BERLIN, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- The president of the European Commission says he is disappointed the leaders of Europe didn't defend Pope Benedict XVI's remarks about Islam.
In Sunday's edition of the German newspaper Weltam Sonntag, Jose Manuel Barroso said Islamic extremists are a threat, but people cannot confuse tolerance with political correctness by putting others' values above their own, Deutsche Welle reported.
Barroso also said the problem does not not lie with the pope's comments, but with the violent reaction of extremists.
In a September address in his native Germany, the pope quoted the words of a 15th century Byzantine emperor that characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed -- particular the urging of Muslims to spread the faith through conquest -- as evil.
The comment was followed by demonstrations across the Muslim world demanding an apology.
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union.
From Christian Today
"I was disappointed there were not more European leaders who said 'naturally the Pope has the right to express his views'," Barroso was quoted as saying to the German Die Welt am Sonntag newspaper.
~snip~
Barroso said the caution on the part of European leaders was probably due to "worries about a possible confrontation" as well as a "certain form of political correctness".
"We have to defend our values," he said. "We should also encourage the moderate leaders in the Muslim world - and they're the majority - to distance themselves from this extremism."
Can it be the Europeans developing a backbone? Are they finally having enough of the muslims bullying them around and imposing their values on everyone else in Europe?
I hope so.
There'll probably be a fatwa issued for Barroso by tomorrow.
crossposted at Blue Star Chronicles
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