Pope Benedict Refused Meeting With Condoleezza Rice
Pope Benedict XVI refused a meeting request from Condoleezza Rice to meet this past August and discuss issues pertaining to Iraq and the Middle East in general. While the Vatican has said the Pope typically doesn’t receive visitors during the August holidays, one major Italian newspaper declared the meeting denial a snub against the Bush administration for two reasons.
The first reason is that back in March 2003 — just before the Iraq war began — Rice met with a special papal envoy from Rome and told them that the Bush administration didn’t care about the views of the late Pope John Paul II on the immorality of its planned military actions in Iraq.
The second reason is that the US has responded to a Vatican matter regarding the protection of Iraqi Christians under the new Iraqi constitution in an “unacceptable” fashion.
I for one think this is just awesome. Whether intentional or not, Pope Benedict has illustrated that the Bush administration cannot get whatever it wants and that there are individuals out there with the ability to keep the Bush administration in check, since the current lackluster U.S. Congress is unable to do so. I hope the Pope keeps a firm stand on this, and makes the Bush administration show some accountability for its actions for giving it the privilege of his presence.
Apparently, American Christians in Iraq are the worst hit from this fallout.
“A Vizes
Apparently, American Christians in Iraq are the worst hit from this fallout.”
How so?
Don’t quote his entire comment when his the only comment. He probably meant that the Pope is ironically hurting them. Or he was being sarcastic, and meant that extremist Muslims are the worst hit, and are being hit by American Christians.
I grew up Catholic and had (and still have) much disdain for the Catholic church due to their evil nuns, goofy doctrines and made-up theology (Purgatory, you ARE actually-receiving-the body-and-blood-of-Christ-at-mass-not-symbolic, etc) and due to various Popes going down to Latin America and telling poor peasants with 13 children not to use condoms or the pill … SHEER LUNACY. I guess the Catholics need to do a volume business since they don’t tithe, per se. However, I must say I am IMPRESSED and PLEASED with Pope Benedict in his refusal to meet with Rice. However, this might be because Rice is a woman. I will be twice as impressed when the Pope refuses to meet with bu$h or cheney.
Who cares?
he could do it a little more publicly
9/11 = inside job
Perpetrated in large part by the US government.
http://home.comcast.net/~plutarch/911.html
This must a little difficult for many American Catholics who give full support to the war. It proves how screwy their faith is: They bow down to the views of the Church on many things including abortion and then must deal with a Pope who just turned his back on this killing field. Is there not some correlation between killing brown babies and condeming abortion. You can’t have it both ways. Let George Bush and the fundamentalists smoke that in their pipes.
@ Bob Kennedy – I agree with your criticisms of George Bush (who is not Catholic), however I disagree with your statement that American Catholics give full support to the war. In fact most Catholics I know are opposed to the war. Rather, the evangelical Christians have been the ones supporting the war en masse.
In the end, any Christian — Catholic or otherwise — who supports war is fundamentally flawed in their beliefs, because Jesus Christ would never advocate violence (recall the passage “If someone slaps your right cheek, offer them your left”).
I know better than to use a universal statement. However, a goodly number of Catholics that I do know do support the war and are recalcitrant, even in the face of strong scriptural or theological arguments. I did write “many Catholics” and where I live in northern Michigan, a highly Republican area, most Catholics do support the war. I agree that an honest understanding of “Christian” ideals should logically lead a person to reject war –especially the current one in Iraq. Part of my visceral reaction is the result of being involved with some “Catholics” –friends, I guess- who are very active in the Right to Life movement and yet seem to feel that the 5th commandment does not apply to Iraq or Palestine. I am not a fan of Benedict but I do support him on this one.
@ Bob Kennedy – That would explain it then, as you’re in Michigan and I’m in the New York City area, two VERY different ways of thinking for the most part. Thank you for your perspective on the issue.
Mr Kennedy above raises interesting points; some unitended.
For example, citing the 5th commandment seems clear enough; but the fact is it brings up the point that the Catholic church “edited” the 10 commandments by removing the 2nd commandment (Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them. ), and so their 5th commandment is “Thou shalt not kill”.
Another point is that “thou shalt not kill” intends to forbid MURDER, not self defense or defense of others, which are God given rights. If someone breaks in your home to rob/rape/kill, you don’t have to roll over, the almighty has given men (an even animals/insects) the instinct for self defense and the right to use it. Likewise, killing an enemy in a just war is no different than defending one’s home. God often times commanded Israel to slay certain enemies (that would corrupt them if not killed) or to kill heinous lawbreakers, and our laws in the US still reflect all of this.
Want to see a layout of the Catholic/Bible 10 commandments visit:
http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/tencomma.htm
Woe to the religion of man that edits the word of God to allow it’s own form of Idolatry.
I know of what I speak, being raised a faithful Catholic, attending Catholic (even Jesuit) schools, adult religious education for Catholics, serving in the church; but finally, I read the bible and saw the errors. Now I am blessed to attend/fellowship with any bible believing church, which regrettably excludes Catholic churches.