Pope Warns That War Could Bring 'Religious Catastrophe'

Washington Post ^ | March 30, 2003 | Reuters

[DED]

VATICAN CITY, March 29 -- Pope John Paul II said today he hoped that the human tragedy of the war in Iraq would not set Christians and Muslims against each other and spark "a religious catastrophe."

"War must never be allowed to divide world religions," he told visiting Roman Catholic bishops from Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country. The pope said good inter-religious relations were important "at this moment of heightened tension in the entire world community."

The pope is opposed to the war in Iraq and led a Vatican diplomatic campaign to avert it. The Iraq conflict has put the Vatican at odds with the Bush administration because the pope has refused to bless the conflict as a "just war."

In the months before the Iraq war began, John Paul lobbied in favor of a negotiated solution. He has said there is no legal or moral justification for the military action, and has worried about how it could affect relations between Christians and Muslims.

[Robert Drobot]

Post # 10 is so right on.

JPII's colossal failures speak volumes about his cock-eyed understanding about his duties. He is a daily embarrassment to His Church.

[BamaFan69]

Another Patton Classic...

There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wound, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time." - General George Patton Jr

[DED]

I wish they'd quit calling Tariq Aziz "an Arab Christian". His brand of Christianity bears no resemblance to REAL Christianity.

[Robert Drobot]

Thanks for the Patton quotes. Does he have a clone in our armed forces? I'd like to see a hundred of them.

[Jhoffa_]

I think you're both overreacting.

[cookcounty]

The pope makes mistakes, too. He's old, probably not up to speed on Saddam's torture, rape, 200,000+ "disappearances," and toalitarian torture tactics.

Put it this way: If he IS informed on this issue, I'm profoundly, deeply, dissappointed in him.

[BamaFan69]

Patton was awesome....

"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making
the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
- General George Patton Jr

I'd hope we have a Patton on the ground in Iraq.. Maybe a Seal Team or Delta Force.. You know the images not seen on the news !

[cookcounty]

"Then if Saddam is not the threat, why did Bush decide to bomb Iraq first? Nah, the Pope is right on this. This is about regime change, oil, or Israel and not terrorist threat.

Where have you been? In Saddam, you have the unique convergence of a dictator working desperately to build WMD that has A) already invaded his neighbors, B) alraedy used WMD on his neighbors, and B) already used WMD against his own people more than once. This can be said of no other dictator (No, not even Kim Jong-il).

[nmh]

Jer.51:1,6,45

[1] Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind;

[6] Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.

[45] My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.

[63] And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates:

As I reflected on what you quoted, I added some other verses here to reflect on. It is not surprising to me that the pope views this as an "unjust" war. While there is alot of symbolism in the Bible, I do see a role for him and his postion bolsters what could be his role.

[Notwithstanding]

This was been up on Drudge - with a photo - for a whole day before you posted it. It is not breaking and I would venture it is not even news. Also, your made up headline violates the FR rules and is has nothing to do with the article (which lacks any content of note to begin with.

This piece is 1) the work of a leftnik "journalists" who selective quotes the pope to puch his agenda, and 2) posted here simply so that pope can be attacked by the many FReepers who become orgasmic at the thought of being able to gleefully mention pedophilia and drooling

[nmh]

"I think you're both overreacting."

I don't believe you are thinking any more either.

[ruready4eternity]

Very nice thanks for the script's. I dont know if "hes" the role player... He is too old. Or maybe he will be "healed from his wound" (parkinson's) and rise up again. ;)

[Jhoffa_]

I don't believe you are thinking any more either.

What's your problem exactly?

It's because I don't think automatically think a 5 year FReeper who happens to agree with the Pope and doesn't agree with the reasons given for this war is a: blind, obtuse, ignorant, fool who isn't worthy of my time and belongs at the DU?

[Aloysius]

If Bush is right that Saddam is our threat then we will eliminate all the airport and other security precautions and get back to fixing the economy. If the Pope is right, we will keep them. We won't have long to wait to find out.

Very good point.

[Koblenz]

In the months before the Iraq war began, John Paul lobbied in favor of a negotiated solution.

Not surprising. This is from the same church that negotiated a solution during WWII so that it wouldn't be touched, while millions of jews went to their deaths. You'd think the Church would learn that there are some people you just cannot negotiate with, even if they really won't harm YOU.

[lainde]

Thank you for the post. It's not easy being Catholic these days...

[Notwithstanding]

Examine the actual words of the pope (click on the link) instead of the spin that liberal peacenik and conservative pope-haters put on it, and you find that he has not condemned this war.

As for you comment about WWII I say this: KOBLENZ POSTS SHOW THAT HE IS EITHER A STOOGE OR ELSE HE IS A LIAR AND A BIGOT.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/879895/posts

[DED]

Is this March 30? The article was dated March 30 - that would make it today's article, right?
And, no, it wasn't posted so people could attack the Pope. I have GREAT respect for this Pope, as he is partly responsible for the collapse of Communism.
I posted the article because it seems pretty obvious to me that he isn't paying any attention to the principals of "Just War".
And making sure there's no friction with other religions isn't a tenet of Christianity. Doing what's right, IS.
Just because you're a Catholic shouldn't mean you can't see when the Pope's wrong. I don't even think many Catholics still believe the Pope is infallible.