Pope as rabble-rouser
The Pope's recent remarks in Regensburg (cf. for example http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=akjRPn44QqXE&refer=home were clearly intended to portray Islam as violent and irrational, in contrast to Christianity. There is no possible excuse for this. Such remarks are not only historically inaccurate, but demented and demonic, and further proof that we need a revolution in Christianity just as badly (or more so) as we do in politics, as David Griffin has argued in "Christian Faith..."
After the Vatican murdered John Paul I in 1978, the exposure of many Catholic priests as child abusers, and countless other crimes going further back in history (need one be reminded of the Crusades?), the very gall of suggesting that Islam is somehow more violent or unreasonable than Christianity is mind-boggling.
- Michael Morrissey's blog
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Out of Context
No, the remarks were deliberately taken out of context, and I suggest you read what the pontiff actually said as opposed what the media said that he said.
You can find this below :
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2006/september/d...
In the context in which the remarks were made, you will clearly see that the pope was NOT attacking Islam. He was attacking something which has also been seen in Christianity, violence in the name of religion.
The pontif's point was that reason and faith are not opposites, but necessary, and what in fact is necessary to bring about genuine dialogue between different cultures or religion.
Pope as rabble-rouser
Not at all. He is quoted correctly and in the proper context. He could just as easily, and with more justification, have quoted someone making the same accusation against Christianity. But he chose to target Islam, and then immediately follow it with a misleading and false contrast betwen a "rational" Christianity and a "transcendent," here clearly meaning "irrational," Islam.
The pope's intentions were clear, and they are reprehensible in the extreme.