The pope’s visit to Turkey

Re “A tense time for a papal visit,” Nov. 25

An interesting development in interfaith relations (between the Abrahamic faiths) is about to unfold in Turkey. Many will write and speak volumes on this latest interplay between Islam and Christianity. Many old wounds will be revealed -- from the Byzantium, the Ottomans, the Crusades, World War I, the Armenian genocide, the Greek and Turk expulsions to the latest Eurocentric Islamo- and Turko-phobic remarks of Pope Benedict himself. But is it really about religion, or is it European Union politics barring Turkey inclusion? Or are we all stuck in the medieval religious conflicts?

OMAR HUDA

Granada Hills

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Re “Radical Islam’s unlikely soul mate,” Current, Nov. 26

John L. Allen’s enthusiastic assertions to the contrary, given Pope Benedict XVI’s arch conservatism, I’ve yet to identify any real “commitment to reason and peace” on the part of the pope. I know that’s what he is supposed to stand for, and I appreciate the fact that he hasn’t advocated physical violence in his effort to spread his religious beliefs, but I’ve seen little evidence of any real effort to demonstrate a commitment to a more tolerant, free and open society.

Indeed, Allen’s examples of values the pope shares with radical Islam seem to effectively undermine any claim to an embrace of reason and peace. That Benedict shares many of the same reactionary, divisive and intolerant social and religious attitudes that characterize fundamentalist Islam is hardly reassuring to the rest of us. Does Allen really intend for us to celebrate his distressing conclusion that these two extremist programs appear to have so much in common?

ANDREW SPATHIS

Los Angeles