Pope: 'Nothing positive' in Iraq

[onehandle]

Source: CNN/AP

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI decried suffering in much of the world in his Easter Sunday message, lamenting that "nothing positive" is happening in Iraq and voicing worry over unrest and instability in Afghanistan and bloodshed in parts of Africa and Asia.

"How many wounds, how much suffering there is in the world," the pontiff said, delivering his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Easter address from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica as tens of thousands of pilgrims and tourists listened in the square.

Benedict read out a litany of troubling current events, saying he was thinking of the "terrorism and kidnapping of people, of the thousand faces of violence which some people attempt to justify in the name of religion, of contempt for life, of the violation of human rights and the exploitation of persons."

"Afghanistan is marked by growing unrest and instability," Benedict said. "In the Middle East, besides some signs of hope in the dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civil population flees."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/04/08/vatican.easter.ap/index.html

[rpannier]

1. That's outrageous...

Why only last week Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and 100+ of their closest military friends made a leisurely stroll in downtown Baghdad and nothing bad happened to them.

Don't people pay attention.


Why does the Pope hate America???
Why does he love terrorists???

:sarcasm:

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Commander AWOL' s Skull & Boner Oil Crusade has failed." - Pope Ratzinger

"Just like everything else the Connecticut preppy frat boy deserter has tried, he has FAILED."

- Pope Ratzinger

[SpiralHawk]

3. "In Hoc Signo Vinces." - Commander AWOL

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Laughing Mirror]

5. Nothing positive in the Vatican either, Mr. Pope

There's nothing but blood on that long red dress you wear.

[arewenotdemo]

15. you got that right

Can't figure this guy out. Didn't his boy win in 2004? Didn't Ratzinger provide the crucial margin of victory by putting out the hit on Kerry?

[Bridget Burke]

18. Popes wear white.

Cardinals wear red.

[Joe Bacon]

6. Why isn't Eggy Baby paying taxes?

Eggy, if you want to play, you GOT to pay. Render under Caesar, baby!

[AngryOldDem]

13. Huh?

Like any other world leader (and, like it or not, Ratzinger is considered one) he is voicing his opinion on the state of affairs in Iraq.

That is quite different, say, than the Church here telling its members how to vote and for whom. That is where the "render unto Caesar" thing kicks in.

The Church's comments on the war have always been correct and to the point, and it is justified in speaking out. Unfortunately, its track record in other matters has virtually invalidated what it says on this important issue.

[JVS]

14. I was unaware that the Vatican was under U.S. jurisdiction

[Ian David]

7. By that he means, they're not giving the orphaned kids over to Catholic orphanages...

so they can clean-up like they did during The Holocaust?

[cmkramer]

8. Not true

What he said was that the totality of a candidate's positions should be considered, not just his position on abortion. However, he did caution that one should not vote for a candidate solely because he was pro-choice. That is, if you were completely against Kerry on every other issue, that might be something you'd want to reconsider. But at no time was anyone ever told they could not vote for pro-choice politicians.

Also, there were no orders from the Vatican to deny communion to pro-choice Catholic politicians. Bishops were told to use their own discretion and that those who were so inclined, should meet with and discuss the situation with the politician in question.

[CJCRANE]

9. There is a Christian exodus from Iraq.

Life was much better for Christians under Saddam's secular state.

[antiimperialist]

10. 39 dead today as a result of sectarian violence, so far

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/KAM831964.htm

[Sparkly]

11. Of course, John McCain cleared the whole thing up in his WP editorial today...

So we can expect a statement from the Pope soon, to the effect of: "Oh, that's very different. Nevermind."

:sarcasm:

[texpatriot2004]

12. Gee Capt. Obvious...

I think he's evil. He is certainly creepy.

[Olney Blue]

16. Why does the Pope hate freedom?

[goclark]

17. Isn't he the Pope that Bush "installed?"

I thought he loved the Chimp.

[Bridget Burke]

19. Why do you think that?

Got any proof? I wasn't aware that the Republicans had "pull" with the College of Cardinals.

[Supersedeas]

20. The American Taliban has its own image of a religious leader--* lives in Crawford