[sinkspur]

Sorry, I can't be so forgiving. May they burn in hell.

You're not God. All the rest of us sinners are grateful for that.

The Pope is speaking as Christ would have. If Judas asked for forgiveness, he would have been forgiven.

Judgement of another man's soul is above your pay grade.

[ovrtaxt]

"If Judas asked for forgiveness, he would have been forgiven. "

Yep. Thats true. But he didn't and neither did these guys. So, why is the Pope talking like they're still alive?

[HanneyBean]

You're WAAAAYYY off base with this one. Those despicable thugs had their chance to repent before the True God (not Allah) before they plowed planes carrying innocent men, women and children into buildings with innocent men, women and children. Obviously, they didn't repent, and there's no forgiveness after the fact. Ergo, they're in the hell they so richly deserve, and I for one am GLAD.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Ummm...Jesus would have, while Judas was alive.

Do you think Atta is still alive? Maybe working at a Starbucks on 42nd street?

[Sabertooth]

The Pope is speaking as Christ would have. If Judas asked for forgiveness, he would have been forgiven.

Respectfully, where does Christ pray for the souls of dead men of evil?

Didn't Jesus say:

"Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 10: 32, 33.

"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
Mark 8: 38.

Jesus spoke quite a bit about hell, more than everyone else in the Bible combined. It's not clear to me He thought it should be entirely devoid of souls.

If God decides to forgive the 9/11 attackers or anyone one else, I'm not going to blink twice or second guess Him. That's definitely above my pay grade.

But I don't feel compelled to pray for their mercy, and I think the Pope muddies the waters of moral and spiritual clarity when he does so.

[smoking camels]

Neither can the pope forgive sins. And these guys did not repent so why is he asking for forgiveness?

[clamper1797]

May God have mercy ... I sure won't

[Protagoras]

You're not God. All the rest of us sinners are grateful for that. The Pope is speaking as Christ would have. If Judas asked for forgiveness, he would have been forgiven. Judgement of another man's soul is above your pay grade.

Amen

[onedoug]

God, keep account.

[mutejesseJ]

Well stated! I recall the Pope forgiving his would be assailiant (sp) THAT is love - though PJPII never said he should get *out* of serving his sentence (or going to hell) That's for GOD only to decide.

[B Knotts]

Thanks for sticking up for the Holy Father on this.

[DBtoo]

I agree with you that as humans we are not capable of judging as only God is. However, it is so hard to forgive such vile people. For some reason the Daniel Pearl story really got to me. That bothered me for weeks, and then I read about the trail of the guy who was behind it and how defiant he was. He had no remorse at all. For us mere mortals it is so hard to forgive in many cases. However what you say is correct.