Pope Benedict Arnold

First off, for the pope to use a quote that condemned everything new that Muhammed taught as evil was irresponsible in the extreme. To find no worth in the unique aspects of Islam is ignorance and pure bigotry. It is the human-centric view that there can be a single correct religion. What childishness!

And for a religious leader to suppose that the faith of his flock depends solely on a perception of infalibility is a statement to the tenuousness of that faith.

For the pope to later state that he did not actually believe those words, but just quoted them is frankly bull. One of the cardinal rules (pun intended) of public speaking is to make sure your quotes are relevant to your topic and message. To state he just threw in a random quote that was irrelevant to his message makes him sound autistic. Pope Rainman.

Then taking a lesson from G.W.'s prayer book, he apologizes with the standard non-apology - "I'm sorry you are offended."

Sounds like the pope's real intent is to secularize the world by making Catholicism irrelevant and out of touch with people, understanding and compassion. Fortunately, just like most Catholics I know, the rational Muslim community knows the pope doesn't speak for the vast majority of the Christian world.

Perhaps we should treat religion like sex - everyone's free to do it any way they want, but only in private and it's a topic not dicussed in polite company.