Posted on 02/04/2009 7:06:59 AM PST by Ravnagora
BERLIN (Reuters) - Nearly four years after a rare outburst of national pride over the election of a German pope, Germans are falling out of love with Pope Benedict because of his rehabilitation of a bishop who denies the Holocaust.
Prominent Catholics, politicians and newspaper commentators in Joseph Ratzinger's homeland are pulling no punches in their criticism of his lifting of the excommunications of four bishops, including one who denies the extent of the Holocaust.
Chancellor Angela Merkel also criticized him, prompting a sharp response from the Vatican.
"Worldwide criticism of the Pope," read the front page of top-selling daily Bild. It was a contrast to the jubilant "We are the pope!" headline in April 2005 to celebrate his election.
"The pope has made a serious mistake. That he is a German pope makes the matter especially bad," read its editorial.
"Pope Benedict XVI is inflicting great damage on Germany ... The pope must correct his mistake, reverse his decision and excuse himself," it said, in comments echoed by other papers.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Good question. All I know is most folks rolled their eyes whenever they heard something he said or wrote.
What should they do - hire a hit-man?
There's much truth in that.
Then why do they tolerate a leader who is? You can say he isn't important all you want, but until now most people, like me, had never heard of SSPX so for us he is THE defining character of SSPX and to the degree that the Pope is sanctioning him, also of the Catholic church.
You can parse this any way you want, but the truth is the Catholic church is taking a major public relations blow due to the popes actions. I mean it doesn't really matter to me, I am Baptist, but it surprises me that FReeper Catholics don't seem to care either.
That would be one way to go. I was thinking more along the lines of firing him though. You know quit paying him, lock him out of the church, that sort of thing.
because the MSM told you so.
You don't drink their Kool-Aid when they're talking about Israel, or 0bama, or the "financial crisis", or illegal aliens, or ...
Why in the Name of God do you drink their bathwater when they're talking about the Catholic Church?
“Listen. I’m a Baptist, but this Catholic-bashing in the press is making me ill. The Pope DID NOT “rehabilitate a bishop. The man never was and is not now a bishop in the Catholic Church. He’s a screwball who is a bishop in his own mind. The Pope merely ruled that he could receive communion. Period.”
Thank you. It’s very nice to see a baptist post that.
Even though I’m catholic I find this a little confusing, but I’ll give it my best shot.
First of all - the man was not excommunicated in the first place for being a holocaust denier, so I think the pope must consider the issues of excommunication and the bishop’s personal whackiness to be separate issues.
Second of all - the lifting of excommunication does not mean this man becomes a full fledged bishop w/in the catholic church - especially when he’s proven himself to be whacky.
Third - I’m not sure if lifting of excommunication necessarily means the guy can receive communion.
I saw a headline today that suggested the pope is requesting the man reconcile with the Church - which may include repudiation of his holocaust denial.
Fourth - All christian churches must deal with issues of reconciliation. There will always be people who need to be forgiven and attempts made to bring them back into the fold.
If the whacky bishop shows good faith effort to change his ways, I don’t know what the fuss is about.
..because unlike the Catholic Church I am interested in those things. I am just telling you how it looks to us from outside of the church. I guess that shouldn't matter to you.
Why, then, should I trust them on topics that I generally don't find interesting?
Answer: I shouldn't, and I don't.
Consider that as free, unsolicited advice: worth every penny you paid for it. ;')
The difference being like the difference between a nunch of civil war re-enactors and the original actors, between guys whould be hard pressed to march seven miles, and those who could cover that distance is that distance in an hour.
SO FAR YOU SEEM TO BE KEEPING PACE.
NOW DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING INTELLIGENT TO SAY BESIDES?
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