Posted on 04/21/2005 4:14:45 AM PDT by billorites
POPE BENEDICT XVI, we are told, is seen as a "hard-line enforcer," "the doctrinal enforcer," "an unrelenting conservative," "too old, too cold and too divisive" and "likely to deepen the fissures that exist in the church." And that's just what "objective" journalists "reported" yesterday.
That the leader of the Roman Catholic Church should be addressed in these political terms is causing consternation among cardinals, who understand that the Pope leads a church, not a nation.
What the media are calling "conservative" is really Roman Catholic.
"I think we just have to be very careful about caricaturising the Holy Father, and very simply putting labels on this man of the church," said Cardinal Roger Mahoney of Los Angeles.
Complaining that the Pope should bend to popular will and embrace ideas that directly contradict church doctrine makes as much sense as complaining that the National Organization for Women is not led by Eminem. No institution should be expected to choose a leader that does not believe in its mission and uphold its principles.
We are further amused by the worry that Pope Benedict XVI might be "divisive." Divisive like Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson, perhaps? The day after Benedict's election, Amazon.com's list of its 25 best-selling books contained nine by or about the new Pope. Catholics worldwide are celebrating him. Meanwhile, Robinson actually is splitting his church, and the media hand-wringers don't seem to care.
The media may not understand the Pope's duties, but the Pope does. He said in his first official statement:
"The church today must revive within herself an awareness of the task to present the world again with the voice of the One Who said: 'I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.' In undertaking his ministry, the new Pope knows that his task is to bring the light of Christ to shine before the men and women of today: not his own light but that of Christ."
Let us judge this Pope by how well he guides the Catholic Church according to its own precepts, not according to ours.
I think one of the reasons people find the Catholic Church so refreshing is because it does not have to hue to the latest and greatest line of modern thought or PC. It represents a different, albeit somewhat anachronistic, view. People who tire of the constant struggles over this or that latest fad can find peace and solace in an organization which strives to be eternal.
And, of course, the forces of "Diversity" are demanding that the Catholic Church be exactly like everything else.
You are WAY off base. I suggest a review of history is in order.
The numbers indicate that those religions that "follow society" (as presented by the MSM) are losing members in droves. In any case, some of us think that truth is more important than numbers.
Of course it does - Christianity grew because of the political situation it found itself in
The funny this is... I'm not Catholic.
There are a multitude of items in Catholic theology that I find very disturbing. Their adherence to absolutes as regards to morality isn't one of those areas, though.
I have been listening to the liberal outrage with some considerable amusement.
Such as?
Yeah - that Episcopal Church is really booming.
There's one good thing about the way the Pope is being smeared--it shows how completely evil and abased the slime merchants of the MSM are, thereby hastening the downfall of the MSM. That's why I posted a Tina Brown atricle from the Washington Post, just to let everone here know what the real, evil core of liberalism is. There's no better evidence of what they are than the vitriol that spews from their mouths and word processors.
You mean being fed to lions?
And if political persecution explains its growth, then it should be doing gang busters now.
You know, all this criticism of the Pope for his views (not his views, really - the Catholic Church's views!) is kinda like criticizing the Surgeon General for being a "hard-liner" or "inflexible" on, say, smoking or obesity. I'm sure my doctor would like me to follow his advice more. But I'm free to listen to him or not. It would never occur to me to go the extra step, and criticize him, or the AMA, for not being more "inclusive" or "tolerant" of my sedentary lifestyle.
The analogy is not perfect by any means, but I would think the Pope feels as bound by his principles in his field as doctors do in theirs. Just some food for thought.
Is this too complicated to understand?
Wait a minute. I'm anachronistic. I think it's been pretty much downhill since the 1200s. If it wasn't for Ockam we wouldn't be in this mess... 8-)
Are you referring to the Roman persecution or the adoption of the Catholic religion by Constantine? The Church grew in both cases.
Ya think, maybe put it in political terms for liberals 'like Rove replacing Dean' as head of the Democrat party.
Yes, in the same way America grew in the face of oppression from the British Crown - exactly (and it grew because it was more popular than the romans)
The coverage of the elevation of Benedict XVI has proved without a doubt, for all time, that the modern media cannot successfully cover any subject with a religious basis. They do not understand it.
They can only relate to a Papal election by treating it as a Bush/Kerry dustup, with a conservatives vs. liberals bent. They cannot conceive that a Pope is elevated to head a church, not manhandle the Massachusetts legislature.
The most amazing thing is that NOBODY in the mainstream media has noticed this or commented on it. It's as though nothing exists outside of their little circumscribed world.
How pathetic, how horrible. What a miserable way to live.
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