Pope wants new international order to keep peace

Reuters | January 1, 2004 | Claire Soares

[Muleteam1]

>>My friend, there are things much worse than death. There are, also, things worth dying for.<<

Indeed. My comment was not meant to defend the position of the Pope as I wholeheartedly disagree with him. My comment was to defend age and experience from being prejudicially labled as cowards. A 60 year old personally has experienced the pain involved in jumping off a chair at age 60 and at age 18 where an 18 year old has only the narrower perspective. It's not cowardice to not want to jump off a chair at age 60, it is intelligence based on experience. The Pope's suggestion that America's defense be turned over to a world of despots and thugs is simply political since he would not be the one to suffer the consequences.

Muleteam1

[Bluntpoint]

I hate reasonable analysis.

Some times a Pope says what he says.

[BlackElk]

Thank you. God bless you and yours.

[avenir]

"Go to Blockbuster today! Rent some Walt Disney films stat! Then you will see there are always happy endings!"

I know. And I admit I love sappy movies!

But please (John Paul?) don't tell me we're going to try running the world with movie logic.

[nmh]

Another idiotic one world government guy. He needs to step DOWN. He is an embarrassment.

[Bluntpoint]

Nothing is gained by your constant "sinkspur" bashing.

Sinkspur is the same today as he was 2000 years ago as he will be 2000 years from now.

Nothing you can say will change that.

[FITZ]

I think this is a good example of why our American founders set up a presidency that limited how long someone could be in power. John Paul II was good in his day --- but he hasn't ever been the same since the assassination attempt on him --- they didn't kill him --- but they did make him sick and weak. I imagine the pain medications he's needed do affect his thinking.

[fml]

How can a man who's lived as long as he has and experienced as much as he has be so näive?

Because he's actually lived a charmed life for most of his years.

[nmh]

He's probably still distraught over saddam insane being shown for what he is - a rat. I don't know what it is with these leftists. They're so worried about the appearance and "rights" of murderers. They exalt evil.

[BlackElk]

Watch it. I am not only Catholic but a dog fan. I even have a partiality to the admirable qualities of the breed of beagles (see Lou in Cats and Dogs).

[Judith Anne]

Parkinson's Disease, and the medications used to treat the condition, can also interfere with thinking.

That said, I really appreciate BlackElk's comments.

[nmh]

Maybe he should kiss the Koran some more.

[Bluntpoint]

I have five beagles, my 11 year old wants to go outback to run rabbits today.

[nmh]

"I think he should be more concerned about keeping perverted priest's hands off of children."

Nah, he won't even meet with victims but brother is he outspoken about saddam's capture condition. His true colors are showing ... .

[reed_inthe_wind]

"The most obvious way of interpreting what the Pope said is that it is another slap at US unilateralism, which is willing to act when international bodies won't. The Pope knows that, had the US taken his advice, Hussein would still be in power, stuffing his people into shredders.

The Pope wants something to counter the United States and Britain. Surely you see that."

I think you are being to defensive. The slap - if that's what we are calling it - is directed toward the state of the UN. Why should we go into a defensive shell and not assume that the statement is aimed at the current situation in its entirety including the intransigence of France and Russia, the emergence of terror networks loosely aligned with rogue states, and the complacency of the current order regarding rogue states developing and proliferating WMD.

[sinkspur]

Why should we go into a defensive shell and not assume that the statement is aimed at the current situation in its entirety including the intransigence of France and Russia, the emergence of terror networks loosely aligned with rogue states, and the complacency of the current order regarding rogue states developing and proliferating WMD.

Because you know very well that this assumption would be ludicrous.

The Pope's Christmas Peace Message, delivered through the clownish Archbishop Martino two weeks ago and largely unreported, stated that there are underlying motives behind terrorism "which should be taken into account".

What on earth could bin Laden have to say that is worth listening to?

[G.Mason]

" ....... My comment was not meant to defend the position of the Pope as I wholeheartedly disagree with him....... "

Oh ....... I see.

It's rather hard, sometimes, to distinguish intent via this dang keyboard.

I understand you, now, and totally agree.

[AlbionGirl]

I'd like to take you seriously Pope John, but I can't. I know you are many times over better educated than me, but your solution is one that will never, repeat, never work.

I don't know why you can't see that even with all of our flaws, the American philosophy of governance and its people are the last, best hope on Earth. I say this as a woman who emigrated from Italy in 1958. Wake up, Pontiff, wake up!!!

I do respect your service to the Church, but if you don't mind a little advise from a stupefied at your reasoning Catholic, you need to begin the peace process with a fumigation of your digs, and the digs of all of your cardinals and bishops and repropbates in collar.

And no one is going to take you seriously until you show as much passion and grief for the victims of abuse at the hands of your 'disciples', as you do for despots and tyrants.

And one last thing, please tell cardinal 'i felt sorry for saddam' to take a long walk off a short pier.

[BlackElk]

The term limitation amendment was proposed by the Republican post-World War II Congress, still reeling in reasonable shock over FDR being elected four times, but the point is well-taken. As a Catholic, I do believe that JP II might justifiably retire and make way for a much younger pope, vigorously and militantly orthodox and committed to purging ruthlessly what must be purged within the Church and then to wage war against the world's evils. JP II has accomplished what he could accomplish and that was much.

Francis Fukuyama notwithstanding, we have not reached the end of history.

JP II was certainly badly damaged physically by the assassination attempt but his greatest successes were later including the fall of the Iron Curtain. He declined thereafter but still contributed major doctrinal encyclicals and held the line against all comers on doctrine. In the last analysis, he is a human being subject to the frailties of age. He will be known as John Paul the Great, joining Leo the Great and Gregory the Great. We will recognize that greatness more and more after he has gone.

More to be feared than anything else is a prolonged period of coma or complete disability, essentially an interregnum, which would allow Modernist termites room to manipulate in his name.

Finally, JP II may be motivated by an apparently unwarranted optimism that the UN or some successor organization might someday become a vehicle for the restoration of Christendom. Short of direct, divine intervention, that seems quite unlikely, now or ever. Prudence dictates that we remain American nationalists and interventionists (as necessary) and keep our sovereignty strong and our powder dry.

[BlackElk]

I am a Roman Catholic.

Jim Bakker is the business of those who belong, as he does, to the Assemblies of God. He is none of my business just as Catholicism is none of yours.

That you bash non-Catholic Christians does not establish your bona fides as to Catholicism, especially in light of your persistent Catholic-bashing.