The Patriarch and Fidel

OrthodoxyToday.org via FrontPageMagazine.com ^ | February 5, 2004 | Johannes L. Jacobse

[David1]

How much charity have you sent to Cuba this year? More than you know. But this is besides the point. We are talking about here how the patriarch at the moral stature and publicity to speak out publicly on human rights and the prisoners of conscience and he squandered it. How many times have you made an effort to speak out for the prisoners in Cuba? I do it all the time. Second, I am not someone as high profile as the patriarch. He would have more influence and authority when he speaks then stupid little me. I would just be dismissed as part of the Miami Mafia where as they would not be able to do that so easily to someone with the stature of the patriarch. Furthermore, if I went to Cuba and spoke out publicly I would probably get my ass kicked and made to disappear.

[David1]

Where was the snub? Because he didn't go to Cuba and do the politically correct thing? No, because he did not go and do what was the decently correct thing. Since when does the fact that he is a Patriarch make him liable for all the world's presecutions and hardships? He personally went and visited a tyranny. The Patriarch holds a very high moral leadership post and he should speak out for human rights when he is visiting a dictator. That is the moral thing to do for a man of his position. And he squandered this. At least he should have met with the dissidents which he failed to do. So every place he goes he has to seek out and speak in front of the cameras about some persecution taking place there? Yes, if he visits a tyranny. Instead of kissing up to tyrants he should speak up for the persecuted people.

[MarMema]

I think I prefer my church leadership to do what they are supposed to do, safeguard the church.

I don't really want them galavanting around the globe, dipping into politics here and there, and making up to the camera. That's a western idea of a church leader.

[MarMema]

And I guess I don't have to add that some western churches are not in all that great of shape.

[cyborg]

I hope he knows what he's doing. Any church in Cuba is better than none at all. The more non-communist life inserts itself into Cuba the better.

[cyborg]

No you got that right.

[Polybius]

Patriarch Bartholomew is not interested in politics or worldly battles,......

Neither were these two clerics.....

[MarMema]

Greek Orthodox Patriarch

"On the occasion of the Patriarchal visit, and in honor of the Archbishop of America, the U.S. Interests Section Chief in Havana, Cuba, James Cason, organized a reception during which the Archbishop had the opportunity to meet with Cuban dissidents and to discuss important humanitarian concerns with them. During their meeting with the Archbishop, the dissidents presented a number of papers on human rights issues, which in turn were conveyed to His All Holiness, the Patriarch."

[Polybius]

Where was the snub? Because he didn't go to Cuba and do the politically correct thing?

Well, actually, according to Europeans, the Politically Correct thing is to fawn over Castro.

It seems that the Patriarch was very Politically Correct.

[cyborg]

Good!!! Because it would look really suspicious to all if he didn't. It wouldn't be the first time religious authorities curryfavor with government.

[Polybius]

I think I prefer my church leadership to do what they are supposed to do, safeguard the church.

Do ya think he could at least ask Castro to take that mural down?

[David1]

I am happy that at the very least this happened.

[kimosabe31]

Ditto MarMema...I am Orthodox, and it saddens me to see that many within the Orthodox hierarchy are skilled "butt kissers" of dictators. It may be a survival technique for hierarchs based in commie or muslim countries. Case in point: Pascha before last, when the Church of the Nativity was occupied by a gang of arafarts palestinian psychopaths, the Coptic pope in Egypt publicly sent good wishes and sympathy to arafart who was confined to his quarters by the IDF at the time.

[MarMema]

That's one way to look at it. Another way is that they are exercising their love for their enemies.

[kimosabe31]

The ecumenical patriarch is a tool. He kisses castro's butt in exchange for the church opening after 45 years of repression and thereby enables castro to suck up on a little self rightousness. The article fails to mention who selects the priest, the Patriarch or castro. I'm betting castro fills the job with one of his KGB agents as did the soviet union.