Egypt’s Coptic Church has rejected Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks implicitly linking Islam and violence saying that Christianity taught love and respect for other faiths. “The Church categorically rejects the comments of the Vatican Pope,” said spokesman Bishop Murqos, whose church’s leader Shenuda III also bears the title pope.
“The Christian religion commands us to love other people whatever their faith,” the spokesman said in comments carried by the opposition daily Al-Wafd on Saturday. “We must respect the Muslim faithful and their prophet as we respect the followers of Jesus Christ and it is unacceptable to offend their religious beliefs. We utterly reject any offence to Islamic values or the Prophet.”
Over at Jihad Watch, Hugh Fitzgerald has a ready explanation for the Coptic pope’s principled and admirable stand on this issue – he’s being “held hostage” by those evil Muslims!