Pope Urges Prayers for London Attackers

[skooooo]

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-vatican-pope-bombings,0,5435428.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Benedict XVI called Sunday for the faithful to pray for those who carried out the London bombings but also told the attackers to "stop in the name of God!"

"To those who foment feelings of hatred and to those who carry out such repugnant terrorist actions, I say to you: 'God loves life, which he created, not death. Stop in the name of God!'"

Benedict made the comments during his traditional Sunday blessing to pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter's Square.

"We all feel a profound sadness for last Thursday's atrocious terrorist attacks in London," he said to applause from the crowd. "Let us pray for those killed, for those injured and for those dear to them. But let us also pray for the attackers: Let the Lord touch their hearts."

[TahitiNut]

1. In a related announcement, Pope Benito beatifies the Supremes.

:crazy:

[msongs]

38. oooh, baby love, baby love..............(they deserve it) n/t

[TahitiNut]

45. "Stop! In the Name Of Love!" was one of their greatest hits.

I agree, though ... Motown Rulez!

Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart

Baby, baby
I’m aware of where you go
Each time you leave my door
I watch you walk down the street
Knowing your other love you’ll meet
But this time before you run to her
Leaving me alone and hurt
(think it over) after I’ve been good to you ?
(think it over) after I’ve been sweet to you ?

Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over

I’ve known of your
Your secluded nights
I’ve even seen her
Maybe once or twice
But is her sweet expression
Worth more than my love and affection ?
But this time before you leave my arms
And rush of to her charms
(think it over) haven’t I been good to you ?
(think it over) haven’t I been sweet to you ?

Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Think it over
Think it over

I’ve tried so hard, hard to be patient
Hoping you’d stop this infatuation
But each time you are together
I’m so afraid I’ll be losing you forever

Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart
Stop! in the name of love
Before you break my heart

Baby, think it over
Think it over, baby
Ooh, think it over baby...

[xxqqqzme]

2. is the pope recomending therapy????

n/t

[bitchkitty]

16. lmao n/t

[dArKeR]

3. Pope Tells Journalists To Search For 'Truth'

Pope Tells Journalists To Search For 'Truth'
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/23/AR2005042301372.html?nav=rss_world/europe

The Vatican has sought the intervention of the U.S. State Department to declare Pope Benedict XVI immune from a sexual abuse lawsuit filed here, according to court documents.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3201751

Vatican said Monday there was no investigation under way of allegations that the Mexican founder of a conservative religious order sexually abused seminarians
http://www.winktv.com/x466.xml?URL=http://localhost/APWIREFEED/d8a8vi600.xml

Vatican Reportedly Clears Priest
Vaca, a former priest, is one of at least eight men in Mexico and the United States who have accused the Rev. Marcial Maciel Degollado of molesting them when they were teenage seminary students in the 1940s, '50s and '60s.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/22/AR2005052200966.html?nav=rss_world/europe

Despite the horrific drumbeat of child molestation revelations, however, sensible Catholics hoping for a more transparent and less sexually repressed church shouldn't hold their breath. The new pope is not only a longtime leader of vicious church attacks on "evil" gays, he also has shamefully blamed the molestation scandal on the media.
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/thenation/20050524/cm_thenation/20050606scheer0524_1

Vatican Accused of Child Molestation Cover-Up
http://atheism.about.com/b/a/098516.htm

Survivors Network says the overwhelming majority of its members have never sued and are too traumatized to do so. They say they adopted their tactics after bishops promised for years to take action against guilty clergy, then never did.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7463011/page/2

Pope's Nazi past
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7576505 /



Untouched pic of the pope from news.

[IntiRaymi]

19. Truth = Hey, look over there, a shiny thing!

eom

[DemBones DemBones]

4. It's Christian teaching that we are to pray for our enemies,

for those who harm us. Naturally Pope Benedict XVI, a Christian leader, would remind Christians to pray for those who perpetrated the London attacks as well as for those killed or injured. We pray for them to change their thinking and atone for their acts.

[panzerfaust]

14. It is also Christian Teaching that

"Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Mat:16:28)

That was, let's see, gee, was that over two-thousand years ago??

And even Methuselah lived only “... nine hundred sixty and nine years...” (Gen:5:27)

There must be, there has to be, some really old Jew out there somewhere - or ...

[meow2u3]

42. So does that mean we have to pray for the Bush regime?

I pray for Bush, Cheney, Rove, and their henchfolk, including all the Republican leadership, to resign from office immediately; turn themselves in to the Hague to face charges of crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity; and take whatever punishment an international tribunal hands down to them, as atonement for the numerous sins they committed against the Iraqi people, the American people, and God Himself.

[panzerfaust]

5. If God did not want it to have happened, it would not have.

The attackers were only doing what the Big Dog wanted, else he would have stopped them.

That's what being an omniscient and omnipotent Being means.

Allahu Akbar

[VegasWolf]

6. Now, now, now, trying logic again! Shame on you! :) nt

[gratuitous]

7. May I suggest . . .

A reading of the ninth chapter of the Gospel according to John?

[panzerfaust]

9. Blind Sinners

Afraid that what I take away from John:9 is that god chooses that those who are blind, are blind by his will, since all it would take would be a little spit and clay rubbed in their eyes to make them see.

Likely they are blind because they are Sinners: “ ... we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.” (John:9:31)

If the Abrahamic God (The god of Jews/Christians/Moslem's) exists, then nothing happens save that which He chooses.

The “Problem of Evil” has never been solved by believers in such a god: not even with the invention of Satan (who is, who must be, simply another creation of the Lord's).

I deal with blind people every week. Not being a god, I would happily restore their sight – if I could; and I have no respect for, no use for, a god who could and simply won't.

[gratuitous]

23. I believe you've missed the point of the story

But since you've made up your mind already, have a nice day.

[panzerfaust]

25. I may have. Certainly it is God's desire that the multitude not understand

"And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." (Mat:13:10-11)

So He preaches to the multitude in parables that they might not understand the “mysteries of the kingdom of heaven”, and so that they will burn in Hellfire forever. You are certainly on-message with Jesus on this one.

Cool. Works for me.

[gratuitous]

31. Nope

But as I say, you've clearly made up your mind and are impervious to discussion.

[MeDeMax]

8. typo...

its not "Allahu Akbar"

it is: "Allah O Akbar"

Allah O Akbar = God is great

[panzerfaust]

12. Not Really. Arabic is not English.

There are many ways of spelling the phrase in English.

“Allahu Akbar” is probably the most common.

Al-hamdu lillahi rabbil 'alamin!!

panzerfaust

[TankLV]

40. Isn't "allah akbar" a new candy bar?

Kinda like what chunky used to be, only longer?

[MadisonProgressive]

10. God gave us free will - I doubt he/she/it condones this.

[panzerfaust]

13. "Free Will" can no more be given than can "Democracy" be imposed

Please to remember, we are talking about the Lord Almighty here. If He doth not want it to happen, babe, it won't be a-happening.

To “condone” means to forgive an offense without censure. But god could only be offended if what happened was not what He wanted to happen, but that is an impossibility given the Lord of the Host's omniscient and omnipotent state - if he has neither of these attributes, then He is NOT the God of Abraham.

The mention of freewill is interesting.

Is the argument that the people shredded in London chose to be shredded, or deserved to be shredded because they freely choose to be in that place at that time? If they are innocent, why did not god protect them? The answer is that he did not want to. He wanted them shredded, burned, and maimed: else it would not, it could not, have happened.

[MadisonProgressive]

26. Man I don't know where you get you info

but when I say God gave us free will, I mean God gave us the senses and the intelligence to make our own decisions, and we have to live with our choices in life and may be judged one day in an afterlife on the wisdom of our decisions.

[panzerfaust]

30. By taking care of victims of "freewill"

It is fine to say that god gives "freewill" and that if we use it "badly" then, when we are all dead, we might be held accountable.

When I see someone dying of the Hep-C they got from contaminated needles from shooting up with their friends in the ghetto do I say. "Freewill”, screw the bastard - that's what he picked?

No, I try to relieve his pain, his suffering, and try to keep it from happening to others - a needle exchange program and the legalization of all drugs would go far towards stopping this endlessly repeated horror.

Taking care of this guy, a simple moment of inattention, a needlestick injury, and I might well be him in eight years, dying of Hep-C. Is that my choice, to die of Hep-C?

He did not chose this either, his choices were basically made for him by our society the day he was born. Sure, some, a few, escape but not most. Where was God when he was born?

So in London my concern if for the victims of this “freewill”: many of whom died in horror; many of whom are not dead but maimed, and who face the horrors of reconstructive surgery; many of whom leave grieving family and friends, and all of whom leave a hole in the world – no matter who they were.

There is more than our "freewiller" in the world. If god is handing out this freewill that he knows (Being the All Knowing God that he is) will be used by individual-A to cause harm and suffering then what about all the poor innocent sods who get wasted because individual-A goes and causes that harm that god knew s/he would.

The rest of us in the world are not just cardboard cutouts for the exercise of someone's freewill, to see if they merit eternal damnation, or should be pulled upstairs with the good kids when they die. God already KNOWS who is going to Heaven (that is some where in Revelation I believe), he does not need "freewill" to sort this out.

God takes a different view though. Look at his treatment of Job who was “... was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”

Basically on a bet with Satan God allows Job's entire life and family to be destroyed. True, at the end, God fixes him up with another wife: but what about the suffering of the dead wife and kids - just cardboard pieces thrown away to be able to say “I told you so” to Satan.

My point is simply that this wonderful God allowed the people in London to be killed and horrifically injured because it is “all a part of his plan”. Being God, had he wished to spare them, even after the bombs went off, he could have - else he is not God.

If one truly believes in the God of Abraham, then nothing can happen that is not his will. He could have prevented the deaths of the innocent, but he chose not to.

After the recent tsunami I recall reading about a preacher who reported the miracle that the boat that he and 20 children from his orphanage were on was spared when he prayed for God to calm the waves. Seems like a somewhat alert Deity could have looked around at His Tsunami and said “Shit, maybe these other folks don't want to drown either” and then stilled the waves. He has done it before – but he chose not to do it then. How many children did he drown?

After killing the tens-of-thousands on the Pacific Rim, I guess it would have seemed inconsistent to have saved a few London tube riders.

Truly, the ways of the Lord passeth understanding.

[MadisonProgressive]

34. Whatever. Congrats on your imagination tho!

[1932]

11. Vatican Radio has a podcast available through iTunes...

...and on July 5 or 6 they did an episode on the G8 and Africa that was amazing.

People say Ratzinger is very conservative, but that podcast was unbelievably progressive.

[Zhade]

28. Yeah, when he's not calling gay marriage evil or shielding child rapists..

...that pope is one progressive guy!

:sarcasm:

I know, you intended to highlight the good, but let's please not whitewash the guy.

[1932]

36. I wasn't whitewashing Ratzinger. I was giving credit to Vatican Radio for

devoting a half hour to a great show about poverty.

My point was, regardless of what you think about Ratzinger and the church, there are great things about the church progressives should embrace.

[Zhade]

59. I agree to an extent.

I can only agree so far, being an atheist and all. :D

But as for appreciating progressive Catholics, there's an appreciation thread in GD gettin' very little love - and this atheist posted it!

[iconoclastic cat]

15. He's praying that one more attack will end the reign of secularism forever

[Ian David]

17. Sure, pray for the terrorists but condemn atheists and gays

Ah, gotta love our new pope.

And when I say "our" new pope, I mean he is everyone's pope, whether you are Catholic or not.

That's because he wants to tell everyone what to do, whether they are Catholic or not.

[goclark]

18. Why didn't he pray for the US for having aterraist for a Leader?

Why didn't he say that WAR is not the answer?

[panzerfaust]

24. He Did

..and his prayer was answered. Direct line and all you know.

What makes you say that war is not the answer?

It was certainly the answer to the prayers of the rightwingers to push their vision on America. It was the answer to Halliburton's question “So Dick, what yah gonna do for us now?" It was the answer to the evangelicals cry to strike down liberals, liberty, and other sin. It was, and is, the answer to how * is going to stay in power.

War is the answer to many things.

After all, as Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.” (Mat:10:34). And that he has done: for centuries.

Wa 'alaikumus salam
(And upon you is peace)

[goclark]

44. The Fundies will like everything that you are saying

but I happen to believe in this day and age,WAR is not the answer.

We should be about discoving that "WAr is NOT the answer."

If the fundies value life so much then value the life of our troops and the Iraqi people.

[TankLV]

41. Yep - "whatta guy"!

The irony is superbly rich.

[DanCa]

20. I pray for the pope to respect the lives ....

Of women who need an abortion for reasons that we cant fathom or judge...
Of Gay people to be treated like every one else when it comes to marriage....
Of the sick and disabled and to allow stem cell research
Of the poor and denounce the privatization of social security
To follow his predecessor and vocally oppose this war
To follow his predecessor and oppose guns and the death penality
To Honor Mother Earth and call upon his followers to become stewards of the earth
To denounce the actions of President Bush in the middle east like his predecessor who once reffered to G W Bush as the Anti Christ
I call upon the heavenly father and the sucessor to peter to hear my prayer

[WinkyDink]

21. Pope

Once a Nazi.....

[DanCa]

22. ha

always a nazi

[QC]

33. Yeah, because the Nazi were notorious for praying for their enemies.

Shit, don't people even try to come up with anything even the tiniest bit intelligent to post anymore?

[Rich Hunt]

55. just ignore it

Some people post veiled anti-Catholic garbage because they get an adrenaline rush out of it.

Then they complain that they were only criticizing the Pope. If that were true, their posts would be logical and not sweeping and emotional. Their styles give away their bitterness.

We've been through this time and again, and it's the same characters who do this. I think they have a little problem with obsession.

Something tells me they couldn't give a rat's ass about the church's progressive economic agenda - after all, they benefit from ignoring economic issues, and that's what this is really all about.

[geek tragedy]

27. What a goddamn liberal!

/Karl Rove

[splat@14]

29. WTF?

[QC]

32. !

You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48)

[0007]

35. Hail to the Holy See

I wish the message was; "Fight terrorism with compassion"

[AlwaysQuestion]

37. Twaddle and worse!

Such tripe, REALLY!!

It's all verbiage signifying nothing--absolutely nothing. Won't bring back a soul--won't change anything--meaningless--nothingness--hollow, hollow, hollow.

I go beserk whenever I hear pompous asses invoke the name of God, Allah, Whatever. Ohhhhhhh, I could screammmmmmmmmmmmmm! (Where the hell is the "scream" icon when I need it?!)

Do these religious leaders really think any of their mouthings will help the dead, the maimed, the poor, etc., etc., etc.? Unctuous twaddle from twits!

[QC]

39. So you think it's better to hate one's enemies?

Maybe wish for terrible things to happen to them? Perhaps threaten them with a bit of "Shock and Awe"? Hack their feet off for being "promiscuous"?

Believe me, I'm not Catholic and no fan of Benedict, but I can't quite understand all your bile against someone asking that we show some concern for our enemies. I suspect that if, say, the Dalai Lama or the Grand Mufti of Outer Franistan had said the same thing, you would be praising the mysterious wisdom of the East right about now. But since a Christian and---clutch the pearls, Mary!--a Catholic said it, then it's something awful.

[DanCa]

43. Talk about hypocrisy

Lets just kick everyone out of a church who disagrees with it's stances on reproductive issuess and its stances on orientation. Tell me how is denying communion to someone an example of loving your enemy ? Seems to me like someones pontificating out of his tucus. By the way Jesus said were supposed to have no Gods before him and that includes his mom.

[QC]

48. Another one who can't read....

This thread is not about reproductive choice, nor is it about sexual orientation. As I said in the thread to which you attempted to respond, I'm not Catholic, so the "marydolatry" smear doesn't work here. What is more, I'm pro-choice and I'm so extravagantly gay I set car alarms off when I walk by, so I obviously disagree with RC teaching on those issues and will gladly join you in condemning them.

However, the subject of the thread is something quite different. Given a choice between wishing violence on one's enemies and hoping that they undergo a change of heart, I will choose the latter. That is the truly liberal position.

[DanCa]

49. The church condems me to pain everyday

Read up on parkinsons QC read up on stem cell. They call me horrible names and brand me a toddler killer because I want to cure my disease and diseases such as childhood diabetes and hemophilia and than deny me communion because I vote for pro choice and pro gay rights politicians. I am also against the war in iraq but it doesnt matter because the church is rapidly becoming a two issue church.
Pope Benedict will never be the pope the late John Paul was, may he rest in peace, nor even the man the late great Cardnial Bernadine of Chicago. Benedict is a poser at best and thats my problem with him and his deffenders. So he can forgive people for blowing up buildings thats wonderful howcome he cant forgive me for wanting stem cell research to cure people answer me that one.

[QC]

51. Again, this thread is not about stem cell research.

I'm with you on that. As I have tried to explain again and again (maybe this will help):


1. I am not Catholic.

2. I do not like Benedict. Not even a little bit. He is a mediaeval throwback.


My point, which you missed in your rush to maytrydom, is that most of the critisicm of this statement is nothing more than kneejerk reactions to the word Catholic. That's pure freeperthink, and we're supposed to be smarter--and better--than that.

If you want to talk about stem cell research or reproductive choice or sexual orientation, I'm with you. But they have nothing to do with this discussion.

[Rich Hunt]

57. bravo

These people think that their concerted tactics are invisible.

An unwillingness to stick to the topic is also a sign of prejudice.

It would be lovely if we could have a conversation on DU regarding such fascist freeper concepts such as forgiveness and understanding, but some people are hell-bent on avoiding those topics and would prefer to foam at the mouth.

[AlwaysQuestion]

53. Wishing you well

I don't believe for a moment that the church or state will be able to prevent stem cell research from prevailing--of that I'm sure, so please hang on for hope that the day will come when there will be a cure for your Parkinson's disease and other horrendous diseases that man endures. As for being pro-choice on abortion and gay rights, all that says to me is that you believe in universal rights. Surely to goodness no supreme being would object to that notwithstanding what the pope has to say.

I just wish you were able to forget church doctrine and concentrate on the Golden Rule which you seem to be very good at already. If there is a god, I am completely and utterly convinced that we will all be judged by how we treated one another.

I do so wish you the very best.

[AlwaysQuestion]

46. Yadda, yadda, yadda

You've got a problem straight away - Ya gotta read. I didn't say anything that you attribute to me nor did I imply anything you said.

Catholic, Schmacolic, Jewish, Budhism, Hinduism, Muslim, Baptist, Holly Roller - I don't cotton to any religions and I most certainly don't pay any mind to what religious leaders have to say - they're all manipulators with a following. I follow no man--at least not voluntarily.

But, hey, if you think the words of the pope signify anything, then by all means, hang on to his every word. To me, they're just mouthings, as in everyone should love his mother. Profound, eh wot?

[QC]

47. "I don't cotton to any religions"

Ooooo--well aren't you just the dickens! How radical! I bet you blow 'em all the away during those late night beer-fueled bullshit sessions in the dorm!

Speaking of "I didn't say anything that you attribute to me nor did I imply anything you said", you might want to take another look at the post to which you were allegedly responding. I don't "hang onto (the Pope's) every word. Like I plainly said there, I'm not Catholic and I have a low opinion of Benedict. I just think that there are worse approaches to violence than hoping that one's enemies will experience a change of heart.

Now buzz off until you have anything original and even slightly intelligent to add to the discussion--I'm holding my breath for that one. Honest....

[AlwaysQuestion]

50. It's okay - quiet down

Methinks your feathers are ruffled. Now settle down. Everything's gonna be okay. And don't ever hold your breath--for anyone--not even me. Don't hyperventilate, but my original post stands.

Maybe we'll catch up with one another again--I'm actually quite lovable.

[QC]

52. "I'm actually quite lovable."

I don't doubt that you are, once you manage to drop the drama queen façade.

[AlwaysQuestion]

54. Yep, Amenable Amy retorting

Drama queen? I like the sound of it. I'll take it.

[Rich Hunt]

56. watch out...

Watch out for people who make drama queen, straw man arguments like "you hang onto his every word". They are there to vent prejudice.

Anyone who projects sentiments onto you that you do not have is venting prejudice against you, not benignly expressing a valid opinion.

[Zorra]

58. How about calling on Bu*h to stop the attack on Iraq in the name of God?

Isn't that just as evil?

Or are little brown "infidel" babies getting burned alive on a daily basis not important enough to speak out about, not a consideration for "God's representative here on earth"?

[PsychoDad]

60. He heard that they might have been white...

And thus not anti-christian as he earlier thought. :silly:

White terraists are deserving of redemption.

[AngryOldDem]

61. What would you all have wanted him to say?

I'm no big supporter of Benedict myself, but he did speak out about the attacks. Of course, his words will not make one whit of difference in the world, but he did speak out.

What would you all have preferred that he say? God knows that if NO pronouncement at all had come out of the Vatican, you would be on the Church's case about THAT.