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| Europe |
| Pope laments ''clash of civilizations''... |
| 2002-12-01 |
| Pope John Paul II lamented on Friday the terrorism and violence across the world, referring to a "clash of civilizations that at times seems inevitable." So let's get it over with... The pope, speaking at a pontifical university, urged students there to have "an open sensitivity to the values of various cultures in relation to the evangelical message... Without renouncing the affirmation of the force of the evangelical message, it is an important work in the torn world of today that Christians be men of dialogue and work against that clash of civilizations that at times seems inevitable." It sounds so... so... Anglican. The pontiff told the audience that these are not easy times. "Violence, terrorism and war only build new walls between people," he said. Except for the ones who get buried... The Vatican newspaper Osservatore Romano emphasized this remark in a front-page banner headline, followed by an editorial that promoted efforts to find ways out of the world's conflicts. "This is perhaps the most concrete challenge that humanity must confront in the century that has just begun," it said. It's hard for me to control my gag reflex on this article. I'm starting to consider ecumenism not just an irritant, but a genuine evil. If the Church can't bring itself to point the finger at Evil — naked and drooling, showing its fangs and snarling — why does the Church still exist? I don't think God is dead; I think God is bored with a religious establishment that can't recognize Evil when it's staring it in the face. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #2 I am not at all surprised at this slop from any leadership of any religious group. They are usually most interested in not offending anyone that might be a possible candidate for conversion. I do find that religious leaders "on the ground" are much more in sync with the beliefs of their people and find it much more easy to "point the finger". As for that slop from sassafrass, I am too disgusted to take it seriously. How does studying German and the Holacaust make one an expert on Islamic terrorism, national security and the question of whether or not God exists? You're lucky He's mercifull enough to allow the existance of loons like you. And you can take your energy and shove it up your.... |
| Posted by: Scott 2002-12-02 10:29:43 |
| #1 C'mon, all those years of listening to confessions and no idea about evil? I say three cheers for the Pope! And bravo to President Bush for setting an example of religious tolerance! (Even though I disagree with almost everything else Bush stands for.) Given that someone has just written an entire book about GW being a psychopathic person, this old hippie song from Cleveland goes out with best wishes to the Prez and to Rantburg too: "Put out a little clear energy, and it'll come back at you, not always how you want it to, but it'll come back at you. Put out hate and anger and you can get that too, coming right back at you, right back at you. Now is the time to let your love light shine, turn your love light on, let it shine." (John Bassette) Why a Church, if its primary purpose isn't fighting evil? As a German major studying WWII and the Holocaust, it became clear to me that even though God couldn't possibly exist, it's still important to have a Church that provides a place for people can to come together in their suffering and their grief. (The makings of a Buddhist.) Theological considerations aside, from a purely Macheavellian (sp.?) standpoint, the only way out of our jam is to con the world's 6 billion inhabitants into adopting religious views that don't require capping folks or blowing shit up. Try this comment from a 9-11 survivor who's still having nightmares for a more practical viewpoint on ecumenicism. |
| Posted by: sassafrass 2002-12-01 12:15:59 |