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Pope John Paul II Dies; Times Can't Find Someone Who Liked Him
Powerline ^ | 4/2/05 | John H. Hinderaker

Posted on 04/02/2005 4:39:18 PM PST by BCrago66

Pope John Paul II died this afternoon. The New York Times reports on his papacy in an article that inadvertently tells us more than the Times really wanted us to know. The Times had its criticisms of John Paul's papacy ready to go, but apparently went looking for something good to say about the Pope at the last minute:

Even as his own voice faded away, his views on the sanctity of all human life echoed unambiguously among Catholics and Christian evangelicals in the United States on issues from abortion to the end of life.

need some quote from supporter

John Paul II's admirers were as passionate as his detractors, for whom his long illness served as a symbol for what they said was a decrepit, tradition-bound papacy in need of rejuvenation and a bolder connection with modern life.

"The situation in the Catholic church is serious," Hans Kung, the eminent Swiss theologian, who was barred by from teaching in Catholic schools because of his liberal views, wrote last week. "The pope is gravely ill and deserves every compassion. But the Church has to live. ...

In my opinion, he is not the greatest pope but the most contradictory of the 20th century. A pope of many, great gifts, and of many bad decisions!"

Among liberal Catholics, he was criticized for his strong opposition to abortion, homosexuality and contraception, as well as the ordination of women and married men. Though he was never known as a strong administrator of the dense Vatican bureaucracy, he kept a centralizing hand on the selection of bishops around the world and enforced a rigid adherence to many basic church teachings among the clergy and Catholic theologians.

There you have it. The Times' criticisms are ready to go, a few good words for the Pope are an afterthought.

UPDATE: I got a screen grab of the second page of the Times article, just before they changed it to delete the "need some quote from supporter:"


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: newyorktimes; nosupporters; pope
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To: BCrago66

I stopped to get gas on my way to work yesterday here in NY. I went into the gas station to grab something to drink- I noticed the Slimes was the only NY paper that had nothing about the Holy Father on the front cover- didn't surprise me.

I've taken my 2-year old daughter to church every weekend since she was six months old. Today we went to Radio City to see "Dora the Explorer Live". After the show, not knowing the Pope had passed and in a torential downpour we made our way over to St. Pat's to light a candle for the Pontiff and say a prayer.

My 2 year old daughter would look at people, put her finger to her mouth and say "sshhhh.." Too bad no one from the Slimes was on hand- they would've learned something. ;)


81 posted on 04/02/2005 6:18:01 PM PST by God luvs America (When the silent majority speaks the earth trembles!)
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To: Schwaeky

Thanks for your thoughtful post. I believe it was a a combination of his age, his non violent position in the Eastern European countries and also as a man who had seen what war can do was certainly influenced by that. Also, as most other nations, he had no idea at that time of the Oil for Food program and was most likely cautious regarding the Catholics there, seeing so much Christian persecution around the world.

Having said all that, I still think he missed the boat on this one and much may be due to his age and the counsel he was given.


82 posted on 04/02/2005 6:20:22 PM PST by Recovering Ex-hippie (Conservative & Rational..what a concept!)
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To: Schwaeky

As far as the Pope supporting/opposing any war goes:

AS I understand it, the Vatican has its own spy agency. If so, the Pope had to rely on that agency for his information. How could the Pope trust US intelligence above his own?

FReegards....


83 posted on 04/02/2005 6:24:36 PM PST by Arthur Wildfire! March (<<<< Profile page streamlined, solely devoted Schiavo research)
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To: Texas_Jarhead

I read the "screen grab" of the 2nd page, and it speaks notes that the Pope never strayed from his view of the "redemption OF Jesus Christ".

Don't they mean THROUGH Him? They really don't have a clue about Christianity, do they?


84 posted on 04/02/2005 6:31:17 PM PST by Joann37
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To: Recovering Ex-hippie
not only that, but he put the baathist on the moral equivalency with communism. Fascism he was willing to fight in his youth, and did so, risking much in that war, but saving many Jewish people from the nazis. harsh and tyrannical as it was, communism in eastern europe was rough and a hard pill to swallow and morally bankrupt, but it wasn't in fact barbaric and patently evil like the Baathists in Iraq were (prisons like the Lubjanka or the gulag system vs. mass graves of entire population centers or torture chambers for political opponents).

Ultimately, I don't fault him for opposing the war in Iraq, any more than I support it. Its not a faith and morals matter, and in those two he is incapable of error when speaking for the Church, but other areas are fair game (he could have rooted for the Eagles or the Yankees--and it wouldn't have helped either win.).

85 posted on 04/02/2005 6:31:20 PM PST by Schwaeky (Sede Vacante)
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To: Schwaeky

I wonder if we have or could have any information on the Pope's thoughts AFTER we went into Iraq and after the Iraqui elections? That would be interesting.

Darn, I wish he had prayed for the Eagles!(ha)


86 posted on 04/02/2005 6:34:44 PM PST by Recovering Ex-hippie (Conservative & Rational..what a concept!)
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To: Stellar Dendrite

The Catholic Church has been in existence since men communicated by papyrus scrolls; and it will exist ages after the New York Times has faded from memory. They are nothing but a mere annoyance!


87 posted on 04/02/2005 6:38:28 PM PST by Frank_2001
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To: BCrago66

As a died in the wool fundamentalist protestant, can I say a few things about the passing of John Paul II?
He wasn't the leader of my denomination but he was a great man for the following:
1. He helped liberate the world from godless communism
2. He cared about the poor and loved Jesus
3. He respected all life, both unborn and feedin-assisted.
4. He was a mystic that taught us much about suffering and the suffering of Christ.
5. He was an orthodox man that didn't give in to liberal theology or revolutions.
6. He will be greatly missed as a leader in these perilous times. we can only hope for such a grat man to succeed him


88 posted on 04/02/2005 6:49:34 PM PST by 2nd Amendment
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To: Txsleuth
I saw it too. The night before Kondracke had raged against evangelicals because they "want to impose their views" on everybody else. The death of the Pope gave him a chance to let loose against the Catholic Church. I believe that Kondracke is an Episcopalian which tells me all I need to know about his theology. Krauthammer, who is Jewish, gave a very strong and wise tribute to John Paul II.
89 posted on 04/02/2005 6:50:28 PM PST by Malesherbes
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To: FormerACLUmember
In a million years you would not find a member of the the NY Times staff at St. Patricks, or any other Christian church.

Don't be to sure. Didn't ACTUP, NAMBLA or some such group stage a riot at some church in SF? If they decide to stage one in NYC much of the Times staff will be leading it.

90 posted on 04/02/2005 6:57:36 PM PST by JohnBovenmyer (I)
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To: Malesherbes

I noticed that Fox sent Shep Smith to Rome---do you know if he is Catholic---

I know that during the Terri Schiavo story, he seemed almost totally on MS's side---so when the Pope had a feeding tube inserted, he kinda had a deer in headlights look on his face when he reported it---

He has taken a distinctly different attitude in reporting on the Popes illness and death--

He said there would be 9 days of mourning and prolly 2 -3 weeks before they name a new Pope---do you think Shep will stay in Rome that long? That would make it the #l story pretty much if he does...


91 posted on 04/02/2005 7:03:48 PM PST by Txsleuth (Mark Levin for Supreme Court Justice)
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To: Txsleuth

OOPSY--I posted this too soon, I just saw on the Fox ticker that Teddy Kennedy said that he joins his fellow Catholics in mourning the passing of this great man, Pope John Paul ll.

Yeah, I bet Kennedy hated this Pope, he (Kennedy) was against everything this Pope stood for except being against the Iraq War, and I bet towards the end, even the Pope might have told George Bush "job well done" if he had lived long enough to see the democracy in Iraq at work....Teddy will NEVER admit anything good has come from Bush's presidency...

I bet he also hates that Bush is going to go to the funeral, he prolly thinks that if John Kerry had won, it would have been justified since Kerry is such a devout Catholic doncha know?

I bet even ole Clinton and Hillbilly are jealous, THEY didn't get to attend a papal funeral, with all of the pomp and cirucumstance can't you just see the "royal" Clintoons, trying to steal the show in Rome?


92 posted on 04/02/2005 7:10:19 PM PST by Txsleuth (Mark Levin for Supreme Court Justice)
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To: All; TexKat; Gucho; Ernest_at_the_Beach; MEG33; Grampa Dave; gatorbait; PhilDragoo; potlatch; ...
ALL--- good persons good persons good persons be strong good all persons be strong Good G-D do will help!!!!!!I do know jego wysoka ekscelencja is very very very happy now HOME!!!Be strong!!!!Now I do want good all persons be strong!!!I do have had cry cry cry this is life Good strong happy G-D do know life Jan Pawel II/Karol Wojtyla good Jan Pawel II do go home very happy he do will help persons THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!



BE STRONG ALL GOOD PERSONS!!!!!!!!THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!BE STRONG!!!!GOOD G-D DO WILL HELP!!!!THANK YOU

93 posted on 04/02/2005 8:49:54 PM PST by anonymoussierra ("Et iube me venire ad te, ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te in saecula saeculorum. Amen.")
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To: anonymoussierra

I wish there was something I could do to help you get through this--be strong!


94 posted on 04/02/2005 8:53:12 PM PST by luvie (Freedom is on the march. Freedom is the birthright and deep desire of every human soul.GWB 3-29-05)
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To: LUV W; All














95 posted on 04/02/2005 9:09:19 PM PST by anonymoussierra ("Et iube me venire ad te, ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te in saecula saeculorum. Amen.")
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To: anonymoussierra

Beautiful pictures. I guess the people of Poland feel the loss much more personally than anyone because he was one of them.


96 posted on 04/02/2005 9:11:44 PM PST by luvie (Freedom is on the march. Freedom is the birthright and deep desire of every human soul.GWB 3-29-05)
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To: Arthur Wildfire! March
What else can we expect from that den of eniquity! It's one big homo fest there, and at the sister Globe! Pinch is a homo and so are most of his staff.
97 posted on 04/02/2005 9:12:15 PM PST by gidget7 (Get GLSEN out of our schools!!!!!!)
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To: Petronski

rofl!!


98 posted on 04/02/2005 9:13:02 PM PST by MarMema
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To: FlingWingFlyer

Liberal catholics also believe the Bible is a living document, much like their belief of the constitution!


99 posted on 04/02/2005 9:14:24 PM PST by gidget7 (Get GLSEN out of our schools!!!!!!)
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To: anonymoussierra

Thank you for those wonderful pictures.


100 posted on 04/02/2005 9:17:01 PM PST by fortunecookie
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