Outrage at anti-Semitism comparison by Pope preacher

[IndianaGreen]

Source: BBC News

Page last updated at 03:13 GMT, Saturday, 3 April 2010 04:13 UK

Outrage at anti-Semitism comparison by Pope preacher

Victims of abuse by Catholic priests and Jewish groups have condemned the Pope's personal preacher for comparing criticism of the Pope to anti-Semitism.

The US-based victims' group, Snap, said the comments by Father Raniero Cantalamessa, Pope Benedict's personal preacher, were "morally wrong".

The head of Germany's Central Council of Jews described the Easter sermon as unprecedented "insolence".

The Vatican said the remarks did not represent its official position.

Drawing such parallels could "lead to misunderstandings", spokesman Rev Federico Lombardi told the Associated Press.

However, Fr Cantalamessa's sermon was printed in full on the front page of the Vatican's official newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8601389.stm

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Earlier thread posted by sabra:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4330167

[applegrove]

1. The catholic church just showed how out of touch they are with that comment. They hit liftoff.

[Rozlee]

2. My family are Roman Catholic and strong Obama supporters. I've never disagreed with them before

on most things political. And trust me. This is not religious. This is political. The leaders of a religious organization, trying to preserve their power is as political as you can get. But, I'm pretty distraught about the comments they're making of anti-Catholic bias. For now, I'm biting my lips to ribbons not to say anything, but it's hard. My sisters just go on and on about how biased the media is about catholicism. And, oh, the media is run by anti-catholic protestants! I'm ready to yark over it all. After all the tribulation we've gone thru together during the Bush years and our happy kumbaya with Obama's win (despite a few snarks between the Hilary/Obama factions), I really feel like I've just landed in freepersville, catholic version.

[TheMadMonk]

3. Not about Catholicism, but about the behaviour of church leaders.

Try tossing that back next time they open their mouths.

[rpannier]

5. Anti-Catholic Protestants

I had a friend tell me it was the Jews in the Media

[cilla4progress]

6. I really agree with you about the "political" angle -

I see organized religion as simply huge political institutions for social control. Why should anyone require a hierarchy, a bureaucracy, with all the concomitant fundraising, strati, rules, in order to commune with that-which-binds-us-and-is-greater-than-any-one-person-by him/herself?

Yes, it is joyous to share spirituality in community...but I get very suspicious about the power, control, money, and material, claimed and owned by these "religious" institutions!

And, I hope this isn't offensive - but right now, I see the Catholic church as just an excuse for a pedophile ring! Now, I have friends who are authentic social justice freak Catholics - and I respect them highly; I believe there is a current in the Catholic church (obviously, St. Francis, Mother Teresa, and others) who have truly sacrificed for peace, social justice, love and hold these values in the highest order. But in toto, bottom line? I don't know that the Catholic church has really done more good than ill.... Native Americans, etc.

Interested in your comments.

[CoffeeCat]

7. This is not about the Catholic Church per se...

This is about the behavior of the hierarchy in the Church. Period.

Ask your family--If the National Bowling Association or the Junior League of
Cincinnati spent decades covering up the sexual abuse of children and allowing
their members to go unpunished and continue to victimize thousands of other children--would
it really be about your discrimination against these groups?

It's not about the group. It's about the behavior.

The Catholic Church's crimes--and their continued outrageous behavior (comparing pedophile
enablers to victims of the Holocaust) is cementing the Church as proponents and
enablers of child sexual predators. THAT is what is destroying the Church. Their
actions.

Tell that to your family.

No other organization, besides NAMBLA, has covered up the molestation of so many
children and intentionally put known serial child molesters in positions of power
with access to innocent children. And no other organization would get away with it either.

If anything, the Catholic Church has been afforded all kinds of free passes, justifications
and they've even bypassed our criminal-justice system. These priests have broken laws and
have avoided prison time. If anything, the Church and their pedophiles have received
special treatment that no other organization EVER would.

[provis99]

4. the Nazi Pope compares his critics to anti-semites picking on him?

Oh, that is rich. How conservatives love to indulge in that psychological projection.

[iamjoy]

8. Subtlety is Lost on Some...

criticizing the Pope is not necessarily anti-Catholicism any more than criticizing Israel is always anti-Semitism. There. I've turned the argument back on him.

Although, when some one (or a group) takes action with which some disagree or is flat out wrong, those who dislike them anyway may show their distaste in ways that are, well, distasteful.

[No Elephants]

9. The Vatican is tone deaf in trying to play the victim (a) at all; and (b) by attempting to

equate criticism of its pedophile shielding policies with ethnic bias and (d) seizing upo anti-Semitism as the ethnic bias.

Charging the Vatican with "insolence" is brave, though.