I’ve posted here before about the fiction of Lars Walker. I didn’t mention that he is a shrewd commentator on political and cultural matters, as well. I offer you a taste of his take on the Pope’s comments and the Islamic reaction:

Any reasonable person would recognize that rioting and murdering people are a self-contradictory means of proclaiming one’s peacefulness. And the fact that a large part of the Muslim world fails to get the joke (such as it is) pretty much says it all.

But the Islamic world doesn’t care. Because they’re not involved in a struggle of ideas, but a struggle of honor.

Honor, and honor cultures, is one of my hobbyhorses. I believe (perhaps wrongly) that my study of Viking sagas has taught me something about the subject.

I want you to go read the whole post, so I’ll leave the rest of it at Lars’ site. Check it out and discover how to deal with honor cultures.