IS THE POPE CRAZY?

Here's a letter to the Editor I sent to Newsweek: "The Pope's remarks regarding Islam are unnecessary, unhelpful, and at least partially untrue. That Islam is "a religion spread by the sword" is, of course true but irrelevant: remember the Conquistadors? The Americas, the Phillippines, and the bottom three quarters of Africa were all "christianized" by military force.
What is the point?

That Islam is "evil and inhuman" is simply untrue, unless one is willing to say the same of Christianity, in equal amounts. (Inquisition, anybody?) He is pouring oil on a fire we don't need. Is it to help Bush?"

The Pope has, for whatever reason, greatly aided the Bush-Cheney (BC) effort to alienate the Muslim world and create a permanent battle between religions. (Unlike them, though, the Pope knows what he is doing. They are just rolling the dice to see what happens!)

Just as BC have skillfully used wedge issues related to religion to divide and conquer in this
country (and immobilize its problem-solving ability in the process), so it is determined to replace the old cold war with communism by fanning the flames of a new hot war with Islam that the
majorities on both sides do not want.

But why, oh why does the Pope weigh in on the BC side? Clearly to the extent U. S. Catholics
follow the Pope's lead, BC will benefit (while America loses) politically. Is the abortion issue so
important to the Pope that it is worth wars (plural) that will probably involve nuclear weapons?
Curious minds want to know!

Let me know what you think: jgoodwin004@centurytel.net