Sunday, September 17, 2006

Honestly, can we keep the children away from the keyboards?


I swear, this is what happens when Daddy turns his back for just a minute and The Politic's little Georgie Freeman grabs the keyboard:

Pope Benedict apologised today ...

Um, no ... no, he didn't. If we follow the link, he certainly started out in a promising way:

Pope Benedict XVI said Sunday that he is "deeply sorry" his remarks on Islam and violence offended Muslims ...

But, sadly, an actual apology wasn't forthcoming:

While Benedict expressed regret his speech caused hurt, he did not retract what he said or say he was sorry he uttered what proved to be explosive words.

Yeah, that's kind of the important part right there, isn't it? Being sorry for what you actually said, not for the way people reacted to it. Sort of like this.

I'd comment further on the contention by the leader of the Catholic Church that "violence is not compatible with faith" but I'm too busy clawing my eyes out at the moment.

SHORTER POPE RATZO THE FIRST: "Um ... that wasn't me, that was my evil twin Skippy."

8 comments:

Idealistic Pragmatist said...

Ha! I was going to point out today that it wasn't an actual apology, but I was too busy, and you beat me to it.

Anonymous said...

Kind of like this one:

Vancouver Courier
http://www.vancourier.com/issues06/031206/news/031206nn5.html

David Emerson February 22, 2006 Apologizes in a letter to the voters of Vancouver-Kingsway for his defection:

"These past several days have been a difficult time for my family and me," Emerson wrote in a letter obtained by the Courier. "I know many of my constituents are having difficulty with the choice I have made. To those of you who are upset with my decision, I apologize. However, I did not come by this decision lightly and I stand firm behind the decision to become a part of this new government."

Paladiea said...

The hypocrisy is staggering is it not?

Anonymous said...

"Islam is a violent religion"

"WHaT! How dare you say my religion is violent! I'll KILL you!"

Good grief.

PS I'm no fan of the Pope, but why the hell should he apologize? He quoted someone else. I'm a liberal, anti-religion, and I hate neo-cons, and dislike conservatism, but this is ridiculous.

CC said...

threat or menace writes:

"PS I'm no fan of the Pope, but why the hell should he apologize? He quoted someone else. I'm a liberal, anti-religion, and I hate neo-cons, and dislike conservatism, but this is ridiculous.."

That's actually not the point here. If the Pope doesn't feel the need to apologize, then let him come right out and say so.

Instead, he is, as you can see, taking the weasel path by sort of apologizing, but not really, and hoping no one notices.

It's not the Pope's position here that gripes my wagger -- it's the overwhelming weaselitude of it all.

P.S. Oh, that and the fact that the Catholic Church has had its own human relationship problems over the ages, know what I mean?

Anonymous said...

P.S. Oh, that and the fact that the Catholic Church has had its own human relationship problems over the ages, know what I mean?

Not only the catholics. All sects of christianity are zen with the whole 'disagreement with our brand of doctrine = heresy' thing.

Mention the Nag Hammadi and just watch them twitch and sputter.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I meant to italicize the quote. :o)

Anonymous said...

Canadian Cynic writes,

"If the Pope doesn't feel the need to apologize, then let him come right out and say so.

Instead, he is, as you can see, taking the weasel path by sort of apologizing, but not really, and hoping no one notices."

You're accusing the Pope of making a non-apology, assuming he owes more of an apology than he does.

He doesn't owe an apology for WHAT he said, but rather, maybe, for HOW he said it. That's how he views his degree of responsibility for the outrage sparked in the Muslim world by his speech. And that is what he apologised for, the unintended violence that came as a result. Fair enough!

He apologised as far as he thought he needed to apologise, as any reasonable person can agree.

You have no issue here.