[Pyro7480]

Uh oh... ;-)

[Pyro7480]

The German Pope, who has condemned the effects of colonialism before, said rich countries had also hurt poor countries spiritually by belittling or trying to wipe out their own cultural and spiritual traditions.

He does have a point with the above. The UN and its agencies have been doing their best to force abortion and contraception on Third World countries, and much of it is funded by the U.S.

[MaestroLC]

Pope has a point. I say we pull out now and let the world fend for themselves. Rise or fall, not our problem. And if they attack us, we wipe them out with a nuke. Simple.

/s

[Mr. Jeeves]

Rich countries bent on power and profit have mercilessly "plundered and sacked" Africa and other poor regions and exported to them the "cynicism of a world without God," Pope Benedict writes in his first book.

Um...that was the European Catholics, in South America. ;)

[DangerDanger]

When did the Pope start channeling Jesse Jackson?

[fatnotlazy]

“...rich countries had also hurt poor countries spiritually by belittling or trying to wipe out their own cultural and spiritual traditions.”

***

To be fair, we have also tried to teach the third world to do for themselves without a lot of success. We have sent missionaries and lay people to teach abstinence and faithfulness in African countries where AIDS is rampant. We have sent experts to teach how to farm successfully during prolonged periods of drought. All of this has basically fallen upon deaf ears. Oh sure, they may listen very politely, but then they go out and do things the same way they always have. When you ask why, when obviously, what they are doing is detrimental to their well being, they will say, “it’s tradition.” Their stubborn refusal to let go of “tradition” and follow a better way is what is ultimately killing them.

[svcw]

Sorry Catholics but this guy is so anti-American and evangelical Christian it is scary. He has said incredible things, I am beginning to think he is a little daft. Just get into his speeches that are not widely publicized. Especially those when he visited Mexico.

[onedoug]

The Pope has a point, but shouldn’t forget that alot of was “plundered and sacked” were cults based on human cannibalism.

[bobjam]

If it weren’t for our “plundering”, many of these places would be idyllic utopias completely devoid of disease, famine, poverty, AIDS, slavery, violence, oppression, corruption, and global warming.

[Tarpon]

We could build poor countries a power plant or two instead of giving money. That would probably help them more than anything else.

[Antoninus]

He's right. The most disturbing aspect of the War on Terror to my mind is the fact that we've now opened up "family planning" clinics in both Iraq and Afghanistan. That in and of itself, is enough for me to want us out of both of those countries as soon as possible.

When we start exporting the Culture of Death to other countries, we stop being the "good guys."

[P-Marlowe]

The German Pope, who has condemned the effects of colonialism before, said rich countries had also hurt poor countries spiritually by belittling or trying to wipe out their own cultural and spiritual traditions.

What does he call the forced Christianization by the Conquistadores and the Catholic Church of South America?

Has he apologized for that? Should he return all the gold and jewels that were stolen from the Incas and Mayans and Aztecs that were later used to build and decorate St. Peter's Basillica and the Vatican?

Oh the Humanity Hypocrisy!

[Deb]

And if the colonialists had continued "exploiting" third world countries...they would have been dragged into the modern world where food, water and long lives awaited.

[Repeal The 17th]

Senors Pizzaro and Cortez,
please pick up the white courtesy phone in the lobby.

[Anti-Bubba182]

The Holy Father needs to sell more of these and donate to the poor.