Editorial: Ill-advised words
New Straits Times (Columns)
18 Sep 2006
Philip Bowring

UNTIL Jyllands-Posten published the indelicate caricatures of Prophet Muhammad by some unknown illustrators, the Danish daily was practically unknown, and until Pope Benedict XVI’s speech at Regensburg in Germany, Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus would have remained in the recesses of history.

The 14th century Byzantine emperor may yet be consigned once again to the dust heaps of history, but for now it will be difficult to forget him, or the Pope who chose to quote what he said 600 years ago.

If the sketches by nameless artists in a little known Danish newspaper were capable of giving great offence to Muslims, then the potential for animosity from the injudicious remarks of the spiritual leader of one billion Catholics is so much greater.

The Vatican has contended that the pontiff’s remarks have been misunderstood, and no offence was intended. The offending parts of the Pope’s speech are indeed open to interpretation.

The problem is that one such reading is that the damning quotation on the "evil and inhuman" teachings of the Prophet was chosen because the Pope approves of the sentiments that the emperor expressed. He now says that the quotation does not in any way express his personal thought.

If he had made this very clear in his speech, the acrimony could have been avoided. Since one would expect that an erudite scholar like Pope Benedict would have chosen his words with care at his old university, one would have wished he would have been more circumspect. The Pope should have known that the world listens carefully to what he says.

Now that the good that has been done by Pope John Paul II in building bridges between the two faiths seems to have been put in jeopardy by the controversy over his successor’s ill-advised quotation, it is not clear whether the papal apology, as desirable as it may be, would be able to undo much of the damage.

It is understandable that many Muslims have been angry about the Pope’s speech, but now that there is an "invitation to frank and sincere dialogue, with mutual respect", it is hoped that things will start to calm down.

It is imperative for Muslims and Christians to avoid situations which could lead to further misunderstanding.

At a time when the Church and the Muslim world are beset by mutual suspicion, the last thing that is needed is to add more sparks to the tinderbox of emotions.