Pope: Europe corrupts Africa

News24 ^ | 5/15/05 | News24

[henderson field]

"...Then we had French soldiers gunning down civilians on the Ivory Coast....?
I assume they were unarmed civilians.

[cripplecreek]

By all accounts they were unarmed civilians.

[jec41]

When the Europeans went to Africa there was a big printing press sitting in the middle of the Continent. The only problem was that no one knew how to work it or its purpose.

[JSteff]

"They buy Italian shoes for the most part."

I don't think he meant shoes as an "evil" that was exported. Over priced, and generally in bad taste but hardly the type of evil he was talking about.

Africans have been killing Africans for centuries. Christianity or Europeans did not cause this.

[sirthomasthemore]

I love it when discussions end peacefully. I'll drink to that.

---

Come on, Cy, who you kidding? You'll drink to anything.

:o)

[cyborg]

I'm drinking right now as a matter of fact.

[sirthomasthemore]

Ha! Always had great intuition. :)

Cheers!

[cyborg]

Have a great week :-)

[sirthomasthemore]

Ditto!

[Torie]

Rome - In a stern criticism of colonialism, Pope Benedict XVI said on Friday that along with Christianity, Europe had brought corruption and violence to the African continent.

Garbage. What a uninformed PC statement.

[The Iguana]

I think the pontiff is speaking mainly in regards to recent history (i.e, the last few decades).

And on this score, he also knows that his churches in Europe are on life support, while those in Africa are exploding with growth.

[cyborg]

It's not uninformed if you know history. It so happens to be true. Why does everything have to be a kneejerk accusation of being PC? Or do you think that Catholic Church only brought peace and harmony and goodwill to Africa? It's not true and saying what he said doesn't mean he's PC at all.

[The Iguana]

I know as well as anyone what a hellhole much of Africa has become since winning independence, but on the other hand too many people have forgotten the nightmares of King Leopold's Congo - to cite the most egregious example.

By and large, the British were probably the most beneficial colonial power. The other powers had more mixed records. Belgium's was atrocious.

[Torie]

European colonization, and particularly church work, reduced the level of violence in Africa, rather than increase it. When they left, violence went back up, vicious genocidal Malthusian violence in many cases. I read Jared Diamond's book on the genocide on Rwanda, and watch Hotel Rwanda last night.

I think the claim of the Pope is ludicrous. But feel free to persuade me otherwise. I don't claim to be the expert.

[Torie]

Well France gave birth to the most prosperous nation in Black Africa, the Ivory Coast, until sectarian violence, and massive immigration, under the guise of religious tension, caused it all to fall apart. The place lacks the whatever it is to fashion a productive economy, or curb destructive birth rates. I frankly see little hope for optimism. It will be interesting to see what happens to Africa when most of the rest of the planet becomes relatively prosperous, which should happen in about 50 years.

[cyborg]

Look into the RCC's involvement in the slave trade in Africa and South America. The claim of the Pope isn't ludicrous. You just don't like what he said because liberals say it here all the time and everyone gets their faces rubbed in it. There's nothing wrong with what he said. I'm not into persuasion just putting out my opinion. My uncle was a RC priest in Africa and there's a lot of history good and bad there.

[Torie]

The slave trade went out 150 years ago. I don't think that has anything to do with the current state of Africa - zero.

[cyborg]

:sigh: whatever...you want to believe that. Go right ahead.

[rave123]

Who should run them?

[cyborg]

Mayor Richard Daley of course!