ANGELA MERKEL is defending the Pope against his critics: “‘What Benedict XVI emphasised was a decisive and uncompromising renunciation of all forms of violence in the name of religion,’ she said.”

Maybe that’s what they’re really objecting to.

UPDATE: More thoughts here. And Mike Rappaport writes: “As a promoter and beneficiary of modernity, I feel bad for those stuck in the middle ages. Not only are they led to do evil things, but it all seems very confusing for them. After all, they must mix modern claims of victimhood with medieval charges of blasphemy. It is hard to keep your stories straight, as the above quote suggests. It kind of reminds me of a weird movie I saw some years back. About ten peasants from Europe during the black death dug through a hole and came out in 20th century Australia. It was all very confusing for them. But no one thought of allowing them to get nuclear weapons.”