Pope Benedict XVI

by John Meehan Tue Apr 19, 2005 22:57

Looks like this will be a super-reactionary pope :

http://www.newint.org/issue327/worldbeaters.htm

This guy is Anti-Women and Anti-Gay - to such an extent that his words clearly imply sympathy ffor anti-gay violence:

see the article in the link above.

by PopeWatch Tue Apr 19, 2005 23:07

This inquisitor has a long record of controversial remarks on Islam, Buddhism, politics, and social issues such as homosexuality. Expect more from the "Panzer Pope".

by oldexcatholic Tue Apr 19, 2005 23:14

...is not whether the conclave has elected a conservative pope. What other kind of pope could there be, given that the church is a conservative and medieval institution?

There was never the possibility that a new pope would tell everyone to rush out and buy condoms to prevent the spread of aids. On that note there was an interesting article about JP2 in the Newstatesman of 11 April - 'Blood of innocents on his hands', quote: "He did more to spread aids in Africa than prostitution and the trucking industry combined".

Given that no new pope was ever likely to be progressive on any sex or gender issues there is only one issue that is really relevant - what signals is the new papa going to send regarding America's imperial adventures?

by completeinfidel Tue Apr 19, 2005 23:31

You are very restrained in calling him a conservative. He is a hardened reactionary.
No, he will not stand up to America.

by redjade Tue Apr 19, 2005 23:38

Here's what the Washington Post says about him....

''Ratzinger was active in stamping out liberation theology, with its emphasis on grass-roots activism to fight poverty and its association with Marxist movements.

He once called homosexuality a tendency toward "intrinsic moral evil" and dismissed the uproar over priestly pedophilia in the United States as a "planned campaign" against the church.''

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A22028-2005Apr2.html

→ I bet he doesn't like the Catholic Worker either, nor dread locks

by Interested Tue Apr 19, 2005 23:57

I do think at least with Ratzinger people will know where they stand, and will thus gain more clarity on what they think about the institutional Church (i.e. decide whether it's worthwhile trying to change it from within or whether, all things considered, it might be more productive to leave it and express their Christian faith elsewhere). JP2's personal charisma probably prevented intelligent disucssion on the issues to some degree. People lost sight of how hardline he actually was.

I'm just listening to Vincent Browne talking about how JP2's pontificate protected clerics from Rwanda who were invovled in the genocide there, and who fled to Italy. They were brought to justice eventually, but not with the help of the Church.

by libtheology Tue Apr 19, 2005 23:59

It will be interesting to watch the reactions of those people we know as "progressive catholics", if that is not a contradiction in terms. They will now have to decide if they can any longer stay in that backward institution.
If they stay, they will have to knuckle under. The Inquisition is alive and well, and they will be first on the menu.

by hardly jumping up and down Tue Apr 19, 2005 23:59

The church of rome enters its "xxi century" with a pope who invoked texts of sacred war during his pep talk for election, (paul to ephesians 4, psalm 68) disregarding the weeks' text of psalm 23 and John and on the stolen sheep, baaaaa! baaaaa! can we really expect him to reign 20 years till at least the first asteroid makes deep impact?

For it has been many years since benedict xvi belatedly called for war "the great war" to end, whilst shepherd children in fatima did their thing, and even many centuries (all forgery taken into consideration) since saint benedict's rule and hello? ciao?
ten languages??? can one really speak eclesiastical latin?
I'm a classicist, I think you mean the vulgate. I really doubt Joseph (my namesake) mumbles away synchretic lines of virgil and peppers his conversation with plautusian puns. I don't he even show visitors round the shop/hotel pointing out the rapheal and naming the snychretic free thinking philosophers of the school.

OK then. Well done, mr ratzinger!
olé!
we recognise the huge effort involved in all this for you. And all our governments don't want to be on the wrong side of you, coz you're most undoubtedly a very powerful old man with an unpleasant accent
and doubtless you'll look wonderful in the pope mobile and we'll welcome to you to our countries on visits and a bit of folk youth mass music and good old times God's rotzweiler style guidance.

But they don't speak eclesiastical or vulgate latin in the really really hot places.

bene-dict xvi haec hodie only 21 years after benedict 15- the rule of benedict - poverty? obedience? chastity?

by The Devil and George Warmonger Bush - The Black House Bullies Wed Apr 20, 2005 02:46 666 El Diablo's St. Langley Virginia, Black Op Box P2 Opus Dei 666-Old-Nick Ext. Bush

Now Bush can wash his Holy Wars in the Holy Waters of the Church. Along with his Holy Inquisition in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Venezuela, and other Countries.

by micheailin o'cinnsealach Wed Apr 20, 2005 05:26 saoirse32 at fastmail dot fm

The worst thing about Ratzinger, in my opinion, is his participation in the coverup and protection of child-molesting, predator priests. That is inexcusable, unforgivable in and and antithetical to any religious or otherwise moral person. This coverup and paying off of child sexual abuse cases is one of the biggest evils of the Church. It's too bad that in his long tenure as pope, John Paul II, who had the power and time to put an end to this ungodly collusion, allowed it to continue. Now we have Ratzinger. God help us.

by sleepwalker Wed Apr 20, 2005 09:31

jesus let the muck raking begin

the catholic church has been bigoted and hateful for a long time just let it go. there not going to change


we can dig up dirt on any single person elected to this position its not going to make a difference though

by christiananarchy Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:01

Ratzinger.......
"There were not sufficient reasons to unleash a war against Iraq. To say nothing of the fact that, given the new weapons that make possible destructions that go beyond the combatant groups, today we should be asking ourselves if it is still licit to admit the very existence of a 'just war.'"

This is interesting to radical Catholics such as the CWM as opposed to liberal/progessive ones who may shcism out of the Ratzinger lead church at this point.

The possible abandonement of the relativist ethic on war (Ratzinger refers to the dictatorship of relativism) is significant. The Church seems to have an abosolutest ethic on the violence of abortion and has entertained a relativist ethic on war since the Constantine shift in the 3rd. century, the legalisation of christianity, the acquisition of property and the consequent apologetics of Augustin.

The Ratzinger insight that because of the nature of modern weaponry that a Just War is an impossibilty is significant.

The trickle down quality of the Vatican's consistent oppostion to the U.S. wars of the '90's (Gulf War 1, Serbia. Gulf War2) is poor on American Catholics in terms of the rank 'n files position on the war compared to the rest of U.S. society and the lack of dynamic opposition coming from the U.S. clergy and the Bishops. So if that is duplicated in their teaching on comdoms liberals should not have anything to worry about.

Meanwhile the liberal relativisists of New Labour (ex-CND), Clinton (anti-Vietnam) etc are hardly inspiring when it comes to killing the poor for resources.

Like it or not, the Catholic Church remains the church of the poor - that's where you'll find them and the only global phenomenon (as the Guardian pointed out) and it has outlasted all empires and totaliatrian idealogues. So if you're not a Catholic fine - support the radicals who are.....against attacks from the liberal/progressives and the conservatives.

by iosaf - 10 languages yeah. ribbid. ribbid. Wed Apr 20, 2005 12:12

for many papers it is clear that Pope Benedict XVI is a "transitional" leader, and one who will continue the firm ideological line taken by his predecessor – and soul mate - Pope John Paul II.

The French-language Tribune de Genève and L’Express say many people who had hoped for reform will be "disappointed" over the choice of the German cardinal. For the Tribune de Genève this disappointment will also be strongly felt among Protestants who had hoped for a pope who would promote dialogue between the churches.

The mass-circulation Blick comments that the election of Ratzinger – "a man of dogma and doctrine"- is a cause of "deep concern".

"In the past two decades as head of the congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, he has suppressed all dissenting voices in the Church," it warns.

The Tages-Anzeiger echoes this sentiment: "There is a reason why Ratzinger is known as a 'panzer cardinal’ and a 'grand inquisitor’. During the last pontificate it was he who declared ideological war on feminism, contraception and homosexuality, as well as liberation theology in Latin America."

Continuity

For the Geneva-based Le Temps the election of Ratzinger was a vote in favour of "prudent continuity", but it fears the cardinals "are running the risk that their choice to succeed John Paul II could negate the best aspects of his legacy".

The Tages-Anzeiger goes even further. The election of the hardline cardinal could lead to "an exodus from the Church of all those on its fringes who had hoped for changes under this Pope".

"The reform-minded Catholics will find themselves without a home, because the new Pope does not want a people’s Church," it warns.

Despite the clear disappointment among the Swiss papers, some still offer a glimmer of hope.

The Neue Zürcher Zeitung says that by opting for a transitional Pope, the cardinals have bought themselves breathing space in which to consider the longer-term direction of the Church.

Choice of name

The Berner Zeitung draws consolation from the Pope’s choice of the name Benedict. The last pontiff with this name – Benedict XV – was known as a diplomat and negotiator, it says, and someone who during the First World War strove for dialogue between the warring nations.

The canton Valais paper Le Nouvelliste says it is likely that the new Pope will surprise everyone. It adds that during the Second Vatican Council of the early 1960s he was considered "open to reform".

Reform is at the top of a wish-list which Blick presents to the new Pope. "We want a Pope who will engage in dialogue... a Pope with the courage to doubt and question himself... a Pope who will defend the poor and... who will do away with discrimination."

Finally it hopes the new Pope "will not be obsessed with sex". "Constantly harping on about sexual morality suffocates the liberating Christian message of love and hope," it argues.

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=106&sid=5701913&cKey=1113979075000

********************
++++++++++++++

& our encyclopedia pals, wiki stunned the world with the amount of text they managed to get online and through their process of editing and challenging last night.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Benedict_XVI
[Really quite incredible, one of my reservations on wikipedia has been the weight of its religious based and war time german interest contributors, from the beginning they've produced pages and pages on everything religious from catholic to mormon to jewish to star trek theology, and almost every officer of the wehrmacht got an entry but Emma Goldman waited almost two years for her entry. & she's considered to be one of the 50 most influential americans of the XX century.]

The US press has welcomed in bush's words " a strong leader", and a "wise man" but there are some misgivings.

the French press have decided this "continuity pope" is also a bit "temporary" (for at 78 no-one expects him to be at the helm for 25 years "and out of the crypt" - that would be indecent even for a fang) Le Monde quotes the irish cardinal (a fan) who sa'ys Benedict XVI will talk "peace" whilst Leonardo Boff (an opponent) thinks "it will be difficult to love him" a good reflection of the very mixed reactions.
http://www.lemonde.fr/web/articleinteractif/0,41-0@2-3214,49-640864@51-634097,0.html

The Germans are not as all delighted as your local commercial press would have you believe.
All their bishops got a letter from Benedict XVI last year telling them to oppose Turkish membership of the EU on the grounds that Europe = Christendom. There is mixed feelings on the intent of the "war" on liberalism, and on the lack of ecumenical enthusiasm. And also the lack of jolly good show words from South American and Africa.
Indeed though not a RC, archbishop Tutu has expressed despair at the choice of conclave in quite an outspoken statement carried in various european newspapers.
a german national-
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1557981,00.html
a south german paper gave equal space to criticism of the election, focussing not on either Boff or Kung as "liberal in opposition" but Gotthold Hasenhüttl instead-
http://www.sueddeutsche.de/ausland/artikel/624/51573/

For their part the Austrians are delighted.
They have no problem with the past, and look forward to a strong man at the top, and will send a contigent of youth to Bendict XVI's first foreign engagement at Koln later this year, where he will attend a youth rally.
http://derstandard.at/?url=/?id=2021209

The italian press have gone from an intense anti-Ratzinger campaign which quite surprised all onlookers in the last days, to simply qouting his speeches and masses and wondering about
Mr B. again.

The very establishment Corriere de la Sera in today's editorial claims at the end, though not their choice for Pope, the cardinals joined from "left" and "right" [perhaps "right" and "far right"] to elect Ratzinger, and sure he plays the mason composers Mozart and Beethoven like a virtuoso on piano, speaks 10 languages, and has the formidable intellect of Augustine, and sure you have to handle people like that with a lot of care.
The editorial writer of Corriere rather likes his eyes too.
"occhi da cherubino" ¿ma dai?.
La Reppublica (bill clinton's european paper of choice for his open letters to us all) takes a rather more "liberal" squint at things, finding space to use the english words of a US journalist shouting copy into the phone - "the winner is the german!"
I'm not sure if its tongue in cheek or not (the 10 languages thing) but they claim a ukrainian hopes Benedict XVI will re-introduce mass in latin. "latin's lovely". Benedict XVi (first official papal homily this morning was in latin, he didn't miss a cue, he's been practising a long time)
http://www.repubblica.it/2005/d/sezioni/esteri/nuovopapa1/lapiazza/lapiazza.html
where-as l'unita note that "the german" is the only "non-left wing thing" in fashion in Italy at the moment.

The british press, are well summarised by aunty beeb, and vary from the utter delight of the welsh to the "papa ratzi" tag of the Sun. (it's quite a craft writing that sort of headline and thinking that tag)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4463579.stm

the british PM Tony Blair hopes to be able to work with the new pope on important issues, such as the development of Africa.

the chinese said the Vatican could improve its relations with Beijing by breaking its ties with Taiwan and refraining from interfering with China's internal affairs.

The dutch, very liberal bunch and proddy too-
have had this to say-
Algemeen Dagblad (centre commercial daily)
gives space to the Belgian "liberal" cardinal Daneels, who aint happy but has still mused to the french language press «Il a été élu légitimement et démocratiquement. L'élection d'un pape ne relève pas du lobbying et n'est pas un choix de parlement », = he was elected legitmately and democratically. the election of a pope doesn't rely on lobbying and is not a choice of parliament.
[odd that "lobbying" getting into the french, just as silly as the idea of 115 old men electing a leader for 1.2 billion being democratic, surely the Holy Spirit can be allowed to do better?]

the Telegraaf is sort of "sun like" and leads with the headine "we are pope" with the german words "our ratzinger is pope" The dutch are very clever, they speak loads of languages. So too do the Swedish and they're just as proddy-
Aftonbladet, their tabloid daily didn't carry the new pope on front page but stuck him down a few pages. with this headline-
Påven – soldat i Hitlers armé
=
Pope soldier in Hitler's army.
http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/nyheter/story/0,2789,633838,00.html

So not much hope for ecumenism in liberal protestant sweden then. The slightly more upmarket "Dagens Nyheter" also leads with a local story, about a finance minister embroiled ina scandal going backa long way. Their take on Benedict "papa-ratzi"
http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=148&a=404247

i'd go on, but i've got to eat my lunch.
oh yeah, according to our pal Geraldine K's rag,
gay catholics are the only people opposed to the selection of the Holy Spirit, who in faced with the choice of settling a flock doves a hovering over some poor africans head decided to stick to the usual and help a few hundred auld fellahs elect a man who's perhap has never had sex or had children to be pope.

by Deirdre Clancy Wed Apr 20, 2005 13:48

Ratzinger.......
"There were not sufficient reasons to unleash a war against Iraq. To say nothing of the fact that, given the new weapons that make possible destructions that go beyond the combatant groups, today we should be asking ourselves if it is still licit to admit the very existence of a 'just war.'" This is interesting to radical Catholics such as the CWM as opposed to liberal/progessive ones who may shcism out of the Ratzinger lead church at this point."

I have to say that one statement of the obvious on war does not a radical Catholic make. To say that liberal/progressive Catholics might schism, while radical Catholics won't schism doesn't make sense to me. I think the opposite will happen. (I think a truly radical, anarchist Catholic has to have serious difficulties with what is effectively a non-hereditary monarchical structure, and needs to at least vocally question it, anyway.) Liberal/progressive Catholics just get on with their lives, and find ways to exist in the Church by not really paying attention to the teachings they find untenable, such as those on contraception. Liberal/progressive Catholics are actually the majority European Catholics. Radical Catholics are the liberation theologians of Latin America and elsewhere, who have already been opposed forcefully by Ratzinger, and who will have to make serious decisions about where their loyalties lie. Do they lie with the poor and oppressed, or with the last bastion of medieval feudalism in Rome? Women, gay people, liberation theologians, those in second relationships after a marriage breakup: these are the people to whom the Church's position will probably become more obvious than before, and who will have to make serious decisions.

by redjade Wed Apr 20, 2005 15:43

''It helps that of the $15 billion Bush has allocated to fight AIDS globally, much will be directed to church-affiliated organizations, with $1 billion earmarked for abstinence-until-marriage programs.

As a result, blind faith in abstinence has taken hold in Uganda, a country that was once the shining star of AIDS success stories in Africa. HIV rates fell in Uganda during the 1990s from about 15 percent to some 6 percent. The key was a multifaceted set of programs known as the ABC approach, which preached the benefits of Abstinence, Being faithful, and using Condoms.

But Uganda is now "in the throes of a born-again Christian revival," Epstein writes. The government has embraced the abstinence tack and groups are scrambling to secure a piece of the $1 billion pie.

That's meant pushing aside condom programs...''

http://www.utne.com/webwatch/2005_194/news/11618-1.html

-- -- --

→ Also: Nathan Newman has some good links to good things about Mr Ratz...

Partly mentioning what Deidre was saying and adding some more.

The Upside of Ratzinger as Pope
http://www.nathannewman.org/log/archives/002638.shtml

by redjade Wed Apr 20, 2005 16:09

German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Vatican theologian who was elected Pope Benedict XVI, intervened in the 2004 US election campaign ordering bishops to deny communion to abortion rights supporters including presidential candidate John Kerry.

In a June 2004 letter to US bishops enunciating principles of worthiness for communion recipients, Ratzinger specified that strong and open supporters of abortion should be denied the Catholic sacrament, for being guilty of a "grave sin."

He specifically mentioned "the case of a Catholic politician consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws," a reference widely understood to mean Democratic candidate Kerry, a Catholic who has defended abortion rights.

http://beta.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050419/pl_afp/vaticanpopeus

by Anorak Wed Apr 20, 2005 16:34

...his position on the Buttiglione affair.
But then he is likely to do more damage to the church, so who knows, it might be a 'good' appointment.

by James Wed Apr 20, 2005 19:46

Wonderful stuff guys... this Pope is "anti-gay", "anti-women", anti-left and anti-permissive bullshit ad nauseum. Big deal. And how pathetic that you evaluate Cardinal Ratzinger on how "enthusiastic" he was about the Hitler Youth.

What you politically-correct Trots want is not an acceptance of all religions, but their final destruction. You are incapable of dealing with the moral constraints of the church, its protection of tradition and national unity. Unless everything is openly gay, openly multicultural, gender feminist and atheist, it just doesn't work, does it?

Get a life. The sad and dangerous thing is, policy-makers in Brussels are actually listening to your guff, the result being that we are entering a society akin to the Soviet Union. Thought police, religion police, and culture police everywhere.

by James Wed Apr 20, 2005 19:48

And just for the record, Pope Benedict XVI isn't anything even close to a radical Catholic. Radical Catholics reject the validity of Vatican II.

And as for his stance on abortion vis a vis the Kerry election, why should anyone stand for the legalisation of murder?

by christianarchy Wed Apr 20, 2005 21:29

Radial Catholics reject holding management positions with an armed wing, no matter who designed the uniform! Let the liberals and conservatives fight it out, the rads will get on with trying to follow Jesus.

by Badman Wed Apr 20, 2005 21:35

James " Unless everything is openly gay, openly multicultural, gender feminist and atheist, it just doesn't work, does it?"

I suppose you've got a point. Much better to sweep it all under the carpet and if any of it peeps out, you can just move the sinners around the country where they can keep on raping children.

by trying to be a better man Wed Apr 20, 2005 22:00

ah he might surprise ye all, like if he was "really" pope the last years, it was "him" who said no to war wasn't it? like who on earth expects a socialist pope? they're supposed to be right wing, they're suppose to come from... yes. "hitler youth backgrounds", let's see how he does, he has an augustine intellect, but ahem he doesn't have an augustine cv. (not enough grrrrls and parties). augustine was a quite a goer, indeed.

by Terazina Wed Apr 20, 2005 23:50

if the holy prophet Malachy is right, Pope Benedict XVl will be assinated in Italy in 2008, then as Nostradamus also predicted, we will have the first and last pope, who will be black.
Lord have mercy we all know what is in store thereafter, the end is nigh.
Bless you all

by Anorak Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:13

"we will have the first and last pope, who will be black."

by jeff Thu Apr 21, 2005 21:44

"Now we have Ratzinger. God help us."


Who exactly is we? I felt sorry for the Pope cos he died, but at this stage I have gotten tired of the media handwringing over both the Popes death and the drama over who'll be the new one.

We know what the Catholic church believes, the rest of us are not forced to believe any of that. I don't give a sheet for either the people who get ruffled because it's the Pope or those who get all gleeful and jump up and down like the nerds they are in St Peters sq.

I'm just glad I'm not some disgruntled teenager having to pretend to ultra Catholic (hypothetical) parents of mine that, oh, yes indeed, this is a very momentuous and imporatant occasion.

Sadder still though is watching some radical types getting angered up at this Ratzinger fellow. Big deal. Big swinging Catholic mickey.

I bet ya as well St Malachy's predictions will turn out to be nonsense also. The Powers that be like it when small people are enteratined by facile notions like premonitions and astrology( raise eyes again). If nine to five people did not have a bewildering variety of hobbies to entertain them, the economy would crash thanks to the suicide rates.

I tell ya, seeing life for what it really is makes one yearn for the bliss that is ignorance. Enjoy now your bitching/praising about a bunch of muppets in Rome.

As for paedophiles, just don't send your kids to Catholic schools.If you are not Catholic, then it's notr your problem. If you are and are concerned about this Ratzers policy on nonces , organise a protest.

But please, no more pining and whining. I'm off to get more info on Malachy...

by wicked Thu Apr 21, 2005 22:58

sell it.

by jona Fri Apr 22, 2005 04:47

Pardon me, but after the conquest of the commonwealth, and the restoration of the monarchy, after 117,000 roundheads, diggers and levelers were slaughtered, isn`t this the continuation of Paradise lost with a bushite vengence? The man was named so to do so. My family in both world wars fought from beginning to end in the first canadian division for the purpose of ending war on earth and between nations of people forever. That way to liberation and women elected equally and thus re-gaining paradise. I am sad that a Hitler youth member, and a person that did not oppose his 1943 entry into the German army has become pope of Rome. It was my wish that the liberation theologists would have won. I`d say better luck next time, but the worlds people deserve better now. The ecological balance of men and woman can only be naturally won when men and women are elected equally, with woman making half the laws in a calendar year, so the natural harmoney and joy of the species returns. Matriarchy is necessary. How much time do we have with the atmosphere now 34% more carbon-dioxide than before the first industrial revolution? You cannot live on carbon-dioxide and unless we re-tool the whole industrial revolution to wind, tidal, and solar power, and out of coal, gas, oil, and atomic energy sooner rather than later, and as Bush and Blair are warring for oil to make the percentage go higher, we are in big trouble. The new pollution free powers and the tools to put them in place are available now. We cannot afford to allow Bush and Blair and their world oil monoply strategie to win. Just a few more percentage points higher and the beginning agony already evident on mother earth will portend the ultimate demise of the planets livability. Stop pollution now! We need to dismantle the polluting oil empire and the war machine that holds it in place because time is running out. Why not elect two popes, one a man and one a woman so true representation can take place?

by Ratzinger - Inquisition Fri Apr 22, 2005 13:08 Vatican City, Rome, Italy

My dear sheep,
I am your shepard, vollov mich. Will ja ?
bitte komm united again.
I
Gott is waiting mit the big fork.
gott is not vegan. and not gay.

\\\ amen

ach ! vorgot !! Nicht fornicate , ok ?

hey , I am ein gut guy

kinda of ein sweety pie..

mich und mein bruder

I was ein boy scout, das ist ein boy scout.. echt !!

some bad jokes on mich.. ah ah ah

by Joseph Kay - WSWS Fri Apr 22, 2005 14:14

EXTRACT>>>>>>

The new pope has close ties to ultra-conservative factions within the Catholic Church, such as Opus Dei, which are openly hostile to the core democratic principle of the separation of church and state, and seek to elevate the Church over civil authority. Such theocratic tendencies are increasingly being embraced by parties on the right as part of their ideological arsenal for attacking all of the social and democratic gains achieved in the course of the twentieth century.

See full article at:

by christianarchy Sat Apr 23, 2005 00:52

Well, it's usually good to hear from the peanut gallery, but one is left to wonder do the indy editors have a policy on racist postings?

Inetersting that the above post echoes the best of British tabloid coverage (who often push the envelope on racism) take on the chosen pope
Headlines from....
The Sun - "From Hitler Youth to Pope"
Daily Telegraph - "God's Rottweiller"
Daily Mirror - "Panzerkardinal"

Catholic of course means universal, something that upsets the KKK, the UVF & maybe the poster above.

Interesting that the young Ratzinger's military role was in an anti-aircraft gunning unit. Aerial bombardment of course was denounced by the allies as a "war crime" at the beginning og WW2 then pefected by them over Dresden, Nagasaki, Tokyo & Hiroshima.

German guilt over the events of Nazism has been a huge phenomenon and it would be interesting to hear Ratzinger's reflection on it from whatever period of his life.

An excellent reflection on the subject can be found in "The Tin Drum" (read the book or rent the video) from another former Nazi Youth member Gunter Grass.

I would also recommend the German film "Downfall" now playing at "The Screen".

by Yep Sat Apr 23, 2005 09:15

Mimicing a German accent and implying it implicity fascist, how does s/he get away with that one?

by ribbid rribbid rrrribbid rrrrriiiiibbbbbiiiiid Sat Apr 23, 2005 15:46

the german pontiff bendict xvi has praised the media in reports just issued from the latin speaking state (population approx 1000 - all of 'em celibate) of the Vatican.

The german shepherd, has said he hopes to continue the openness with the media fostered by his predecessor during his first audience with journalists.

He also thanked journalists for their coverage during the "historically important" events of the papal transition.

"I hope to follow this dialogue with you and I share, as Pope John Paul II observed concerning the faith, the development of social communications," the pontiff told more than 1,000 members of the media and pilgrims in the vast Vatican hall used for weekly general audiences.

The bavarian hard-liner noted that John Paul II had been "a great artisan" of an "open and sincere" dialogue with the media that was started by the Second Vatican Council in the mid-1960s.

He added that the media in the modern age has the capacity to reach "the whole of humanity."

He said: "Thanks to all of you, this historically important ecclesial events have had worldwide coverage. I know how hard you have worked, far away from your homes and families for long hours and in sometimes difficult conditions. I am aware of this dedication with which you have accomplished this demanding task."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11300-2005Apr23.html

the difficult conditions to which he reffered to were not named, as reporters sans frontiers has yet to establish the media open-ness index rating of the Vatican state.

He spoke in Italian, English, French and German.
He didn't speak in Latin coz only synchretics understand it.
He didn't speak in Hebrew coz he didn't learn that as a youth in Bavaria.
& He didn't speak in Spanish coz he's protesting the new maricons marriage law, and as we all know only really hetrosexual people have children or get married in church, and only nice decent people get to adopt babies and cherish them.
this is a really good sign.
honestly it is.

He has though asked good catholics to not assit in civil unions of same sex couples in Spain, even though different sex civil unions aren't recognised either, you've got to draw a line somewhere, and fanning prejudice makes a good crayon. The sprightly pontiff looks forward to representing the majority of RC churchgoers who are mostly his generation for the next century and beyond.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=696347

if you have any questions on knowing whether or not your parents were homosexual write them out in latin and send to them his new email address.
But please note the german pontiff did not take questions in todays session. He just said things.
That's his way. Like it or leave it.

by ratzinger secretary - Inquisited Sat Apr 23, 2005 16:43

"no child should play war... "

A joke is as joke. if you can' t make any, then you are in some sort of dictatorship.
what will you say to monthy phyton for making jokes on nazis and on jews? is your censorship request making you feel more human being than me, wearing your best snob attitude?
and what is a christianarchy ?
I defenetely can make more jokes on that.

we are all so serious, aren' t we ? but who is we ?
anyway.
love the tin drum, a bit too sad though.

gunther grass is a writer, not a pope.
what , they didn' t check his curriculum ?
we are talking spirituality, aren' t we?
or power is the only moving and justified cause of wars and , why not , of religions.
things I should give respect. oh well..
as if the jews and the homosexuals are going to take it.
and as if I am not one of those.
I was joking, me , not killing.

were we trying to get forward.. or ?

by X Sun Apr 24, 2005 22:49

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=518&ncid=2357&e=2&u=/ap/20050424/ap_on_re_eu/pope_s_first_days

by a rats singer Mon Apr 25, 2005 13:44

Sir Anthony seeks sainthood
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2091-1583341,00.html

It’s a tale as ancient as the Bible. The older rich folk get, the more religious they become, and Sir Anthony O’Reilly is no exception. A collector of honorary titles in this life, the 68-year-old tycoon now seems determined to bag a halo in the next. In the latest issue of the religious monthly The Word, the Independent News and Media chairman reveals his latter-day conversion. “The older I get, the more I realise the importance of religion, ” he says.

Arguing that the Catholic church has been unfairly tarnished by clerical sexual abuse scandals, he declares: “Lay people should get up in a pulpit, where appropriate, and say, like I have said, that they never had any knowledge or experience of it (sexual abuse) in their school life.”

by redjade Tue Apr 26, 2005 19:47

Papal e-mail address goes on sale
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4466691.stm
A journalism student from Dublin is hoping to sell an e-mail address for Pope Benedict XVI on eBay in a bid to slightly reduce his student loan. Vincent Flood, 27, immediately set up [email protected] when he heard Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had chosen a new papal name.

- - -

Online Delboy turns cyber-pope
http://www.journalism.co.uk/news/story1360.shtml
To take the idea to its logical conclusion, Mr Flood has announced the establishment of 'Confusionism' - a new religion "for those of us who are confused about life in general, or simply wish to confuse others".

"Once it grows a bit and bloggers start to link to it I might launch 'confusion campaigns' whereby members would create mass confusion - nothing antisocial, but possibly anti-ExxonMobil," he said.

- - -

Cyber-Pope Blog
http://cyber-pope.blogspot.com/
And So It Begins...

Two new Popes came to power last Tuesday. One was elected at the Vatican in Rome, the other was an Irish Catholic chancer sitting by his computer in his hovel of a home. Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm the second one, the Cyber-Pope.

by + Sat Apr 30, 2005 15:02

have applied for an injunction to close Italy indymedia in an attempt to stifle the raft of pictures where the german shepherd, bavarian paparatzi, god's rottweiler, have appeared focussing on his cultural and political associations in the minds of young people as he moves to win them over.

http://indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/04/310199.html

nice going.
we're convinced.
why don't we just poster them on the doors of your churches instead?

by - Sat May 07, 2005 12:05

Pope Benedict XVI has held a private audience with the 30 new recruits to the Swiss Vatican Guard who took their vows of allegiance on Friday.

The new members of the world’s smallest army are predominantly from the German-speaking part of the country, highlighting a recruitment problem in the French- and Italian-speaking areas.

Before the swearing-in, the recruits had a private audience with the Pope, who described the Swiss Guard as "a small army with grand ideals". He also spoke of its "glorious 500-year tradition".

The Swiss Guard was established in 1506 to ensure the protection of the pope.

The swearing-in of new members always takes place on May 6, the anniversary of the sacking of Rome in 1527 when 147 guards were killed while protecting Pope Clement VII.

Pope Benedict said that in addition to a strong Catholic faith, committed Christian lifestyle and love of the Pope, the ideal qualities of a guard were "conscientiousness and perseverance in the small and big tasks of everyday service, courage and humility, consideration for others and humanity".

Recruitment drive

Twenty-five of the new recruits are from German-speaking Switzerland, three are from the French part, while the Italian- and Romansh-speaking areas have one representative apiece.

The number of French-speaking recruits is at its lowest for seven years. Last year, seven of the 33 recruits came from French-speaking Switzerland.

Jacques Babey, the head of the association of former Swiss guards, said he was disturbed by the trend towards fewer French-speaking guards.

"To ensure a linguistic balance we would need dozens of new French-speaking guards every year," he said.

The association plans to use the 500th anniversary of the Swiss Guard next year to launch a recruitment drive in the French part of the country.

Babey said that the strict discipline in the Vatican army was off-putting for many Swiss French. But he said a stint as a guard could open the door to a career in the police.

Swiss guards are paid SFr1,800 ($1,494) a month. To join they have to be Roman Catholic, single, at least 1metre 74cm tall and be under 30.

swissinfo with agencies

The Swiss Guard has a maximum of 110 members.
Candidates have to be Swiss, Catholic, under 30 and 174cm tall.
Recruits must be single but can marry later.
Payment is SFr1,800 per month.
Guards must serve at least two years.

SCANDAL
The Swiss Guard was rocked by a scandal in 1998 when Commander Alois Estermann and his wife were found dead at their Vatican apartment along with the body of corporal Cédric Tornay.

An official enquiry found that Tornay had shot his superior and his wife before killing himself.

Tornay was said to have been angry at being overlooked for a medal.

Other theories suggest the involvement of outsiders in the crime.
http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=106&sid=5759508&cKey=1115395209000