"On the other hand, if you cannot, as part of a lengthy and profound academic lecture, cite a 600 year-old text for fear of stirring the aggravation of noisy politicians half way around the world, what CAN you do? We might as well all retreat into obscurantism. And keep our mouths shut, for otherwise, who knows who we might offend. And if, as a result of the outrage, some Catholics get killed or their churches burned down by offended scholars and textual exegesists it might be thought that Manuel's original point had rather been made." (Stephen Bates in Guardian)

The Pope says that jihad violence is against God's nature, and officials fear that in response, Muslims enraged by this insult will commit...jihad violence - as has been proven today. Muslims around the world have proven that the Pope is 100% correct in the text he quoted. Oh well, here they go again... always thinking of themselves as the victims, and making any excuse to jihad.

Pakistani Foreign Minister, Tasnim Aslam responds to the Pope`s remarks: "Anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence." Apparently the boundless irony of this statement was lost on the speaker. But he got it spot on. This `outrage` is just another excuse to tear the place up, burn some buildings, kill some people - just as the adherents of any tolerant, modern religion would do.

They violently react because they are accused of being a part of a faith that is violent. I wonder how the Pope and the rest of the world got that idea? Violent? Really? Poll: 2 out of 3 murdering burning plundering rampaging fanatical Muslims deny and object to the characterization that Islam is violent. Warning: Don't accuse them of being violent or you may get beheaded.... Don't apologize Pope, but speak BOLDLy the truth.

This hardly qualifies as an apology. He said, "Sorry if you took my remarks wrong." I think Benny 16 is laying out the groundwork for a stand against Muslim Jihadists. Like the anti-Communist Pope before him, this one is preparing for the next events in the Jihadist War Against The West.

The Muslims can denounce the holocaust, call for the destruction of Israel and hold an anti-Semitic comic competition and no one even blinks. But say one word about Islam and they fire bomb churches, etc.... Why doesn’t the world rid itself of this evil?

as an arab christian, I advise israel to dont play its traditional role, (seperate and rule) this will not succeed and they will lose the battle by waisting money and time for propoganda,arab palestinian christian and moslems lives in the same land thousands of years, either it was misrable time as now, or good, they face the same conditions of hunger and bad economic and lack of security, no way to devide one man body, again israel must try to find the rational way to find peace, and i m sure if israel want and have the will they will obtain the security and peace

All you people, who try to put down Islam have closed hearts. You can't see thye truth.

*sigh* Finally, a clear message of what the world is facing from the Muslim world, and at the first sign of the inherent violence, an apology. The whole episode reeks. I am so tired of the "outrage" that Muslims feel at any discussion of, critical insight into, or frankly, anything that people don't like about Islam. All it does is prove the point. If you say Islam is violent, Muslims riot. What part does the world not get? *sigh*

..that pope cited the words of the emperor Manuel Paleolog who was PERSIAN by birth, CHRISTIAN by faith, and when wrote these words, was beiseged in his own capital Constantinopole by MUSLIM army.

Why the Pope must apologize? Because his words offended 1400 million muslims all over the world. I myself never ever expected words like these from some one I do respect. His spirituality should have prevented him from saying what he said. He is not a professor any more, he is the Pope. His words are way from Jessus words, his words might kill people around the world, and I will never forgive him, neither God will if one human get killed because of his words. I truly ask the pope to prevent killing over his remarks, and like to remind him that more than 30 people been killed after the Caricator 3 months ago. What is the benefit out of his words, Would it makes Islam more peacfull???

Just to remind th pop of the holy war in which christians butchering thousands of Muslims in the name of christinanity but Muslims NEVER say that christianity is evil.... Jews are not different either , they killed thousnads of Palestininas and robbed their lands to creat a holy land..it is all in the name of religion...your are hypocrates

THE ATTACKS TO THE CHURCHES IN NABLUS CONFIRM WHAT THE POPE SAYS. MUSLIMS HAVE APOLOGYZE TO THE WORLD FOR WHAT EXTREME ISLAM LEADERS ARE DOING. WE (CHRISTINAS, JEWS, BUDIST,) ARE STILL THE MAJORITY AND EUROPE IS NOT YET EURABIA AND AS YOU COULD SEE DICRIMINATION AGAINST MUSLIMS IS GROWING. IF MUSLIMS WANT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES THEY HAVE TO SHOW TO THE WORLD THAT THEY ARE NOT KILLING MACHINES AND THAT THEY DO NOT SUPPORT TERRORISM AND EXTREME LEADERS.

If a man who is accused of beating his wife denies it categorically and vociferously, and in the same breath summons his wife and smacks her in the face in public, what is one to think? Is any critical discussion of ancient texts permissible without threats of violence in the muslim world?

here we go again. Anyone who is not a Muslim should be their standards not be able to say anything what may offend them. On the other side it is totally acceptable for Muslims to insult Jews and Christians in the worst ways possible, stir violence and kill innocent infidels. This is so sick.

I believe that the real threat that every western leader is concerned about is that 77% of the world oil reserves (bp.com) is in the Muslim counties. Whoever controls this oil will control world economies and wellbeing of the East and the West for years to come.

Last night, I was listening to the radio. The conductor and other journalists in the program said exactly the same as you do. They said the other Pope fought against Communism and maybe this Pope has to fight the new totalitarianism. By the way, those journalists are very well informed, and the main share-holder of the radio station is an bishops’ conference.

As always i remain to say that moslem and christian in the holyland and everywhere in arab is one people nothing can devide them. i dont think that pop want to harm islam because it against christianity manners and traditions but what he mentioned that islam spread through thw wars (fotohat) is right and that what we studied in schools about badr and ohod, khaibar, fateh makeh, against the kufar in makah, fotohat elsham, what ever these wars was by swords that leads to open all arab countries, nothing is not mentioned in the arab history or arab litreture, unless they were teaching us something wrong, and as many of holy qoran ayat that i remember mentioned the jihad and the holy war, the pope didnt say something out of that, except condeming the jihad, the funny thing is that we look to minor issues and not for the real issues that no body comments on it.

No, this is not an apology. The Pope has nothing to apologize for. If Pals and other Muslims feel offended, the problem is on them, not on the Pope. He said that to impose a faith through violence is irrational and against G-d. Why does it offend the followers of the “religion of peace”? And your reaction over his words has proved him right.

I agree Mr. Observer. There is no excuse for violence especially in the light of the sensitive situation that Pope had put himself into. But again, Muslim world seems to have "Muslim Crusades" on its own. I am citing BinLaden and his like. In as much as the Christian Crusades was denounced by the West, the Muslim world should also unanimously denounce this new Garden Variety Muslim Crusade that is menacing today’s society. Amir

During the crusades , not only muslims were killed , but on their way to Jerusalem , they massacred every Jew they did see . Do not forget , violent conversions to christianity , the "holy" inquisition and other crimes in the name of the church . This is a far away history , but islamist violence is there today . Look what happens in Irak , and those are "good" non violent muslims who kill each other