Pope Benedict XVI: Wrongfully condemned and maligned

(Picture taken by GCU during the Consistory on March 2006)

I find it outrageous that most of our Muslim brothers condemn His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on account of a quotation he used in his lecture at the Aula Magna of the University of Regensburg on Tuesday (12 September 2006). The Pakistani Parliament condemned him. In India, he was likened to Hitler and Mussolini. Elsewhere, his effigy was burned. But, what did the Pope say exactly? He quoted from a book in which 14th-century Byzantine Christian Emperor Manuel II Paleologos and a Persian have a conversation about truths of Christianity and Islam. "'The emperor comes to speak about the issue of jihad, holy war,' Benedict said. 'He said, I quote, "Show me just what Mohammed 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." These were not the Pope’s words per se as he quoted them from an old book in an effort to venture upon the issue of understanding among religions as his lecture was on Faith and Reason. Does he deserve to be condemned for merely quoting that book?

They demand his apology. But, did they ever consider the context of his quotation? They who condemn him ought to read the Pope’s full lecture, otherwise they are pathetically reactionary and simply irrational. The complete text of his lecture can be read on the Vatican website: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/september/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20060912_university-regensburg_en.html

REMEMBERRING 9/11: Man can be so cruel....

Five years ago today, I was watching CNN at about 8:50 P.M. Philippine time, when a newsflash showed that a “small” plane hit one of the buildings of the World Trade Center. They thought at first that it was indeed a small plane that hit. Then came the other plane hitting the other building. At that point, I thought of informing Bishop Utleg because at that time I was living with him at his Residence. I knocked at his door and told him that both buildings of the World Trade Center have been hit by terrorists. We prayed at the private chapel adjacent to his room.

Pondering upon that day of infamy, I realized how man can be so cruel to his fellowmen. Innocent people were killed. People of different races were in that building. It made me think how fragile life can be. Life is made fragile by people who seem to live only in order to hurt. When will such debauchery stop? When will the extremists realize that there is no such god that mandates the killing of innocent people?

G.C. UANAN
11 September 2006