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Iraq
Pope pleads for release of two priests kidnapped in Mosul
2007-10-15
Pope Benedict XVI made a public appeal on Sunday for the release of two Catholic priests kidnapped a day earlier on their way home from a funeral in northern Iraq.
"Mahmoud, I can't think of anything more debauched than our trick with the exploding cart full of toys at the playground."
"Yeah. It's gonna be tough to cap that one, Ahmed. Unless..."
"Unless?"
"We could kidnap a coupla priests!"
"Brilliant! Can we rape 'em?"
"Ummm... Yeah."
"And boil their heads and eat 'em?"
"Hmmm. I think we'd hafta get a fatwa on that. Gimme a day or so for a answer from HQ."
The priests were abducted about 4 p.m. Saturday after participating in a funeral in western Mosul, according to Archbishop Basile Georges Casmoussa, Mosul's head of the Syrian Catholic Church, one of the branches of the Roman Catholic Church. Gunmen ambushed the priests' car, dragged them out and took them to an unidentified location, Casmoussa said Sunday, adding he waited a day to publicize the incident because he had hoped the kidnappers would demand ransom and release the priests. He said he hadn't yet heard from the unidentified men.
Posted by:Fred

#7  As a Roman Catholic, the Pope must set an example of Faith, Hope and Charity.

Yes he must, especially so to his own flock. Coddling and accomodating Muslims does not serve that end. Yes, he must extend the hand of friendship to all mankind but there are limits, even as there were limits to Jesus' own generosity. The Muslims are the modern Pharisees. These sanctimonius, pompous, moralizing zealot bastards are out to kill all Catholics and Benedict owes it to his flock to see after their welfare first.

What's he suppose to do, send the Swiss Guards as part of the coalition?

No, but I would think that a more resounding condemnation of Islam's lack of reciprocity would be a damn fine place to start. Yes, he's made mention of it but—very much like Bush—he has one of the ultimate bully pulpits (if ever there was one), and still accommodates Islam far too much for the Church's own good.

To John Paul's eternal credit—whatever his other failings—he took a vocal and effective stand against communism and helped shatter the Iron Curtain. His actions can even be detached from all political motives in that Soviet communism represented the abuse of human rights on a monumental scale. More's the pity that the Vatican has seemingly abandoned it's fight against communism despite China's ongoing persecution of Christians.

And since when is the Pope a dhimmi?

I did not—as you later recognize—call the Pope a "dhimmi". I cited the alternatives, of which paying ransom is dhimmitude. The Italians have already shown themselves inclined to pay Islamic kidnappers and I want it out in the open that the Pope doing so will make him a dhimmi.

I assume you are generalizing using the pejorative.

See above.

He may not be as intolerant of muzzies and terrorists as you and I but then he isn't supposed to be - his is a message of human reconciliation.

Again, just as Jesus had his limits, so must the Pope and any other decent human being. One cannot tolerate the intolerable without moral compromise. I hope very much that Benedict can avoid the sort of ameliorative displays of conciliation that John Paul demonstrated towards Islam.

As a practicing Catholic I respect his position but do not always agree with it.

I can only be glad of that. It makes possible the assumption that you recognize just how far out of the bounds of human decency Islam is and thereby makes necessary some truly brutal corrections of their desire for spiritual and corporeal ascendancy when they have so little moral authority.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-10-15 21:23  

#6  It beats me why this kinda stuff isn't responded to directly - start kidnapping imams in mosul.

If the priests show up dead or molested, drop em from helicopters.
Posted by: flash91   2007-10-15 18:16  

#5  How many divisions does the pope have?
/Stalin
Posted by: Free Radical   2007-10-15 18:11  

#4  Zenster:

Your not talking to a political head of state your talking to a head of a religious state (i.e. The Vatican). As a Roman Catholic, the Pope must set an example of Faith, Hope and Charity. What's he suppose to do, send the Swiss Guards as part of the coalition? And since when is the Pope a dhimmi? I assume you are generalizing using the pejorative. He may not be as intolerant of muzzies and terrorists as you and I but then he isn't supposed to be - his is a message of human reconciliation. As a practicing Catholic I respect his position but do not always agree with it.
Posted by: Jack is Back!   2007-10-15 13:45  

#3  Yoo hoo, Benedict old boy, this pleading nonsense ain't gonna work. Either you kick down the jizya like a good little dhimmi or you make sure that Muslims get an asskicking. There are no alternatives. It's time to choose sides and only one of them is civilized. I hope this clears things up for you.

PS: Paying the jizya will only guarantee that more priests get kidnapped. Maybe this will help you to comprehend your alternatives.
Posted by: Zenster   2007-10-15 11:28  

#2  Just kill all the muzzies in Italy. This bullshit has lost its humor.
Posted by: wxjames   2007-10-15 07:24  

#1  Let them go.

And someone better let Fouty and Jimenez go as well.
Posted by: newc   2007-10-15 00:10  

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