“Pope Benedict XVI dropped one of his Prada shoes recently. Quoting the Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus on the ‘evil and inhuman’ decree of Muhammad to spread Islam by the sword, he suggested that there’s not much talking ground between Christianity, a faith that has reconciled itself with reason, and Islam, a medieval system that has not. The common sense of Benedict’s observation was self-evident. Modern Christianity has a mild creed, a diminished view of its exclusivity, and is tolerant of disbelievers. Islam does not share these characteristics.”

Barbara Amiel at Macleans.ca, 2 October 2006