A Pope addresses Faith and Reason, again, and again, and again, . . .

Since I last addressed this right here back when it happened, I thought, incorrectly, that things would settle down somewhat once people had a little time to digest the story. Apparently, the SLIMC is not intellectually capable of properly digesting it. They are still grossly misrepresenting the whole story, from multiple angles.

To refresh:

A learned address by Benedict XVI, in German, to a gathering of German professors at a German University, brought out, immediately and world-wide, obviously unreasonable and even violent responses from most major representatives of the faith of Islam, and gross misrepresentations of the whole affair by the SLIMC. Of important note is the fact that none of the Moslems or news commentators who immediately publicly commented on the matter could possibly have read the full context of what the Pope said, in German, to a scholarly audience of German professors. It's highly doubtful that any full Arabic or English or any other translation of his remarks was available.

Only one sentence was immediately translated and delivered up to the world in a most inflammatory way.

"The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war. 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.'"

This was a direct quote of a 14^th century Byzantine Emperor exactly as it exists in the historical record.

Note, for the semi-literate: when you quote someone, you quote his words, thoughts and sentiments, and not your own.

That's the whole reason for quoting.

Is no scholar ever to be allowed to read that particular historical quote out loud? How about reading it silently? Is history to be allowed to continue to exist, and if so, if we cannot refer to it, then why is history to be allowed to continue to exist? How about all the other massive recorded history that is far, far more damning of Islam - are we to set ourselves the task of destroying or censoring true history just for the sake of Islamic super-sensitivity?

What's so special about Islam?

The typical SLIMC report referred to the Pope's gaffe or his insensitive remarks; they repeatedly and falsely refer to his apology as actually applying to what he had quoted, rather than to his pain at how Islam had reacted to the quote. Islamic leaders and the SLIMC call for further apologies, with multiple Islamic calls for the Pope's death, and even death sentences issued.

And the irony of it all escapes the SLIMC completely.

An innocent nun is murdered in Africa due to some Moslem(s) taking exception to the scholarly remarks of a Pope to an audience of professors, in Germany. This is all quite typical of Islam, yet, it is not reported that way; to the SLIMC, the Pope, and, by extension, the Church is at fault for the death of the nun.

Why? Well, because, as everybody knows, Islam is a religion of peace.

And, predictably, Moslem clerics are brought on live TV to tell us precisely that. Invariably, they call for further apologies from the Pope, because his apology is not enough, and they gently imply that all the issued death sentences are perhaps a bit too strong, but if the Pope will just fall down in submission, he should be allowed to continue to live. One that I heard closed his "peaceful" remarks with the statement that the word Islam, in Arabic, translates to Peace in English. And I suppose that's probably true enough.

However, it also refers to one of the two domains or houses of Islam, known as Dar Al-Islam, or the House Of Peace. We don't live there. All us un-believers live in the other domain, which is Dar Al-Harb, or, literally, the House Of War. Here, where we reign, Islam is not a religion of peace; it is, where we live, a religion of war.

Look at the Islam and the Jews page for more information.

Completely lost on the SLIMC are the very simple questions regarding the Truth of the matter under consideration. Did the Emperor actually say those words. Did Mohammed actually call for conversion of the world by the sword. Does the Koran actually say that Moslems are to make war against us until no other religion exists except Islam in 2:139; 8:39; 9:29. Are Moslems called to lay in wait for us and kill us everywhere 2:191; 9:5. These are all very simple yes-or-no questions.

Completely lost on Islam is the simple fact that the Pope is not afraid to die. Lots of Popes have been murdered and martyred; why should this one be any different? He is ready. There will be other Popes. The Church cannot be destroyed. Even the gates of Hell will not prevail against it, for our Lord is with us until the end of the age. These things I do not say on my own; they are clearly written in The Book that Islam falsely claims to be "a people" of, but which, obviously, none of them have ever even read.

Now, after multiple days, more than adequate time for digestion of what the Pontiff said and how Islam reacted, what do we find?

-- Increased Moslem violence, demonstration-riots, Islamic heads-of-state calling for apology and clarification, and statements from "learned" spokesmen that the Pontiff can't let it stand as it is.

Why not? Can history be left to stand as it is, and if not, why not?

-- Members of the SLIMC ever increasingly misrepresenting Benedict's words and his position and his sentiments. Questions like why did he include that quote in his address point out the shear stupidity of the questioner. Why would he "include" any particular line or point in his address? The strength of his address was aimed at Secularism, of which the SLIMC is the most obvious major example, but that little point is entirely lost on them.

What is made abundantly clear, again, and again, and again . . . is that Islam (and the SLIMC) is unreasonable, and not to be reasoned with.

Faith and Reason go together; but Islam is not a faith as such; it is a submission. And it is an ideology that seeks ultimately to make everyone submit to it, by war, if need be. Islam not only cannot tolerate any other religion, it cannot even tolerate any criticism of itself whatsoever.

How many more times does that need to be proved?

And, as for the SLIMC; well, what can I say? They're simply not smart enough to figure it out.

Look closely at the Words that are spoken by all contenders.

I submit that the Words spoken by the Pontiff reflect Truth.

I submit that the words spoken by the SLIMC are false.

I submit that the words spoken by Islam are, predominantly, unreasonable.

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