Posted on 07/08/2009 1:00:05 PM PDT by presidio9
When he meets Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on July 10, President Barack Obama will find himself in conversation with a man who is, at heart, a teacher. Which raises the question: what lessons might Professor Ratzinger be interested in proposing to President Obama?
The first—and obvious—lesson has to do with what the Roman Catholic Church regards as the premier civil-rights issues of the moment: the life issues, including abortion, euthanasia, and embryo-destructive stem-cell research. Ever since the Saddleback Church debate during the 2008 campaign, Obama has steadfastly declined to address the moral argument at the heart of the Catholic Church's teaching on the life issues, preferring instead to speak of different "beliefs" or different "views" on these deeply controverted questions. The professor-pope, who knows this, may gently remind his guest that what is at stake here is not a matter of taste or opinion, but a first principle of justice that can be known by reason: innocent human life is inviolable and must be afforded the protection of the law. That principle, Benedict XVI may continue, is not some peculiarly Catholic notion. Rather, it an argument that can be engaged by any serious person, irrespective of his or her theological convictions (or lack thereof). And grasping it is essential to securing the moral foundations of democracy—a point Benedict underscores in his new encyclical, Caritas in Veritate [Charity in Truth].
Should the president reply (as both his May commencement address at Notre Dame and his July 2 interview with religion reporters suggest he might) that people of good will ought to be able to find "common ground" on reducing the incidence of abortion and providing more effective aid for women in crisis pregnancies,
(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...
I bet he makes a backhanded comment to Il Papa out of arrogance. Or, he’ll make the Pope come outside to talk to him.
Is Benedict XVI Driving Wedge Between Catholics & Democrat Party?
That is the only way that can make sense to me.
Carry on.
**The President and the Pope: “Is Obama Driving Wedge Between Catholics & Benedict XVI?” (Newsweek)**
NO!
I just love it when halfa** writer trys to tell me what I should think of someone. SPIN, is spin.
I just love it when halfa** writer trys to tell me what I should think of someone. SPIN, is spin.
Your links are to leftist sources — why to FReepers denounce leftist sources when they banter their political media views?
But when leftist sources post about the Pope or anything Catholic — everyone (a lot of FReepers included) jump on it as solid truth rather than the leftist spin it is.
Really a sad situation.
Best Pro-Life Quotes from Pope Benedict XVI's New Encyclical Encycli-bites for reading “Caritas in veritate”
In new encyclical Pope Benedict slams population control, urges openness to life
The New Encyclical [Cairtas in Veritate -- Love and Truth] {Ecumenical]
AP, Reuters Go Full Tilt in Spinning Latest Writing of Pope
Caritatis [sic] in Veritate: papal encyclical calls for new moral approach to global economy (CWN)
Supreme Knight criticizes use of Pope's encyclical for political agendas
Benedict XVI explains gifts and limitations of free market economy
Benedict XVI Tightens Up the Church's Social Teaching
Excerpts from Pope Benedict XVI New Encyclical "CARITAS IN VERITATE" (CHARITY AND TRUTH)
What, in your eyes, are not leftist sources? I read the encyclical. To say he's not calling for a global government is absurd.
BTW, I consider the Catholic Church to be on the edge of supporting socialism. They espouse illegal immigrant rights.
Oops
Your links are to leftist sources — why do FReepers denounce leftist sources when they banter their political media views?
All 144 pages of it?
The Catholic Church is here for all people — not to establish any kind of governoring body.
It might do you a lot of good to learn more about the structure of the Catholic Church. Most of the decisions are make on local levels — not by the Pope. Pope Benedict XVI alludes to that in the encyclical.
Come on — if you have really read it then you know the word! LOL! What is it?
“ought to be able to find “common ground” on reducing the incidence of abortion”
Here’s one way, zer0. Stop paying for the killing of infants with our tax money.
I'm not up for your games. I didn't read every word. I read enough to know how his words will be interpreted. If he didn't want a world governing body or, as he put it "The articulation of political authority at the local, national and international levels is one of the best ways of giving direction to the process of economic globalization." what else would you call it?
Why is that that every time I post an article with the word "Pope" in the title I find myself confronted with unreltated and uneducated attacks against the man. I wish you had just made a specif charge, like an adult, but instead you linked two article. They both appear to allude to the idea that the Pope is somehow endorsing a world body that has complete control over the global economy. That is what the authors got out of a recent encyclical (which they clearly didn't read) anyway. From your postings, its pretty obvious that you didn't read it either.
Let me save you the trouble: The Catholic Church believes in both personal charity and the capitalist system. It has nothing against personal wealth. It has expressed this opinion repeatedly, right down to sunday sermons that I hear in Churches two or three times a year. There are other Christian denominations that support enforced wealth redistribution. Chatholicism is the wrong one. If this is the topic you've chosen for an attack on the Catholic Church, you're barking up the wrong tree.
Why is that that every time I post an article with the word "Pope" in the title I find myself confronted with unreltated and uneducated attacks against the man. I wish you had just made a specif charge, like an adult, but instead you linked two article. They both appear to allude to the idea that the Pope is somehow endorsing a world body that has complete control over the global economy. That is what the authors got out of a recent encyclical (which they clearly didn't read) anyway. From your postings, its pretty obvious that you didn't read it either.
Let me save you the trouble: The Catholic Church believes in both personal charity and the capitalist system. It has nothing against personal wealth. It has expressed this opinion repeatedly, right down to sunday sermons that I hear in Churches two or three times a year. There are other Christian denominations that support enforced wealth redistribution. Chatholicism is the wrong one. If this is the topic you've chosen for an attack on the Catholic Church, you're barking up the wrong tree.
Complete horse hockey. I'm quite sure you haven't read it. Pope Benedict XVI is the Vicar of Christ. You expect him to be a political figure? Of course, he'll "endorse" a philosophy of helping the needy (The practice of almsgiving "represents a specific way to assist those in need and, at the same time, an exercise in self-denial to free us from attachment to worldly goods," the pope said in the message, released at the Vatican Jan. 29, 2008), as well as one that is generally opposed to war (does NOT rule out that there is in fact "just" wars). It's just the Left who is trying to take political advantage of these Christ-centric positions for their own slimy purposes. True conservatives shouldn't be misled. Here's a couple of other posts which do a much better job of analysis on this encyclical:
**I’m not up for your games. I didn’t read every word. **
LOL! Just what I thought. And I’m not playing games. If you had really read the entire document you would know what I am talking about. Until then — bye-bye!
BO don’t need no rap from the Pope. Rev. Wright taught him all the religious jive he need to know.
(By the way, I respect George Weigel and what he writes, but I hate to have to give Newsweak a ping in order to get to it.)
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