Vatican change of heart over 'barbaric' Crusades

[sasha031]

THE Vatican has begun moves to rehabilitate the Crusaders by sponsoring a conference at the weekend that portrays the Crusades as wars fought with the “noble aim” of regaining the Holy Land for Christianity.The Crusades are seen by many Muslims as acts of violence that have underpinned Western aggression towards the Arab world ever since. Followers of Osama bin Laden claim to be taking part in a latter-day “jihad against the Jews and Crusaders”.

The late Pope John Paul II sought to achieve Muslim- Christian reconciliation by asking “pardon” for the Crusades during the 2000 Millennium celebrations. But John Paul’s apologies for the past “errors of the Church” — including the Inquisition and anti-Semitism — irritated some Vatican conservatives. According to Vatican insiders, the dissenters included Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI. Pope Benedict reached out to Muslims and Jews after his election and called for dialogue. However, the Pope, who is due to visit Turkey in November, has in the past suggested that Turkey’s Muslim culture is at variance with Europe’s Christian roots.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-2093921,00.html

[ixion]

1. ah yes... burning libraries, torturing innocents, brutal murders

... that's so noble.
:eyes:

[MadHound]

2. How noble was the Children's Crusade?

You know, the one where a bunch of kids got so pumped up by Vatican rhetoric that they set off across Europe towards the ME, all to take on the "heathen Muslims", and instead were all either killed, or sold into slavery, mostly by fellow Christians. Not one single member of that Crusade made it either to the ME or made it home.

Yeah, that's real "noble" there:eyes:

[SquireJons]

3. There was more than one Childrens Crusade

Few kids, if any reached the M.E. by overland route, most dieing or sold into slavery along the way. But an attempt was made to reach the ME by boat, and did so only to be sold into slavery in Egypt by the christians who transported them there. Two men were later hanged in Venice for their complicancy in the matter.

Truth is, both sides employed cruel and sadistic measures in what was essentially a territorial conflict of expanding empires.

[The Stranger]

5. Is this the "fair and balanced" revisionist Faux News point of view?

Truth is, both sides employed cruel and sadistic measures in what was essentially a territorial conflict of expanding empires.

[rucky]

4. Poking a hornet's nest with a holy scepter.

why can't they just leave well enough alone, considering how tense thing are right now. None of the world leaders want to resolve this diplomaticaly. none of them.

[AndyTiedye]

6. They Are Trying to Rehabilitate the Dark Ages Too

I expect that next week they will be saying the Inquisition was glorious and wonderful.
Or did he do that last week?