So far, his apology is a non-apology (he is sorry the islamic world misunderstands his lecture and takes erroneous offense)...and he hasn't retracted a darn thing.
I am still hoping that the Pope knows exactly what he is doing. Except for having to issue a "non-apology" he has demonstrated an uncanny understanding of islam's nature.
Very true, he knows the enemy!
The Pope knew exactly what he was saying.
The followers of Islam will react by taking to the street as expected.
It is the leaders of Islam that have been called into the Principal's office to explain themselves.
From reading the speech the Pope was specifically making the point that Islam exalts irrationality in contrast to Christianity.
From the speech:
"The decisive statement in this argument against violent conversion is this: not to act in accordance with reason is contrary to God's nature. The editor, Theodore Khoury, observes: "For the emperor, as a Byzantine shaped by Greek philosophy, this statement is self-evident. But for Muslim teaching, God is absolutely transcendent. His will is not bound up with any of our categories, even that of rationality." Here Khoury quotes a work of the noted French Islamist R. Arnaldez, who points out that Ibn Hazn went so far as to state that God is not bound even by his own word, and that nothing would oblige him to reveal the truth to us. Were it God's will, we would even have to practice idolatry.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1702938/posts
The Pope knew exactly what he was saying. And he knew exactly what the reaction would be.
He did is either to demonstrate the irrationality of the Islamics or to serve as a lightening rod to divert violence from another venue. If the latter I hope he doesn't end up a martyr.