Posted on 06/04/2004 10:44:37 AM PDT by B Knotts
VATICAN CITY (AP) - In his latest blunt assessment of U.S. society, Pope John Paul II on Friday denounced the acceptance of abortion and same-sex unions as ``self-centered demands'' erroneously depicted as human rights.
The pontiff said that ``in the face of such erroneous yet pervasive thinking,'' visiting U.S. bishops should stress to congregations ``their special responsibility for evangelizing culture and promoting Christian values in society and public life.''
``Rights are at times reduced to self-centered demands: the growth of prostitution and pornography in the name of adult choice, the acceptance of abortion in the name of women's rights, the approval of same sex unions in the name of homosexual rights,'' he said.
The Catholic Church forbids abortion and considers homosexual activity a sin.
Last week, John Paul warned another group of U.S. prelates that American society is in danger of surrendering to a ``soulless vision of life.''
Greeting the latest group of bishops on the same day he held a private audience with President Bush, John Paul acknowledged the challenges to Catholic Church teaching and faith.
``Ambiguous moral positions, the distortion of reason by particular interest groups ... are just some examples of a perspective of life which fails to seek truth itself and then abandons the search for the ultimate goal and meaning of human existence,'' John Paul said.
He urged church leaders to be courageous despite detractors. ``Some today view Christianity as weighed down by structures and failing to respond to people's spiritual needs,'' he said.
Every bishop must visit the Vatican every five years for periodic consultations. This year is the turn of bishops from the United States.
The Pope is only infallible when he is speaking about the faith and morals of the Catholic Church or ex cathedra (sitting in St. Peter's chair).
He is not infallible when he gives his opinion in matters that are not "ex cathedra." He is just giving his opinion.
Well, I guess it sucks for the altar boys, huh? Still open season in American parishes, I guess. Oh, well, maybe JP can lecture America some more. Run along and kiss his ring, now.
Then maybe he shut shut his damned mouth about politics. When the pope said Tariq Aziz was "a man of peace," and then denounced America for its plans to overthrow Saddam, well, I know all I need to know about your Roman emperor and his views on politics. He is more critical of America than he ever was of Saddam.
Do you have any evidence whatsoever for your claim that the Pope "covered up" for predator priests?
Do you have any evidence whatsoever that the Pope runs the Catholic church?
Like I said, we can see where you're coming from. No amount of rational discussion is going to make you stop attacking the Church and the Pope.
The next Pope is "rumored" to be coming from Asia where they've got a better idea of the dangers ofIslam, just like Karol Wojtyla had a better knowledge of the dangers of communism.
Yes, you are missing something. As a Protestant of whatever denomination or none, you have no standing to whine about how the pope governs the Roman Catholic Church. The RCC is not your Church. The RCC is not your business. Mind your own business.
Your only alternative routes to relevance on matters Catholic and/or on JP II are to:
1. Become a Roman Catholic; or
2. Accomplish as much in your own life as JP II has in his.
As an American, you think your opinion is automatically relevant without furth effort but it is not. Opinions are like ......... Well, you know the rest.
Reading posts like yours tells us all we need to know about you. Have you any evidence of the relevance of your impudent opinions as to a Roman Catholic Church which is not your own? Your church, if any, is none of my business. My Church is none of yours.
I don't care how he runs that church. If I were you, I'd be scared for my son, if I had one.
I have a problem with any foreigner criticizing my President and my country, especially when it's right after he's heaped praise on Saddam's henchman.
You can clear something up right quick: Did he (a) call Tariq Aziz "a man of peace"? and (b)shouldn't he clear up the moral dengenerants in his own house before criticizing America's morals?
Memo To JOHN SKERRY:I know this will probably be the hardest thing you've ever done, but please read and memorize this sentence:
Now, the next time you choose to defame God by taking communion, please recite the sentence over and over as you commit the grievous sin.In his latest blunt assessment of U.S. society, Pope John Paul II on Friday denounced the acceptance of abortion and same-sex unions as "self-centered demands" erroneously depicted as human rights.
Thank you!
Yes. He condemned the war in Iraq. Guess he preferred Saddam continue gassing, torturing and filling his mass graves. Incredible.
You forgot to mention that the majority or AIDS infections world-wide are heterosexuals.
I won't even bother addressing the rest of what you posted except to say that as a Christian who believes homosexual is a sin, and is morally wrong....your hysterical homophobic rant totally discredits you as a rational voice on this topic.
(b) The Roman Catholic Church numbers more than one billion persons now alive. Non-Catholics often imagine that the pope can unleash lightning from the sky generically and make all the miscreants go kaboom while simultaneously denying that popes are anything special. If you are making decisions when you are in his condition or when you are 84 and you make them as well as he does, I will be more impressed. Personally I would burn the miscreants at the stake verrrrrrry slowly and sell tickets to the festivities but it is JP II's job to run the Church not my job.
Finally, my previous posts to you still stand. RCC self-governance is simply none of your non-Catholic business. The First Amendment freedom of worship stands for that proposition. The First Amendment freedom of speech simply means that you are allowed to talk free of government interference. That provision does not require any Catholic to pay you any attention.
Also, you are not me and any son I might have (I do not but I do have daughters) would be in no danger whatsoever in my diocese.
Jorge: Go to your room and leave the discussion to grownups.
And now, Jorge, supporting the lavender canoodler set with all his might, gives us his REAL reason for JP II phobia. The love that once dared not speak its name will now not shut up. Nor will those who support the lavender canoodlers in their never-ending quest for (Where is the barf bag?????)
Jorge;"Yes. He condemned the war in Iraq. Guess he preferred Saddam continue gassing, torturing and filling his mass graves. Incredible."
BlackElk; Go to your room and leave the discussion to grownups.
Why should I? So I won't embarrass posters like you who are clearly unable to post a coherant response to my challenges?
If I am wrong show me where. The truth is you can't.
That explains why you resort to the sort of juvenile responses we see above.
Can somebody interpret this inane rant for me?
What on earth is BlackElk talking about with this "lavender canoodler" nonsense?
BlackElk clearly has a problem directly addressing what poster who disagree with he/she/it believes.
The fact is I have posted that I clearly believe homosexuality is a sin and agree with the Bible, but because I dare to challenge homophobic gay bashing nonsense, BlackElk is totally unable to respond..and so accuses me of being pro-gay. BlackElk is a liar.
And now, BlackElk, hyperventilating over the lavender canoodler set with all his/her/it's feminazi might, dares to give us his REAL reason for it's pink-poodle phobia. The BlackElk that once dared not speak its name will now not shut up but prefers to gag us with the toilet plunger as she invents absurd alternatives to actually responding directly to my challenges. TOO FUNNY.
FWIW, same-sex marriage is illegal in France. I think it was Chirac who threatened to prosecute the mayor who performed the same-sex marriage.
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