Rome - Terrorists are scoring frequent successes in using God as an instrument against the West, Pope Benedict XVI said Friday in his Castel Gandolfo retreat near Rome. Addressing an international delegation of centrist and Christian Democrat lawmakers, the pope said that some terrorist networks were "shamelessly" exploiting the accusation that modern society had forgotten God and were attempting to justify their threat to global security with that accusation.
Terrorism was a serious problem and its supporters showed "an inexcusable contempt for human life," Benedict said.
An appropriate level of respect for religion helped to counter the accusation that God had been forgotten, while terrorism should be fought decisively and effectively, the pontiff said.
