Pope Upsets Muslims. Shock.

So, the Pope has managed to infuriate and annoy Muslims around the world by repeating the words of a Byzantine ruler. Brilliant. The religious equivalent of me telling you that King Herod thinks my imaginary friend is better than your imaginary friend.

Muslim leaders have reacted by condemning the speech and forced the Pope to apologise. Which is quite something for a man who is supposed to be infallible.

My problem is this. Islam, we are constantly told, is a religion of peace. Yet how do the peaceable Muslims react? By shooting things. I know that not all Muslims shoot things and not all people who shoot things are Muslim, but trying to persuade people your religion means peace by shooting churches and calling jihad seems an odd way to go about things.

Telling your followers these are just words, telling people not to call for murder or jihad, showing the world the peaceful face of Islam, that would seem a far more sensible idea. If the reaction had been one of discussion, of questioning the Pope's own beliefs, then Islam could have showed that Catholicism is the true evil.