Posted on 09/11/2002 5:32:02 AM PDT by Pern
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope John Paul, marking the anniversary of the attacks on U.S. cities, branded terrorism "ferocious inhumanity" but asked for prayers that God would show mercy and forgiveness for the attackers.
The pope also urged the world to change in situations of injustice that spurred the desire for revenge.
"We pray for the victims today, may they rest in peace, and may God show mercy and forgiveness for the authors of this horrible terror attack," he said in Polish, according to a translation provided by Vatican Radio.
The pope was speaking in unscripted remarks in Polish during a special general audience dedicated to commemorating the victims of the attacks by hijacked aircraft on New York and Washington landmarks.
The service included mourning music and a peace prayer.
"Terrorism is and always will be a manifestation of ferocious inhumanity, and because it is, it never will resolve conflicts between human beings," he told some 10,000 people in the Vatican's vast auditorium.
"Violence can only lead to further hatred and destruction."
But he called for changes in "scandalous situations of injustice and oppression, which continue to afflict so many members of the human family, creating conditions that are favorable to the uncontrolled explosion of the thirst for vendetta."
After his address, special prayers were read in several languages, including Arabic, for the victims of the attacks and for peace among religions.
MORE THAN 3,000 DEAD
More than 3,000 people died in the attacks on New York's World Trade Center, U.S. military headquarters at the Pentagon on the Washington outskirts and in a hijacked plane that crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.
The prayer read in Arabic asked believers of all religions to "firmly reject every form of violence and commit themselves to resolving conflicts with sincere and patient dialogue" while respecting different histories, cultures and religions.
Speaking in a somber voice in his address, the pope said injustices had to be tackled through urgent and resolute political and economic actions.
He said that when fundamental rights were violated in oppressive situations, "it is easy to fall prey to the temptation of hate and violence."
But one year on, the pontiff said it was not enough to commemorate the victims and pray for their families.
"We also want to interrogate the consciences of those who planned and carried out such a barbarous and cruel action," he said.
"One year after September 11, 2001, we repeat that no situation of injustice, no feeling of frustration, no philosophy or religion can justify such an aberration."
"On this very sad anniversary, we raise to God our prayer so that love may be able to take the place of hate, and, with the help of all people of good will, that concord and solidarity may take root in every corner of the earth," he said.
THAT IS A BALD-FACED LIE, SINKSPUR!
Catholics believe that.
Bible-believing Christians DO NOT believe that the dead can be saved if they die without accepting Jesus as their personal Saviour, and we DO NOT believe in "purgatory".
I urge you to speak for CATHOLICS ONLY when posting such bald faced lies as you have just done.
Well said BUMP.
Second, how the heck can you know what these stupid men thought seconds before their deaths. Remember, supposedly only one or two on each plane knew what exactly was happening. The others thought they were hijacking the planes and found out moments before their own deaths. Perhaps they did ask for forgiveness seconds before their deaths. They can't really "show us any signs" of being remorseful, can they?
The only visible Christian churches that can trace their origins to Pentecost are the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches.
If you were a good, Scriptural Christian you would be Catholic or at least Orthodox.
1. Sinkspur sticking up for the Pope.
2. Me agreeing with Sinkspur.
Of course you are right, and so is the Holy Father. We know what the Pope means, it's a Catholic thing, they just wouldn't understand.
How quickly people condemn others to the fires of hell, when Christ repeatedly calls us to forgive, to love, to be charitable. We all deserve hell, each and every one of us. We both know that the Holy Father was not talking about forgiving the terrorists who are already dead, that would not be possible.
We know that the Holy Father wants the remaining terrorists to realize what they do is evil and repent.
Sure is funny to see people take a small bit of the overall speech and put a spin on it.
Gotta' hand it to you sink, I'm proud of you. ;-)
That changed yesterday when I was asking some sincere questions on another thread. I was shocked at the cult follower mentality. I started looking at catholic related posts. Saw so much deception and false teaching, etc. I decided to speak out. Answer one question. How do you justify your heavy use of idols in your worship houses in light of direct Biblical commands to the contrary?
God is God; His wishes are granite, and cannot be thwarted by you or me or bin Laden.
Whoever is burning in Hell is there because they are supposed to be there.
And every Muslim terrorist will burn in Hell, if God so wishes.
Ok, then show me the passage of the Bible where someone prays for the salvation of a dead person.
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