Can You Say Irony?

Generally speaking, I am loathe to step forward and defend any religious leader for any reason. Why? You ask. Because the ones who are not simply lying to gain power over the idiot masses, tend to be fanatical madmen. That said, it seems like somebody should stick up for poor old Pope Benidect. As you all probably know already the pope read from a certain text earlier this week which referred to Islam as a violent religion. "well, now that's the pot calling the kettle black," you guffaw (well that was my initial reaction at least). So how does Islam react to being called a violent religion? Do they practice restraint and and voice their displeasure in a peaceful manner, showing that in fact they are a civilized people capable of acting in an adult manner and that the pope was wrong? No. Instead they prove that the pope was right. They burn effagies, they threaten death to all non-muslims, they shoot nuns in the street. I mean, seriously now, can a single one of them possibly expect the west to take them more seriously now after that little tantrum? If you want people to stop calling you violent, then stop being so violent. It's really a simple rule that most of us had learned before we were eight: either you learn to ignore the name calling, or you fix whatever your problem is and grow the hell up.