Pope Benedict XVI addressed students at Regensburg University, Germany, and delivered a highly scholarly speech, called “Faith, Reason and the University - Memories and Reflections”, in which he devoted a very brief time to the discussion of Islam and violence (see the full text of Benedict XVI's speech in Germany at http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14848884/).
The point of the speech was to show how the abandonment of reason, or logos, had led to the secularisation of western society. According to the Pope reason is not opposed to faith but instead thrives on it, even needs it.
The Pope did not make mistake, because Pope only quote old saying; The mistake is on the mass media .. they did misquoting on what Pope said. Well, actually the Pope did a lecture for the theologians. I read the paper in both English and Indonesia, I got the paper (from email) … that translated pope’s lecture in Indonesia, and inside his lecture note, it didn’t attack the Moslem faith nor questioning their faith.
None of the people showing their rage actually read what the Pope said or meant. Worse, political and muslim spiritual leader, but a few, critisised the Pope, indirectly inciting the mob. Why didn’t they say to the people “read the speech and make up your mind”?
There was a good article in Indonesian interfaith website by a muslim who read the Pope’s speech and wrote that his message was one of peace. The speech was as invitation to a dialog, to use “Logos” i.e.: reasoning instead of deadly confrontations or inter-religious meetings where everybody says that we “should” love each other. Why shouldn’t we use logic while discussing of religion? Why are we so afraid to put our faith and our holy books under screening? Or better, why are leaders so afraid that we might put our faith under screening and make up our mind? What a missed opportunity!
Interesting comment on Hariankomentar.com came from the chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah the largest Muslim moderate organization in Indonesia said “the Pope’s speech need to received in cool head, He has apologized and that is enough for us and he is forgiven and if the muslims still showing their anger it will only confirm that the Muslims is lacking of anger management”, furthermore, according to Gus Dur, who also the former chairman of Nahdatul Ulama and the former President of Indonesia said “in my opinion, Pope’s speech is normal and not insulting”, he even questioning the assumption that Papal’s speech was wrong, “nothing wrong in his speech, why accused him wrong?” he ask.
Thank God for that, there are some intellectual muslims out there who could see and understand the problem very clear, and these came from most respective muslim from the largest mulsim population in the world.
Having saying that this is very sensitive time, muslims (not all) is like shattered glass, they can easily blow up, it’s only words by the way, but look how sensitive they are, an Italian Nun have been shoot dead, churches have been burning shortly after the speech was published, attacking churches will only confirm the accusation that this religion have serious anger management problem .
The Christians are being persecuted, most recently was the execution of 3 Indonesian Christian 'Scapegoats' (http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060922/24740.htm), Christian are being insulted, yet we don’t react much with their statement, wonder why!.
The point of the speech was to show how the abandonment of reason, or logos, had led to the secularisation of western society. According to the Pope reason is not opposed to faith but instead thrives on it, even needs it.
The Pope did not make mistake, because Pope only quote old saying; The mistake is on the mass media .. they did misquoting on what Pope said. Well, actually the Pope did a lecture for the theologians. I read the paper in both English and Indonesia, I got the paper (from email) … that translated pope’s lecture in Indonesia, and inside his lecture note, it didn’t attack the Moslem faith nor questioning their faith.
None of the people showing their rage actually read what the Pope said or meant. Worse, political and muslim spiritual leader, but a few, critisised the Pope, indirectly inciting the mob. Why didn’t they say to the people “read the speech and make up your mind”?
There was a good article in Indonesian interfaith website by a muslim who read the Pope’s speech and wrote that his message was one of peace. The speech was as invitation to a dialog, to use “Logos” i.e.: reasoning instead of deadly confrontations or inter-religious meetings where everybody says that we “should” love each other. Why shouldn’t we use logic while discussing of religion? Why are we so afraid to put our faith and our holy books under screening? Or better, why are leaders so afraid that we might put our faith under screening and make up our mind? What a missed opportunity!
Interesting comment on Hariankomentar.com came from the chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah the largest Muslim moderate organization in Indonesia said “the Pope’s speech need to received in cool head, He has apologized and that is enough for us and he is forgiven and if the muslims still showing their anger it will only confirm that the Muslims is lacking of anger management”, furthermore, according to Gus Dur, who also the former chairman of Nahdatul Ulama and the former President of Indonesia said “in my opinion, Pope’s speech is normal and not insulting”, he even questioning the assumption that Papal’s speech was wrong, “nothing wrong in his speech, why accused him wrong?” he ask.
Thank God for that, there are some intellectual muslims out there who could see and understand the problem very clear, and these came from most respective muslim from the largest mulsim population in the world.
Having saying that this is very sensitive time, muslims (not all) is like shattered glass, they can easily blow up, it’s only words by the way, but look how sensitive they are, an Italian Nun have been shoot dead, churches have been burning shortly after the speech was published, attacking churches will only confirm the accusation that this religion have serious anger management problem .
The Christians are being persecuted, most recently was the execution of 3 Indonesian Christian 'Scapegoats' (http://www.christianpost.com/article/20060922/24740.htm), Christian are being insulted, yet we don’t react much with their statement, wonder why!.
Hallo... 
