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Article: Pope's quote bruises old hurts: critics say he's tone-deaf to Muslim perceptions.(ISLAM)(Cover story)
- Article from:
- National Catholic Reporter
- Article date:
- September 29, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 National Catholic Reporter. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Though the crisis set off by Pope Benedict XVI's controversial comments on Islam is obviously no laughing matter, it may be that the signature question of comedienne Joan Rivers best captures where things stand now between Muslims and Christians: "Can we talk?"
However brutally, Benedict's Sept. 12 citation of a Byzantine emperor to the effect that Muhammad brought things "only evil and inhuman" and that he "spread by the sword the faith he preached" has ruptured a taboo on discussion of long-simmering resentments on both sides. Islamic critics of the pope contend he's tone-deaf to the way many Muslims perceive themselves to be under siege from the West, while ...