the Pope and Muslims

In his speech at the University of Regensburg on Tuesday, Benedict quoted criticism of Islam and the Prophet Mohammad by 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus, who wrote that everything Mohammad brought was evil and inhuman, 'such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.' CNN

It would be gratifying to find the Pope's words actively contradicted, but given a Muslim propensity to violence when they're offended, it is hard to associate Muslims with peace. No doubt the majority do indeed prefer peace, so it would be reassuring to find greater volumes of protest every time Muslims demand the death of somebody they perceive to be against them. Perhaps too we might hear greater condemnation of suicide bombers, the brutal treatment of Muslim women in some Muslim countries, hideous forms of punishment and deplorable legal systems, and just perhaps someday we might see hard evidence of a love for peace when Iran abandons its pursuit of nuclear weapons. Frankly I think actions speak louder than words, and I've yet to see a mass progression towards peaceful co-existence from some (obviously not all) Muslim countries and populations. And do Muslims show respect for other religions of the sort they react so violently to not getting themselves? How easy is it to practice Christianity or convert to Christianity in many Muslim countries?