Was the Pope's statement an apology? (faith, pope, Christian, sunday)

[doppelgänger]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060917/...u/pope_muslims

"At this time I wish also to add that I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims."

Is that an apology?

What's your reaction?

[lunamoth]

Originally Posted by doppelgänger

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060917/...u/pope_muslims

"At this time I wish also to add that I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims."

Is that an apology?

What's your reaction?

Saying one is sorry for another's reactions is not an apology, but I did not yet read the speech.

[Sunstone]

This Pope does not seem to be nearly as interested in a Muslim/Christian dialog as was his predecessor. In fact, he seems to have an antipathy to Islam. I don't think his apology was much of an apology, although there have been a few Muslim groups that were gracious enough to accept it.

[MaddLlama]

Saying "I'm sorry you were offended" after you make a racist comment isn't an apology. Actually I find that sort of attitude to be really obnoxious.

[michel]

I have said 'No'.

To me, he hasn't apologised for his having used a piece of historic text that offended Muslims.

Look at the way it is phased:-

The Pope said Sunday that he was "deeply sorry" about the angry reaction to his recent remarks about Islam, which he said came from a text that didn't reflect his personal opinion.
"These (words) were in fact a quotation from a Medieval text which do not in any way express my personal thought," Benedict told pilgrims at his summer palace outside Rome.

Look at the way that is phrased; he says he is sorry for the reaction (that is not an apology); if the text did not reflect his opinion, why did he refer to it?

I can't believe he did this intending to offend..........that is unthinkable, but he should have been a lot more careful.

[Revasser]

If it's an apology, it's a backhanded one.

That said, I don't personally think he has anything to apologise for.

[Random]

I don't think he has anything to apologize for. He quoted another accurately and thereby told the truth: Islam was spread by the sword and still today considers war to be ordained by Allah. His point was that faith and violence should be opposites, not co-equals.

[Djamila]

Originally Posted by Godlike

I don't think he has anything to apologize for. He quoted another accurately and thereby told the truth: Islam was spread by the sword and still today considers war to be ordained by Allah. His point was that faith and violence should be opposites, not co-equals.

Compared to Christianity? South America's conversion to Christianity alone is enough to make the entire Islamic expansion into the Near East look like a picnic.

And he said much more than just that Islam was spread by the sword, which isn't offensive - just ironic, coming from a Roman Catholic Pope.

He said Muhammed brought nothing new but things that are evil and inhuman. Well, just off the top of my head, how about commands to respect and value women? How about commands to free the slaves? How about commands never to wage war except in self defense? How about commands to accept peace if it is offered?

Bring back Jean Paul II.