Posted on 12/22/2005 3:46:19 PM PST by rmlew
According to an AP story at the French Yahoo website, Pope Benedict has been making fatally naïve, classically deluded, liberal-style comments about the meaning and “message” of the Muslim riots in France, namely that the riots express a “dissastisfaction” with society that society must do something about. Why can’t the Pope understand that the riots are not an expression of dissatisfaction with France, but an expression of emnity toward France, not a plea for better “integration” in France, but a scream in the face that no integration is possible?
And when will Christians understand that unless the Church stands with this civilization against its mortal enemies, the civilization and the Church will die together?
Many thanks to our VFR French expert who once again has provided us with an excellent English translation.
Benedict XVI comments again on the urban riots and calls upon France to thank her immigrant workers.
Vatican City (AP)—Benedict XVI returned on Monday to the topic of the urban riots in France that have challenged us “to take into consideration the demands of young people”.
The Pope emphasized the importance of “thanking” the immigrant workers and their descendants who have become for the most part full-fledged Frenchmen.
The sovereign pontiff received a visit on Monday morning from the new French ambassador to the Holy See, Bernard Kessedjian. He took the occasion to recall that France had recently “lived through a difficult period socially, one which brought to light the profound dissatisfaction of part of its youth.”
“Internal violence, which marks societies and which one cannot but condemn, serves nevertheless as a message, especially from the young, urging us to take their demands into consideration”, emphasized Benedict XVI.
“Your country has welcomed a large number of foreign workers and their families, who have greatly contributed to the development of your nation since the end of the Second World War”, he added. “Today it is important to thank them, and their descendants, for the economic, cultural and social wealth in which they have participated. Most of them have thus become full-fledged French citizens.”
For Benedict XVI, “the challenge today is to live by the values of equality and fraternity (...) taking care that all citizens, while respecting legitimate differences, are able to forge a genuine common culture that bears fundamental moral and spiritual values.”
“It is also important to propose to the young both an ideal of society and a personal ideal”, he added. “The final word is that your country is being called upon to take additional measures toward the integration of everyone into society. The same is true of other nations on the Continent, and this in the name of the intrinsic dignity of each person that is central in our society.” “Social peace comes about, to a great extent, at this price”, he concluded.
Benedict XVI expressed the wish that “very special” attention be paid to the “institution of marriage and family” that plays an “irreplaceable role in the education of the young”. “In order to do this, it must be assisted and sustained, so that it does not abandon its educational mission, leaving young people to their own devices”, the Pope stressed.
The AP translation can be found
Of course you aren't.
It is sad. Our American version of conservative is so much different than the rest of the world's version. Seems like European conservatives are really just less liberal socialists.
From the French AP Story:
“Internal violence, which marks societies and which one cannot but condemn, serves nevertheless as a message, especially from the young, urging us to take their demands into consideration”, emphasized Benedict XVI.
So we should reward disorder?
Their demands are welfare and submission.
“Your country has welcomed a large number of foreign workers and their families, who have greatly contributed to the development of your nation since the end of the Second World War”, he added. “Today it is important to thank them, and their descendants, for the economic, cultural and social wealth in which they have participated. Most of them have thus become full-fledged French citizens.”
Is the Pope actually confusing the industrious and assimilated immigrants like the parents of Interior Minister Nikolas Sarkozy with the Arabs of the Banliues?
For Benedict XVI, “the challenge today is to live by the values of equality and fraternity (...) taking care that all citizens, while respecting legitimate differences, are able to forge a genuine common culture that bears fundamental moral and spiritual values.”
Which values? Is he speaking of Catholic France, Revolutionary France, the French Republic, Multi-culturalist France, or of Islam?
“It is also important to propose to the young both an ideal of society and a personal ideal”, he added. “The final word is that your country is being called upon to take additional measures toward the integration of everyone into society. The same is true of other nations on the Continent, and this in the name of the intrinsic dignity of each person that is central in our society.” “Social peace comes about, to a great extent, at this price”, he concluded.
What of the nee4d of immigrants to assimilate? What of the need of certain groups to give up their desire to CONQUER France and the west?
Why the heck should France integrate a growing Fifth Column?
ping
What civilization? Secular, socialist Europe, that doesn't care enough about its own survival to replace its native population through reproduction?
The statement quoted sounds like "Appropriate remark!" boilerplate, rather than anything composed to make a real point, but it wouldn't surprise me if Pope Benedict thinks there's a greater chance of mass conversions of Moslems than there is of a rebirth of Christianity among culture-of-death ethnic Europeans.
Secular, Socialist Europe is the trustifarian brat living off the social and political capital of Christian Europe. However, there are still many who either remember their heritage, or understand taht secular liberalism is like AIDS to their cultural and political defenses against invasion.
The Pope has been an embarassment to the Christian world for years. Popes die in office, but unfortunately senility preceeds death.
Intersting point and it may prove valid. It couldn't hurt.
Pope Pollyanna. I'm kind of cringing.
There is considerable evidence that Pope Benedict is less naive about Islam than his predecessor was. He also is on record concerning the importance of Europe returning to its Christian roots.
I don't know what to make of this pap, unless it is just PR babble. I doubt whether it's what he really thinks, and I don't know why he would say it.
Unfortunately, "remembering your heritage" isn't worth a great deal, unless it influences your decisions today. We can see, for example, plenty of Americans who "remember" their immigrant forebears, but aren't interested in following the example of hard work, thrift, and family solidarity.
... or understand that secular liberalism is like AIDS to their cultural and political defenses against invasion
That's more positive. I wish these people the best of luck in taking a stand for a living, Christian (or Jewish :-) society in Europe. The current trends seem to suggest that all they'll get there is an unappreciated martyrdom in a generation or so, but the future is always full of surprises!
The Pope is turning out to as as pathetic as the last one when it comes to recognizing and combatting the threat of Islamofascism. It is to John Paul II's great shame that he never spoke one word about the slow-motion genocide of Christians at the hands of Muslims worldwide.
I don't understand why he can't blame the INDIVIDUAL instead of others. THAT is liberal think.
Christianity has always suffered when its followers become too comfortable. Real persecution is coming to Europe and the United States, I believe. Right now it seems to be mostly from secular liberalism - although that's an idolatry, just as Rome's imperial cult was - but when the Moslem population assumes more general influence, the lines will be drawn so there can be no possible confusion.
The Pope happens to think that each individual is worth something. If you invite a whole bunch of people that are known for their beliefs, attitudes and actions into your country, then you are at least partially responsible for the results.
Christianity made more progress as to recognition and thus to grappling with the results of Moslem predation under JPII's reign than at any other time for the last several hundred years.
I suppose this means Pope Benedict XVI is not the man to depend upon to lead Europe on another Crusade to save European civilization and Christianity from the pillaging Muslim hordes who are aiming to subjugate and sack the place once again, for the umpteenth time in 1400 years?
I guess I have a different interpretation from everyone else.
By all means, take the riots as a sign that there are dissatisfied unassimilated people in the country. But the only fundamental way to deal with that is to stand up for French (presumably Christian) society, explain what is good about it, and integrate the immigrants into that. Instead of just hoping that if they ignore the problem, or convert France to Islam, it will somehow placate them.
It sounds pretty conservative to me. Of course it has a thick sugar coating of diplomacy on it.
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