Muslims Explode over Pope's Claim "Islam is Violent"

Jerusalem -- AP

A previously unknown group dubbed "the Swords of Islamic Right" on Saturday threatened to blow up all churches and Christian institutions in the Gaza Strip to protest remarks by Pope Benedict XVI that Islam is violent.

"What the Pope said is unforgivable," the group said in a statement. "To prove that Islam is a peaceful, reasonable religion, we will continue to shoot at and blow up churches."

On Saturday two more churches - neither Roman Catholic - were attacked with firebombs in Nablus. No one was hurt.

Palestinian Authority leaders condemned the Pope's statements. Preachers in several mosques launched a scathing attack on the Pope, and called on all Arab and Islamic countries to boycott him until he apologizes. "All Muslims must immediately cease buying Roman Catholic prayer beads, crucifixes, Eucharist elements and icons of the Holy Trinity," said Sheik Yaboody. "That'll show 'em."

Pope Benedict on Tuesday cited an obscure Medieval text that characterizes some of the teachings of Islam's founder as "evil and inhuman." In response, Muslims around the globe gave money to poor people, helped area Christians rebuild churches, fed the hungry, cared for the sick, and served others in humility.

Oh, wait. No they didn't. They rioted, blew stuff up, and whined about "oppression" because a non-Muslim expressed doubt about the truth of Islam -- which you wouldn't think would be a real surprise -- just as Islam's founder taught.

The Vatican commented Saturday that it regretted harming Muslim feelings with the truth.

A senior member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood briefly stopped tossing molotov cocktails at a Christian girls' school to say that the Vatican's comments were not enough to quell the anger over his words.

"What was issued by the Vatican was as an attempt to excuse what the pope said, and what we demand is a sincere acknowledgment that there was a mistake, not allegations that we misunderstood the pope," said Brotherhood member Mohammed Bishr. "We need the pope to admit the big mistake he has committed and then agree on apologizing, because we will not accept others to apologize on his behalf.

"Ouch," he continued, as the flame from the cocktail started his shirt on fire, and then threw it into a crowd of ten year old girls fleeing the burning building.