Muslim Reponse to Papal Comments Reveals Anti-Intellectualism

The anger expressed across the Muslim world in response to a speech last week by Pope Benedict XVI reveals an intellectual immaturity that plagues the religion.

Many leading Muslims have whined, protested, burned and murdered over a quotation the pontiff cited in a densely academic speech about reason and truth within Western Christendom. The quote, from a 14th-century Byzantium emperor, called Islam "evil and inhuman."

The response by many Muslims reveals a disturbing anti-intellectualism. Benedict made his remarks, wrong as they may be, in pursuit of a theological thesis. If Muslims, or anyone else, disagrees with his theoretical proposition, the appropriate response would be made in the world of the theory. One should respond to ideas with ideas.

The response, however, has been to disrupt political relations between Christian and Muslim communities and, more radically, threaten violent war. Another example of the danger of anti-intellectualism.

from The League: Reassembled