'Not right to identify Islam with violence': Pope Francis speaks out

'It's not right and it's not true.'

Pope Francis baffled his audience of reporters aboard the plane bearing him home from Poland when he refused to label Muslims a violent people.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The Pope was asked why he never speaks against Islam when talking about terror attacks, particularly when speaking of the recent massacre of an elderly priest, who was slaughtered in the midst of Mass.

The pontiff calmly explained his reasons for refusing to identify Islam with terrorism. Simply put, labeling an entire religious group based on the actions of extremists is wrong.

"I think it is not right to identify Islam with terrorism," he stated. "It is not right and it is not true. I think that in nearly all religions there is always a small fundamentalist group.

"We have them. I don't like to talk about Islamic violence because every day when I look at the papers I see violence here in Italy - someone killing his girlfriend, someone killing his mother-in-law. These are baptized Catholics.

"If I speak of Islamic violence, I have to speak of Catholic violence. Not all Muslims are violent."

The Islamic State continues to take credit for terror attacks around the world but they are to Muslims as the Westboro Baptists are to Christians. The Pope refuses to acknowledge either group represents the whole of their religion and is wise to do so.

The pontiff admitted he has spoken to Sheik Ahmed Muhammad Al-Tayyib, the Al-Azhar University's grand iiman, who explained the beliefs of the majority of Muslims.

"They seek peace, encounter," Pope Francis explained. "One can speak of the so-called ISIS but it is an Islamic State which presents itself as violence," he stated.

"This is a small fundamentalist group called ISIS," he added. But "I do not believe it is true or correct that Islam is terrorist. Terrorism is everywhere. You think of tribal terrorism of some African countries.

"Terrorism grows when there are no other options, and when the center of the global economy is ... the god of money and not the person - men and women - this is already the first terrorism!

"You have cast out the wonder of creation - man and woman - and you have put money in its place. This is a basic terrorism against all of humanity! Think about it!"

The Pope refused to stop at that. "I know it [is] dangerous to say this but terrorism grows when there is no other option and when money is made and it, instead of the person, is put at the center of the world economy.

"That is the first form of terrorism. That is a basic terrorism against all humanity. Let's talk about that.

"I ask myself how many young people that we Europeans have left devoid of ideals, who do not have to work. Then they turn to drugs and alcohol or enlist in ISIS."

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