Is he ignorant of the long and bloody history of the organization he heads? Or he is he now redefining “true believers”?
Neither.
He's attempting to protect Christians in the Middle East, many of whom have been thrown under the bus by US policy, firstly in Iraq (Bush) and secondly, by our unrestrained enthusiasm for the "Arab Spring" (Obama).
I would have thought those who truly consider Middle East Christians to be brothers in Christ would applaud his efforts. Naturally, if you think he's doing a lousy job or he has no business being there, perhaps you could nominate a substitute. I'm sure the Pope would be happy to lend his support. It's not like he has nothing else to do apart from risking his life on trips to the Middle East.
Someone more suitable, perhaps. Someone who wouldn't offend the naysayers who consider the Catholic Church to be disqualified from intervening in human conflict. Is the Jehovah's Witness big cheese available? How about Rick Warren or Paul Crouch?
This is the "whack a Pope" game, isn't it? If the Pope said nothing, folk would scream...."why isn't he doing something, instead of hiding in the Vatican?" When he does say something, the response is ...."shut up....the Catholic Church has no moral authority to criticize those who engage in violence.."
That's the beauty of being a naysayer. It's win-win.
I can't think of any Catholic saint who was canonized because of military or sanguinary exploits. You won't find sainted torturers, slavers or warrior-kings. I cant think even of any canonized Crusaders except maybe Louis IX of France, and he was mostly a peacemaker and a just lawgiver who died before actually getting to the Crusade (died of some plague-related infection in Tunis.)
The very --very --- few sainted soldiers are vastly outnumbered by sainted EX-soldiers like Ignatius of Loyola, Martin of Tours, Francis of Assisi, who --- rather like the ex-sword-wielding Apostle Peter --- put down the sword and took up the Cross.
There's plenty of sin in Catholic history. But the perps were in those instances violating, not exemplifying, Catholic doctrine. The one saint I can think of who was famed for a feat of arms (St. Joan of Arc) is a solitary rare bird; there's not another like her.
It is absolutely essential to keep in mind that there have been butchers, lechers, slave-abductors and so forth in Christian history, but they were acting outside-of and against the precepts and example of Christ, acting (at their worst) in disobedience to their own authorities, were seen by their more devout contemporaries as scandalous, and are seen in retrospect as abhorrent.
By contrast, the butchers, lechers, and slave-abductors in Islamic history were acting in accordance with the precepts and example of Mohammad, acting in conformity to their authorities, were seen by their contemporaries as devout, and are seen in retrospect (by fellow Muslims) as exemplary.
The more religiously observant a Muslim becomes, the more he or she wishes to conform to the Hadiths, to the Koran, and to Mohammad himself; and the more damnable their behavior becomes.
That's the utter perversion of it all.
And then,what did Jesus say to Peter? I believe He said,"those who live by the sword will die by the sword",didn't He?
It seems to me that since this was Christs last night on earth that the conversation was more than some casual back and forth between Jesus and Peter,just maybe He was telling Peter about the futility of fighting and killing. Maybe Benedict XVI follows Him,just as He asked Peter (in perpetuity) to do.
And maybe Benedict XVI is obedient and understands what Christ is telling him to do today. And maybe we all ought to pray and think a little more about what our Triune God wants.
I am interested in anyone's thought. I feel that we are just like those people that lived at the time of the Crucifixion.half asleep but eager to help and more often than not do the wrong thing because we forget what God has taught us.