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| Pope: Love must defeat terrorism |
| 2004-04-11 |
| Pope John Paul told the world in his Easter message Sunday that a culture of love had to defeat terrorism and the "logic of death" and revenge in Iraq, the Holy Land and other places where conflict reigns. "May the culture of life and love render vain the logic of death," the 83-year-old pope declared to thousands of pilgrims in St Peter’s Square, Rome, and to millions watching on TV. Yeah, sure. Peace in our time. I get the message. If we were dealing with rational human beings, this much vaunted "love" approach might have a snowball’s chance in Hell. Instead, we’re fighting fanatics who have intentionally had all fear of death bred out of them, so that any humanity shown their type can be easily turned against those stupid enough to do so. "Love" might be able to defeat terrorism after a few million years, but I’m not prepared to sit around and wait for the first biochem or nuclear terror attacks to happen. Bullets defeat terrorism a lot more quickly. A standing threat to begin contaminating or leveling Islam’s most holy shrines in response to major terror attacks is the only long term strategy I’ve seen yet that will truly hobble Islamist terror. Until we have the ostiones to read Islam the riot act, more mayhem is all we’ll get. Allowing a discontented and minuscule portion of one religion to hold the entire world hostage is insane. Until we effectively counterweight this asymmetrical threat with a similar sword of Damocles, more terrorism is all we’ll get. |
| Posted by:Zenster |
| #11 not for the pain of life and death but for the souls of those who reject love and humanity for hatred. Wow, SH...after a night of particularly nasty blogging - you certainly set me straight. Well said....all of it. I'll take it to heart, once again. |
| Posted by: B 2004-04-12 6:08:01 AM |
| #10 I don't think he is talking about the Coalition forces. Jesus gave pretty high praise to those like our marines that would give their own life for a stranger. At the heart of terrorism is distilled hate that has corrupted a soul so badly that they would blow up themselves to harm others. I see that as the other side of the coin from a marine. John Paul's agony must be similar to Jesus' agony in the garden - not for the pain of life and death but for the souls of those who reject love and humanity for hatred. Once the WOT has been waged and the last splodeydope has splattered his or herself the critical work of breaking down the hate must begin. Fostering prosperity and democracy is a part of that battle, but there will also be a need for someone to reach out a hand to the Arab countries and continue to reach out that same hand even when the hand is bitten, when a finger is cut off and when someone extinguishes a cigarette on the tender palm. It will take some good souls to accomplish that mission. I know that I have not the patience for that assignment. There may be decades without any appreciable gains. For many cultures enmity can be washed away in two generations. I have know estimate on how many generations it will take Arabs. It is a good sign that Kuwaitis still speak kindly of Americans. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-04-12 12:57:38 AM |
| #9 I guess my hope that JPII would call another Christian Crusade against the Musselmans is dashed again this year...;-( |
| Posted by: Jen 2004-04-12 12:07:52 AM |
| #8 (apologies to Delta Airlines) |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-04-11 11:32:15 PM |
| #7 Motto of the terrorists: "We love to kill you and it shows". |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-04-11 11:31:01 PM |
| #6 Yeah, right. Somebody tell john-paul you can achieve more with a "culture of love" and a gun than with a "culture of love" alone. Especially with radical moslems. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-04-11 10:31:27 PM |
| #5 oh..lighten up. I'm a true believer in Christian values and oh..all right...I suppose my joke was a tad offensive, but I really didn't mean as much harm as you gave it. Come on...admit it ...it was kinda funny. |
| Posted by: B 2004-04-11 9:48:37 PM |
| #4 B, well, excuse me, since I dropped $20 in the collection plate this AM, but the Pope's hopes are for future developments. I too, resent when the Vatican makes the ill-considered comment on our prosecution of the war on terror, as much as anybody, but when you get down to it, we're all after the same ultimate results, aren't we? Pope John Paul II did his share of work against the Soviets (see: assassination attempts by Bulgarian employees) and gets a pass at this age - STFU about Parkinsons - he'll be replaced (by God and age) soon enuf! May God bless and rest his soul. Those who choose to follow the RCC - i.e.: Chaldeans are welcome additions to the WOT sorry about the sore point, but this IS Rantburg |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-04-11 9:27:56 PM |
| #3 The guy really mumbles. I think he probably said that terrorists were vultures of life and that he'd love to to render them pain and longish deaths. You just can't trust the news media to report anything accurately anymore. |
| Posted by: B 2004-04-11 9:12:20 PM |
| #2 I made a contribution to the Roman Catholic Church this morning, so I think it's fair game for me to say this: I don't see the Church rushing in there to provide the faith, hope, and charity that the Iraqis and others need right now. Talk is cheap. |
| Posted by: Tom 2004-04-11 8:56:53 PM |
| #1 *sigh* Pinging the Knights of St. John ... (as much as much as I respect the Holy Father) |
| Posted by: Edward Yee 2004-04-11 8:13:33 PM |