The War of Reason

In a lecture about the coupling of reason and faith, not about Islam, the Pope, in the course of his remarks, quoted something said centuries ago by a Middle Eastern Emperor. The quote was about violence, faith, reason, and religion. Some in the Muslim community thought the Pope was saying that Islam was violent. They thought he was wrong, so they reacted violently. Does this not strike you strange?

Islam, in the past, has been a faith of reason, science, learning, and accommodation, coexisting with many religions. Where has that Islam gone? I once thought that the radicals were a fringe minority, now I am not so sure. I listen, and do not hear the condemnations that should come from within Islam, when atrocities are committed in its name. I have begun to believe that Moderate Islam, the Islam of history, is now the fringe minority, and that radical Islam is the majority. I hope that I am wrong, because if I am not, then the world now wages World War III.