The Pope, A Lesson In Humility
Muslim communities worldwide now need to be concentrating on moving forward. Pope Benedict has very assutely and humbly met with diplomatic envoys from 20 different countries to reach out in peace and to assure the Muslim communities that he is a man who advocates peace for all religions.
It takes real bravery to weather the press storm that this religious man has endured from comments that he made several weeks ago that the Press picked up and footballed around the globe.
It takes real bravery to weather the press storm that this religious man has endured from comments that he made several weeks ago that the Press picked up and footballed around the globe.
"I think this meeting has resolved many problems ... we can close this controversy," said Khalil Altoubat, a member of the Italian Muslim community's liaison group with the government.
It is now time to move beyond this episode and for the Vatican to forge closer ties to mainstream Muslim religious leaders to encourage them to participate more in helping their followers to be discerning from the mixed messages they receive from within their own community in regard to religious tolerance and spreading of extremist messages through the use of violence.
Many politicians should take note of the truly humble concern that this Pope expressed and change in perceptions he actively worked to address after his comments were as the Vatican said "taken out of context". The Pope has been proven to be a man of mettle and a man of peace!
