In a region where people, masses and elites alike, view the war in Afghanistan and Iraq as a new crusade against Islam, the Pope's remarks worked as the official seal that Al Qaeda and other extremist groups so desperately needed to be brandishing before the Umma and discrediting the small camp of skeptics who still bet on the merits of democracy and good intentions of the West. Many Muslims even saw the Pope's remarks as the last link of a crusade conspiracy that started with the Danish cartoons and ran through the tone of Western politicians.

With the Islamic world preparing for the holy month of Ramadan, one would expect that the killing of an Italian nun in Somalia, the torching of churches in Palestine and the burning of Pope's effigies in Kashmir, Pakistan, India and other parts of the Arab world are just a precursor of the tectonic explosion that is waiting to happen. If anything the Pope's remarks had brought the hyped clash of civilizations a day closer.

To answer the question of what should the Muslims and Christians be talking about now, I would say talking about a Muslim-Christian debate or even interfaith dialogue is a non-starter. Religiosity and religious anger is the weapon of the desperate and the weak. It is human nature that people had to resort to utopian ideals or reach for a glorious period of their history, when they face daunting and insurmountable challenges. Throughout history people in power invoked God's name to inflame emotions and rally the gullible masses to fight for a perceived common cause. In my opinion, therefore, religion is not the root cause of today's widening fault line between the Muslim and Christian worlds. Religious rage is only a symptom of other chronic evils such as economic, political and social injustices and inequalities.

Talk about religion and every camp would stick to their guns and claim to have the absolute truth in their hands. It is obvious that God doesn't talk in a universal language that appeals equally to all human beings, but fortunately people have common humanly needs and feelings. Pain, pleasure, peace and the yearning for a decent and dignified life are the basic needs for all people regardless of race or creed.

It is not talking about religion that would avert an eminent clash of civilizations but ending the occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, finding a just and permanent peace in the Middle East, fighting poverty and accepting and applying universal human rights as enshrined in the UN charter. The world needs political will as well wise and decisive leadership and not diabolical rhetoric that only opens old wounds and further accentuates people's theological differences. Once complex political issues are resolved, religious animosity will fall by the way side.