Pope criticizes West for trying to export own brand of democracy to Iraq, Libya

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

World | Mon May 16, 2016 4:45pm EDT

Pope criticizes West for trying to export own brand of democracy to Iraq, Libya

Pope Francis criticized Western powers for trying to export their own brand of democracy to countries such as Iraq and Libya without respecting indigenous political cultures, according to an interview published on Monday.

Speaking to France's Roman Catholic newspaper, La Croix, Francis also said Europe should better integrate migrants and praised the election of the new Muslim mayor of London as an example of where this had been successful.

"Faced with current Islamist terrorism, we should question the way a model of democracy that was too Western was exported to countries where there was a strong power, as in Iraq, or Libya, where there was a tribal structure," he said.

"We cannot advance without taking these cultures into account," the pope said.

"As a Libyan said recently, 'We used to have one Gaddafi, now we have fifty", Francis said in reference to former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi who was deposed and killed in 2011.

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-democracy-immigration-idUSKCN0Y726B

[rug]

1. "Operation Iraqi Freedom"

[libodem]

2. LOVE

This Pope.

[mr blur]

4. Please -

Consider the bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, sexism and institutionalised sexual abuse he happily presides over before drooling over what a wonderful progressive you think the PR Pope is.

[Orrex]

6. AUTOMATED MESSAGE: Results of your Jury Service

Mail Message
On Tue May 17, 2016, 07:16 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

Please -
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1218&pid=229095

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

He should be able to make his point without accusing another DUer of drooling. The poster belowm ironically, did it without insulting.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Tue May 17, 2016, 07:27 AM, and the Jury voted 2-5 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Hiding for using the term "drooling"? Seems excessive. Voting leave.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: I see no reason to hide this post. The poster expressed an opinion which is what a discussion forum is about. The "drooling" comment may be offensive to the alerter, but I don't see it as abusive or offensive to the community at large.
Juror #5 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Agree with the alerter.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: I find this a reasonable description of the current state of The Church, with rampant bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, sexism and sex abuse spanning many decades.

If we're so fragile that we can't handle as mild a descriptor as "drooling," then maybe we should stay offline for a few years.

Leave it.



Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[mr blur]

18. Thank you (nt)

[libodem]

8. I do hear you Mr Blur

I'm not much of a Christian, only by proxy, being born into this era of Western Civilization. I'm mostly an athiest, with a tiny spiritual bent. You may even see me around the board praising the Goddess, Mother of us all. Have it be known I'm not actually into a physical deity at all, I just like saying that God is a woman.

All that being said, I hate the Patriarchy. I hate that men think they are the boss of everything. I hate most organized religion. I hate the Bible, with it's introduction to Hebrew history, cursing all women and glorifying men as the rib givers to create women. Fuck all that.

But if you think I approve of importing our kind of Gunsmoke democracy, especially with, the vote tampering, since Bush vs Gore, you have another think coming. I'll just place you in favor of Faluja and all the the little babies with hydrocephalus, no fingers, guts on the outside of their helpless little bodies.

I don't appreciate you calling me a misogynist or a sexist.

This Pope cares about poverty and the dispossessed. And I love him for that, and will send my worthless athiest prayers to help him stand up for the things I believe in.

[skepticscott]

5. Good grief, are you serious?

His statement is so hypocritical it makes me sick. His church has been "exporting" (i.e. imposing) their own brand of christianity in other countries for centuries, without no regard at all for indigenous religions. He has no right to point fingers at anyone.

[libodem]

9. I hear you

And I get it.

[skepticscott]

16. No, you don't

If you did, you wouldn't be praising and kissing the ass of one of the worst bigots on the planet.

[Igel]

12. In spite of that, though,

Catholicism comes in a variety of flavors.

How it's done in Africa isn't how it's done in Asia or Central America. Even the "one size fits all" variety that existed a century ago was tweaked for local sensibilities. Just not with papal blessing.

[skepticscott]

15. No, Catholicism comes in one flavor

Just ask them. As far as forcing their version of religion down other people's throats out of blatant arrogance, doing it differently doesn't make it any better.

[rug]

17. Don't be ethnocentric.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Catholic_rites_and_churches

[Angry Dragon]

13. yes

[trotsky]

7. What part about him to you love the most?

The part where he and his church ALSO interfere with democracy in independent nations?

You know, when they spend money and make public pronouncements opposing marriage equality, birth control, and other forms of reproductive choice?

[libodem]

10. I love that Priests and Popes

Still wear the gowns of the original Mother Goddess Priestess of the religions that they hijacked.

[trotsky]

11. If you say so. I wasn't there so I don't know.

What I do know is that the pope and his church are still actively fighting against rights for LGBT* individuals and women around the world. It's one thing when they want to control their followers' lives, but when they want the whole world living under their rules I'm going to object.

[ErikJ]

3. Bushco tried to set up a Libertarian free-market economy style govt in Iraq

Where everything was going to be privately owned and operated. Privatized social security etc. Kind of like they set up in Chile under Pinochet 1973 to 1990. That was what helped desteroy the infrastructure of Iraq

[Angry Dragon]

14. Bushco had no idea how to run a country