligent.

Karl Rove - the Darth Vader of my generation.

Iraq war - totally unjustified and leading us into a quagmire for which it will take a new president to get us out of.

Evangelical Christians - totally un-Christ-like in their invective and actions towards gays, non-believers and minorities.

But let's take the Pope's comment for a moment - in fact, let's take it out of context and just the comment itself.

Is his comment not accurate? Is it not every Muslim's obligation - according to the Koran - to advance Islam by the mouth or sword? Can someone please explain what inaccuracy Benedict posed?

Should we take it into context now? A comment that it is unjust to advance one's belief in God through violence. Of which Christians and Muslims are also to blame.

This author, Madeleine Bunting, rehashes old stereotypes against the Catholic Church to suggest that no apology or synod or Council could ever hope to remedy. JPII already apologized for the Catholic Church's acquiescence during WW2. He has similarly apologized for slavery.

Yet she poses this nonsensical analogy that because Benedict was in the Hitler Youth, it is no wonder that he doesn't offer yet another apology for the Catholic Church - only an apology that is more forthright. Does she want him to apologize for his own involvement?

And perhaps we should look to the reaction of Muslims as the best source for proving Benedict's comments true. Riots, burning the pope in effigy, looting, Iran's Ahmedinejad spouting vitriol that Islam will conquer the West.

Madeliene, let me ask you: who needs a lesson in enlightenment when a comment uttered to promote dialogue is met with a Muslim temper-tantrum?