Pope Benedict XVI deliverd a speech at the University of Regensburg that has generated quite a bit of controversy in the Muslim world. (The text of the speech is here.)

The thesis of the speech, as far as I can tell, is a quote from the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palelogus, who was dialoguing with a Persian scholar about the differences between Christianity and Islam: "Not to act reasonably (with logos) is contrary to the nature of God."

In and of itself, the quote is uncontroversial, both within Catholic and Muslim theology. What has been controversial is the Pope's citation of another remark by Manuel II: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." Various authorities in the Muslim world have demanded that the Pope apologize for his remarks. 

Consider these paragraphs from a story in The Guardian:

In Turkey, however, where the Pope is due to visit in November, the deputy leader of the ruling party said Benedict had "a dark mentality that comes from the darkness of the middle ages". Salih Kapusuz added: "He is going down in history in the same category as leaders such as Hitler and Mussolini."

Representatives of the two million Turks in Germany, where the comments were made, also expressed deep annoyance. The head of the Turkish community, Kenan Kolat, said they were "very dangerous" and liable to misunderstanding.

In Beirut, Sayyed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, one of the world's top Shia Muslim clerics, said: "We demand that [the Pope] apologises personally, and not through [Vatican] sources, to all Muslims for such a wrong interpretation." An influential Iranian cleric branded his remarks "absurd". Ahmad Khatami told worshippers at Tehran University: "The Pope has insulted Islam."

I only wish one of these Muslim authorities would show in which sense the Pope is wrong: (1) Is he wrong to assert that not to act reasonably is contrary to the nature of God? (2) Is he wrong to assert that using violence to spread one's religion is unreasonable? (3) Is he wrong that Mohammed actually commanded the use of the sword against infidels, or that the House of Islam spread in the early centuries through a vigorous practice of jihad?

From what I've read about Islam's history, I have concluded that Mohammed did in fact countenance violence and that Islam spread through jihad. So, in my opinion, the Pope's simply telling the truth. Rather than protesting the Pope's remarks (and acting violently against Palestinian Christians), why don't these Islamic authorities simply cite chapter and verse by way of an enlightened and peaceful refutation?

Not to do so simply proves the Pope's point and confirms the worst stereotypes about Islam.

UPDATE: Speaking of confirming Islam's worst stereotypes, it seems that Islamist gunmen in Mogadishu, Somalia have murdered a Catholic nun and her guard. Click here for details.

UPDATE 2: Peter Robinson provides some interesting background on Manuel II Palelogus here. He seemed to have a very extensive experience with Muslims, so one can hardly dismiss his remarks as misinformed. Wrong, perhaps, but not from a lack of textual knowledge and personal experience.