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**Germany’s Angela Merkel Defends Pope **
Posted on **09/15/2006 11:18:23 AM **
German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended Pope Benedict XVI on Friday against allegations that he had attacked Islam, **saying critics had misunderstood comments the Pope made this week during a visit to his native Germany. **
"Whoever criticizes the Pope misunderstood the aim of his speech. It was an invitation to dialogue between religions and the Pope expressedly spoke in favor of this dialogue, which is something I also support and consider urgent and necessary," Merkel was quoted as saying by German newspaper Bild.
"What Benedict XVI emphasized was a decisive and uncompromising renunciation of all forms of violence in the name of religion," Merkel was quoted as saying in an article to appear on Saturday.
freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1702216/posts
.
Posted on **09/15/2006 11:18:23 AM **
German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended Pope Benedict XVI on Friday against allegations that he had attacked Islam, **saying critics had misunderstood comments the Pope made this week during a visit to his native Germany. **
"Whoever criticizes the Pope misunderstood the aim of his speech. It was an invitation to dialogue between religions and the Pope expressedly spoke in favor of this dialogue, which is something I also support and consider urgent and necessary," Merkel was quoted as saying by German newspaper Bild.
"What Benedict XVI emphasized was a decisive and uncompromising renunciation of all forms of violence in the name of religion," Merkel was quoted as saying in an article to appear on Saturday.
freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1702216/posts
.