It strikes me that Muslims are rather too quick to take offence. It is this almost fanatical devotion and defensive reaction that makes many of us so suspicious. - Bob Charles, Pldham

I dont get it, we are told on one hand Islam is a peace loving religion, but at the same time we are also told that the Pope's speech could cause violence. How do we square those two contradictory statements? You can't use violence to make your point and then call yourself peace loving. - Kevin Law, Dundee

The Pope says that jihad violence is against God's nature and officials fear that in response, Muslims enraged by this insult will commit... jihad violence. It's time the non-Islamic world demanded an apology from Muslim nations for insults to their religions. - N. Simon, London, UK

We need to read the Pope's lecture given in a university: it is an argument for the reasonableness of faith but the unreasonableness of blood shedding, hence jihad as warfare. The Pope quotes a ruler of Constantinople dialoguing with a Muslim, asking what good Mohammed had brought into religion. In other words, this was a footnote in a wider speech. The trouble, like the obscure Danish Cartoons, has been artificially whipped up again by the Islamic world, seeking to shut up any conceivable critism. Muslim scholars should reply with arguments, not with talk of 'offence' and veiled threats. - Chesterton, Banbury

How over-sensitive would you have to be to be offended by the Pope's words? I think that anyone who is enraged by these words should seek anger management as a matter of priority. - Grace James, Reading

When are they ever not furious with anyone and everyone? - Mjf, Liverpool

If Islam is such a "peace loving" religion why do its adherents react with such outrage to any perceived criticism - real of otherwise? Scarcely a day goes by without some Muslim cleric or politician in the name of Jihad calling for the killing of unbelievers, but we are expected to take it all lying down for the sake of promoting cultural harmony. Freedom of speach is rapidly becoming a one-way street. No doubt we will get the usual knee jerk reactions from apologists for Islamic fundamentalism in the UK. Perhaps they can explain why it is forbidden to practice Christianity in Saudi Arabia? - Mike, Appleby, Cumbria

Would you ever see Christians burning flags, rioting, and calling for holy war when offended? These people need to grow up. - Crockett, Knoxville, USA

I fear for the future of Islam in a western world given its inability to compromise and accept dialogue. The UK has accepted 1.5 million poor muslims all we seek is for them to embrace our culture of liberal values and freedom. The latter includes free speech. This is a difficult time for Islam and I feel for the many peaceful followers who are presented as radical by those that deny free speach and those that threaten us all. - Adrian Scott, Weymouth Dorset UK

The angry mob is proving the Pope's point by their actions. If everybody went around causing a ruckus every time something they didn't agree with was said, the world would be in chaos. - R. Hollander, Missouri, USA

Muslim's reactions to mere comments tells us something about their commitment to peace. Actions have always spoken louder than words. - Mark S., Manitou springs, USA

Pope Bendict's speech argued for dialogue among faiths and for the reasonableness of faith but the unreasonableness of violence, most particularly for or in the name of religion (faith by the sword). The reaction from much, but not all, of the Muslim world has been unreasonable violence. Given the reasonableness and soundness of the Pope's argument, and of comments such as given in the Guardian article, it would seem that only by addressing and rebutting the logic and soundness of issues and perceptions such as these, could the Muslims reacting now with such anger and violence convince the non-Muslim world that their perceptions of the Muslim world are in error. I don't see much potential for their efforts, if actually undertaken, being successful. After all, most of the world recognizes a duck as a duck, and we all know the old axiom - if it walks .......