Pope Apologises; Religion Of Peace Goes About Business As Usual

In a surprising move, Pope Benedict has apologised for offending Muslims by telling the truth about how their religion has spread by violence.

Of course, the response of the religion of peace was to threaten:

AN Iraqi armed group has threatened to carry out attacks against Rome and the Vatican in retaliation for Pope Benedict XVI's remarks on Islam, according to a statement posted on the internet today. "We swear that we will destroy their cross in the heart of Rome ... and that their Vatican will be hit and wept over by the Pope," said Jaish al-Mujahideen (the Mujahideen's Army) in the statement, whose authenticity could not be confirmed.

The statement lashed out at "Zionised Christians and loathsome crusaders" and was accompanied by six films showing attacks against US military targets in Iraq, which it said were "dedicated to the dog of the crusaders (an apparent reference to the Pope) in retaliation for his remarks". "We will not rest until your thrones and your crosses have been destroyed on your own territory," said the group, which has claimed many attacks against US and government forces in Iraq.

and commit violence:

five churches - only one of them Catholic - were attacked in the West Bank, although no one was hurt...

In Iraq, the Government asked Muslims not to take their anger out on the small Christian minority, after the door of a church in Basra was attacked.

Meanwhile, on the very same page of News.com.au (screengrab) this morning, two neighbouring links show the religion of peace going about business as usual:

At least three dead in shop, hotel blasts

SIX simultaneous motorcycle bombs killed at least three people and wounded more than 60 on a busy street in the southern Thai town of Hat Yai on Saturday, police said. Attacks were expected this weekend in three Muslim provinces further south on the anniversary of the foundation of one of the separatist guerrilla groups there, but the bombs in Hat Yai took authorities by surprise.

and

39 more bodies found as violence flares

AT least 39 corpses have been recovered in Iraq, while another eight people have been killed in separate attacks... In the previous four days, security forces recovered nearly 150 bodies, most of them from Baghdad - the epicentre of the conflict between the newly-empowered Shiite majority and the ousted Sunni Arab (Muslim) elite that has left thousands dead since February.

Weak-kneed apologists at the Vatican are looking for any excuse to appease:

The Church source said the Pope, who for years was a professor of theology in his native Germany, had perhaps made a mistake by mixing up his past and present roles.

Others were more realistic:

...another diplomatic source praised the Pope for "calling a spade a spade". "I see this as a wake up call for Christians. It will be interesting to see what the next step will be, but I don't think he has to apologise for anything, nor do I think he will," the diplomatic source said.

The worst thing about all of this is that The Pope has apologised.

It's a real surprise. I thought the man had balls.

And having weighed in, the last thing he should have done is backed down in the face of Muslim hypocrisy.

Ultimately, it will cost even more lives.

-- Nick