[Dean's World] Dean: Questions for Pope Benedict

[notify at powerblogs.com]

Posted by Dean:
Questions for Pope Benedict
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1165197586.shtml


   Our firebrand friend Matoko, who recently became a Muslim, has [1]some
   pointed questions for the pontiff now that his successful visit to
   Turkey is concluded.

   They're fair questions I think.

   Although I am not Roman Catholic, I might propose some pointed
   questions of my own in the opposite direction:

   1) Although Turkey is a functional electoral democracy, and obviously
   seeks to join the modern world, its record of religious freedom still
   remains pretty bad. For example, open proselytizing for any faith
   other than Islam is branded "anti-Turkish" by the otherwise secular
   Turkish state. So are efforts to convert any Muslim to any other
   religion. These are considered crimes punishable by law.

   Without any "tu qoque" responses along the lines of "yeah but in
   France they don't allow people to wear religious garb in school or in
   government buildings" (which is also not cool but is hardly the same
   level of oppression): Do Muslim critics of the Pope acknowledge that
   Turkey needs to do better on the religious freedom score?

   2) There are over a billion Muslims in the world. Several thousand of
   them made news headlines by basically having a gigantic hissy fit over
   Benedict's statement about Islamic violence in September: Riots,
   arson, even one apparent murder. Without endorsing the Pope's words,
   should Muslim leaders not acknowledge that these were hideously stupid
   and embarrassing over-reactions?

   3) Muslim leaders, do you consider the West to be at war with
   al-Islam?

   There might be more questions, but these are the ones off the top of
   my head.

   I'd like to see people honestly wrestle with every one of those
   questions without becoming angry or self-righteous.

References

   1. http://eteraz.org/?op=displaystory;sid=2006/12/1/14829/9861